OSHAWA, ON – Playing professional sports is both a privilege and a burden. Players compete at the highest level of their sport while upholding an organization’s reputation regardless of the standings. The Oshawa FireWolves enter Week 10 of the 2025-26 National Lacrosse League season with a 2-6 record, but Dyson Williams isn’t letting the slow start distract him from an upcoming high-stakes matchup in Las Vegas.
“Playing in this league is not easy. Game in, game out, you’re playing some of the most athletic, toughest, fastest defenders in the world,” said Williams, who has tallied 22 points this season. “For me personally, I would love for some more balls to fall in the net. As a group, we all agree that we have all the talent in the world in that locker room. On offence, we know that we have the ability on any given night to light it up and score.”
Oshawa is currently in the middle of a four-game road trip that hasn’t gone as planned. After dropping contests to the Saskatchewan Rush and Colorado Mammoth—and being outscored 30-21 in the process—the FireWolves are looking to salvage a .500 trip in their final two games. For Williams, the next stop is personal: it’s round two against his father, Shawn Williams, the Head Coach and General Manager of the Las Vegas Desert Dogs.
“We’re looking for redemption. My dad’s up 1-0 all-time in games we’ve played against each other,” Williams said, recalling last year’s tilt in Albany. “The first time we played, it ended with one of my best friends from home, Adam Poitras, canning the overtime winner in our barn.”
Now in his second NLL year, Williams is closing in on 100 career points. He currently sits at 86, though it might have been 85 if not for a strategic coaching decision his father made last season to challenge one of Dyson’s goals.
“It was probably one of the first things brought up right after that game,” Dyson laughed. “We can separate the father-son relationship from player-coach. When you’re going against each other, there are no special favors. It’s a professional game. If their staff thinks he should throw the flag, he makes that call. I’m not holding any grudges—that’s his job. I’m an Oshawa FireWolf, and he’s a Las Vegas Desert Dog; we’re battling.”
Oshawa has the opportunity to climb back up the standings with a big win in Las Vegas that will help them build momentum. They face a Desert Dogs squad bolstered by high-profile offseason signings and solid draft picks. “The Human Highlight Reel” Chase Fraser, former second-overall pick Chris Cloutier, and 13-season veteran Mitch Jones have led the Desert Dogs to a 3-3 record. Despite the star power in Vegas, Williams remains focused on the growth of his own young unit.
The FireWolves’ offence averages just 26.28 years of age, with most players having six or fewer years of league experience.
“The good thing is that we’re still a very young group,” Williams stated. “We’re gaining experience and chemistry with each game. We just have to come in, battle, and try to be the best we can be.”
That “battle” mentality is shifting from a seasonal goal to an immediate necessity for the locker room.
“We want to start winning now,” said Williams. “We’re entering playoff-mentality territory. Every game is becoming a must-win. We have to take it five minutes by five minutes, quarter by quarter, and start stacking success together.”
The Oshawa FireWolves take on the Las Vegas Desert Dogs at Lee’s Family Forum in Henderson, NV, on Saturday, January 31, at 10:00 PM ET. Fans can catch the action on TSN+, ESPN+, and NLL+.
Don’t miss Star Wars Night on February 14 when the FireWolves travel to a “Galaxy Far, Far Away” to face the San Diego Seals. Secure your seats here.
About Oshawa FireWolves
The Oshawa FireWolves are Durham Region’s professional box lacrosse team, competing in the National Lacrosse League (NLL) out of the Tribute Communities Centre in downtown Oshawa, ON. For more information, visit OshawaFireWolves.com. Follow the team on Facebook at facebook.com/FireWolvesNLL, Twitter @FireWolvesNLL, and Instagram @FireWolvesNLL.
About National Lacrosse League
The National Lacrosse League (NLL) is North America’s largest professional lacrosse league and welcomed more than 1 million fans for the third consecutive year during the 2024-25 season. Founded in 1986, the NLL is comprised of 14 franchises across Canada and the United States, and recently unveiled its largest brand campaign ever, “Welcome to The Next Major League™” and introduced its comprehensive grassroots initiative, NLL UnBOXed™, that will expand the League’s footprint to 60 communities across North America by 2028. For the latest scores and developments in the National Lacrosse League, please visit: NLL.com and find the NLL on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube and TikTok. Games are available live and streaming on TSN, TSN+, the ESPN family of networks, ESPN+, and NLL+.
About Tribute Communities Centre
The Tribute Communities Centre is Durham Region’s premier sports and live entertainment facility and is managed by Oak View Group. The Tribute Communities Centre is home to the Oshawa FireWolves of the National Lacrosse League, Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League, and hosts a myriad of events including concerts, circuses, ice skating and family shows. Visit TributeCommunitiesCentre.com, and follow on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
About Oak View Group
Oak View Group (OVG) is the global leader in live experience venue development, management, premium hospitality services, and 360-degree solutions for a collection of world-class owned venues and a client roster of arenas, convention centers, music festivals, performing arts centers, and cultural institutions. Founded by Tim Leiweke and Irving Azoff in 2015, OVG is the leading developer of major new venues either open or under development across four continents. Visit OakViewGroup.com, and follow OVG on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.
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