OSHAWA, ON – A birthday celebration for mascot Alphie turned into a dominant performance on the floor as the Oshawa FireWolves (4-10) secured an 11-6 victory over the Philadelphia Wings (3-11). The win at the Tribute Communities Centre on Friday night officially swept the season series between the two clubs. Read on for the game recap presented by ToonieBet.
Alex Simmons led the charge with a four-goal, seven-point performance, but the night belonged to newcomer Ryan Benesch. With two goals and four assists, Benesch moved into 4th place on the NLL’s all-time scoring list, reaching 1,388 career points.
View full game stats here: OSHAWA VS PHILADELPHIA MARCH 13
“I’m old,” Benesch joked when reflecting on the milestone. “I give all the credit to the long list of teammates I’ve had in my career. It’s been almost 20 years, and it’s crazy to think I’ve been fortunate enough to reach this point. I’m grateful for the number of people who have helped me in my career and life.”
The contest mirrored last week’s matchup, with the FireWolves jumping out to a four-goal first-quarter run. Taggart Clark opened the scoring with a rocket past Wings starter Nick Damude, followed quickly by tallies from Tye Kurtz and Dawson Theede. Before the opening frame expired, Simmons went five-hole on Damude to extend the lead to 4-0. The early onslaught ended Damude’s night after he allowed four goals on just ten shots.
Philadelphia’s Lukas Nielsen broke the drought early in the second quarter, but it would be the Wings’ only goal of the half. Simmons, Clark, and Ethan Walker all found the back of the net before the break. For Clark, the goal marked the second time in his career that he has scored in four consecutive games.
With a 7-1 cushion at halftime, the FireWolves used the second half to refine their systems and focus on defensive discipline.
“We’re looking for very specific things from our defense, and we got those throughout the game—in our exchanges, our pressure on hands, and the way we turned bodies,” said head coach Glenn Clark. “I thought we did a good job of delivering on our defensive expectations consistently.”
The FireWolves were able to successfully execute those principles as they look to build momentum with only four games remaining in the regular season.
A third quarter saw the Wings score four goals, but not without some intense altercations at the end of the quarter. Kurtz was crosschecked from behind into the boards, and as a scrum ensued, hometown native and fan favourite, Theede, initiated a fight and landed some punches, which saw him stand up for Kurtz, but resulted in him getting ejected from the game.
Benesch and Simmons would add to Oshawa’s goal total in the fourth to put the game out of reach and see the FireWolves win back-to-back games for the first time this season.
The FireWolves will now rest for their final bye week of the season. On March 28, they will return to the TCC for Marvel Night. Come dressed up as your favorite superhero for a fun night full of superhero magic! Fans can purchase their tickets 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 ToonieBet
ToonieBet is an online sportsbook and casino built for Canadian players in Ontario, offering a fast, fair, and secure gaming experience. With a commitment to excellence and engagement, ToonieBet delivers premium entertainment for players across Ontario. Players in Ontario can visit tooniebet.ca for access to the platform and additional information. ToonieBet is licensed and regulated by the AGCO and iGaming Ontario.
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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