Shawn Palmer, NLL Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©
Photo Credit: David Pickering
The Ottawa Black Bears (3-2) travelled to Oshawa to face the FireWolves (1-4) in the first battle of Ontario, East version. Oshawa has had great defense as well as goaltending this year but have struggled on the offensive side heading into this game with the record of 1 – 3. The Black Bears have a great offense with Jeff Teat who is considered one of, if not the best player in the NLL in addition to another scorer on the other side of the floor in Rob Hellyer (1G, 4A). Oshawa came out firing and took the lead into the fourth quarter only to have Ottawa’s five goal run overcome the deficit while holding off a comeback from the FireWolves. Alex Simmons (6G, 5A) for the FireWolves and Teat (3G, 7A) for the Black Bears combine for 21 points in this game. Final Score: Black Bears 16—FireWolves 14.
Oshawa would open the scoring just over three minutes into the game. Tye Kurtz (2G, 5A) fired a low to high shot from the top that beat Zach Higgins (43 saves) over the shoulder for the early 1 – 0 lead. They extended the lead less than two minutes later while on the power play. Dyson Williams (4G, 1A) received a pass from Simmons, and his side arm low bounce shot beat Higgins to the far side increasing the Oshawa lead to 2 – 0. Ottawa finally made it onto the scoresheet with just over ten minutes gone in the frame. While on a 5-minute power play, Larson Sundown (4G, 1A) received a pass from Connor Kearnan (2G, 3A) and he beat Doug Jamieson (38 saves) cutting the lead to 2 – 1 for the FireWolves. On that same powerplay, Reilly O’Connor (2G, 3A) was the recipient of a pass from Teat, and he went five hole to tie the game at two. Twenty seconds later Kearnan received a pass in the middle from O’Connor, and his shot went over the shoulder for the Black Bears third power play goal in a row, and they had the lead for the first time at 3 – 2. Oshawa responded a minute and a half later when Simmons took a high-to-high shot over the shoulder into the top corner and we were all knotted up at three. With 30 seconds left in the first, O’Connor would fine a cutting Teat, and he beat Jamieson over the shoulder from in front giving the Black Bears the lead after one quarter 4 – 3. The shots on goal after the first were Ottawa 14 and Oshawa 11.
The second got off to a slow start and Oshawa would tie it up just over five minutes in. Jackson Nishimura (1G) came from the boards, dove across the crease, and beat Higgins with a shot to the far side to tie the game at four. A minute and a half later, Kurtz got the pass at the top from Ethan Walker (1G, 6A) and his high to low shot went giving Oshawa a 5 – 4 lead. After three consecutive penalties to Ottawa, Simmons was awarded a penalty shot but Higgins was able to shut the door on him to keep it a one goal deficit for Ottawa. Six minutes later Simmons got another chance and made up for the missed penalty shot. He came over the top and his high to low twister shot went glove side and it was 6 – 4 Oshawa. With just over 20 seconds left in the half, the Black Bears would get one back, Teat fired a low-to-low shot that beat Jamieson to the stick side to get Ottawa within one at 6 – 5. The FireWolves played for the final shot of the first half. Dyson Williams (4G, 1A) received a pass from Simmons behind the net, he dove in front and beat Higgins to the far side to give the FireWolves a 7 – 5 lead heading into the half. The shots on goal at the end of the first half were Oshawa 27 and Ottawa 26.
Oshawa would once again open the frame expanding their lead less than two minutes into the third quarter. Fans would watch the teams trade goal for goal for either a one or two goal deficit. While in transition, Colton Watkinson (1A) passed to Simmons off of the bench and his overhand shot went over the shoulder into the top corner and it was 8 – 5. Two minutes later Sundown would fire a laser from the top over Jamieson’s shoulder closing the gap and it was 8 – 6 still in favor of Oshawa. A little over a minute later, Jacob Dunbar (1G) came off the bench, down the middle, received a pass from Teat and fired a shot short side to get the Black Bears to within one at 8 – 7. Just over six minutes into the third, Williams scored the goal of the game. From way out near the restraining line, he fired a behind the back shot that beat Higgins to the glove side extending the FireWolves lead to 9 – 7. A minute later, the Black Bears would once again close the gap. Kearnan got a pass right in front from Teat and he beat Jamieson with a shot to the glove side, and it was 9 – 8 Oshawa. After a holding call on Ottawa, the FireWolves were on the power play when Simmons faked high and went low to the short side for the 10 – 8 lead. But, two minutes later Sundown would beat his defender down low, jump across the crease, and go short side with a bounce shot and it was now 10 – 9 for Oshawa. The FireWolves would get that one back with less than two minutes remaining in the third. Walker cut across the top and his low-to-low shot beat Higgins to the stick side, and they would hold onto a two-goal lead heading into the fourth. FireWolves 11—Black Bears 9. The shots on goal at the end of the third were even with each having 37.
For the first time in the contest, just 18 seconds in and while shorthanded, Ottawa would open the scoring in the fourth. Reed Kurtz (1G) beat his defender, dove across the crease and beat Jamieson to the far side to make it 11- 10 for Oshawa. Simmons would respond just over a minute later when he cut from the boards, dove across the crease, and went short side once again restoring the two-goal lead, 12 – 10 FireWolves. Unfortunately, that’s when the wheels fell off as the Black Bears would put up a five-goal run. A minute later Teat picked up his own rebound, passed to Hellyer who was wide open on the crease, and he put it into the empty side with a quick stick shot to get Ottawa back to within one at 12 – 11. Fourteen seconds later Teat came down the middle and his high to low shot went five-hole, tying the game at twelve. Two minutes later Sam Firth (1G,1A) would get his first and only tally on the night. He picked up a rebound in front and beat Jamieson through the legs to give Ottawa a 13 – 12 lead for the first time since the 3:26 mark in the first. At the nine-minute mark of the fourth, O’Connor would come from behind the net, dive in front and beat Jamieson with a shot through the legs giving them a two-goal lead, Ottawa 14 – 12. With less than two minutes left in the contest, and Oshawa’s goalie on the bench for an extra attacker, Kevin Brownell (1G) picked off a pass, went the length of the floor and put it in the empty net and it was 15 – 12 for Ottawa. Eight seconds later Oshawa would stop the bleeding. Off of the faceoff, Williams got the cross-floor pass from Kurtz and his quick stick beat Higgins short side to make it 15 – 13 for Ottawa. Once again, Oshawa would put their goalie for the extra man. But it failed again. Teat passed the ball the full length of the floor to Sundown off of the bench and he put it into the empty net to make it 16 – 13 for Ottawa. The FireWolves kept pushing and never gave up, ending the scoring with five seconds left in the game. Simmons got the pass from Walker to send him in all alone and he beat Higgins over the shoulder to end the game with Ottawa winning 16 – 14. The shots on goal at the end of the game were Oshawa 57 and Ottawa 54.
The three stars of the game were:
Alex Simmons – Oshawa FireWolves: 6 goals and 5 assists
Jeff Teat – Ottawa Black Bears: 3 goals and 7 assists
Tye Kurtz – Oshawa FireWolves: 2 goals and 5 assists
GAME STATS:
Ottawa Black Bears—SOG 54; Saves 43; Sv% .754; FO 15-34; PP 2-3; PIM 12
Oshawa FireWolves—SOG 57; Saves 38; Sv% .704; PP 19-34; PP 2-6; PIM 7
NEXT UP:
The Ottawa Black Bears (3-2) will play host to the Halifax Thunderbirds (2-2) at Canadian Tire Centre on Friday January 9, 2026, game time 7:00 p.m. EST. Halifax is coming off back-to-back losses against Saskatchewan and looking for redemption. Fans in the USA can see the game on ESPN+. For fans in Canada, the is the NLL Friday Night on TSN game so they can catch the action on TSN and TSN+. The game will also be televised on NLL+.
The Oshawa FireWolves (1-4) will also host the Halifax Thunderbirds (2-2) at Tribute Communities Centre on January 10, 2026, game time 7:00 p.m. EST. Either the FireWolves will get a very tired Thunderbirds team, or they’ll be up for a fight with their Canadian rivals. Fans in the USA can see the game on ESPN+. For fans in Canada, they can catch the action on TSN+. The game will also be televised on NLL+.
Shawn Palmer, NLL Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©