OSHAWA, ON – The Oshawa FireWolves played their final exhibition games this past weekend which means the start of professional lacrosse in the Durham Region is now officially less than two weeks away. The FireWolves faced the Ottawa Black Bears and Halifax Thunderbirds in the exhibition games and recorded a win and a loss in the matchups at the Tribute Communities Centre in downtown Oshawa.
“In preseason, you’re looking at a lot of different things with a lot of different combinations,” said FireWolves Head Coach Glenn Clark, reflecting on the weekend. “When it’s the start of the season and you want to try different things, you can’t focus on the wins and losses.”
In game one of the double-header, the FireWolves showcased some new faces including Dante Kulas, Jaxon Fridge, Hayden Summers-Thompson and Hawi Francis who were hoping to showcase their talent to the coaching staff, as they were all vying for the final few spots on the roster.
Dyson Williams was the game’s first goal scorer, while starting goaltender Andrew Kidd had a perfect first quarter for the home side. The second quarter saw the Thunderbirds score two goals in under three minutes and end the quarter on a three-goal run to take a 6-3 lead into halftime. A bright spot for the FireWolves was veteran Joel Coyle, who notched an end-to-end transition goal. He is returning to the franchise after stepping away from lacrosse for a few years.
The third quarter was a fun, fast, and furious quarter to watch. There were lots of shots from both sides, stellar goaltending from Kidd and Halifax’s starting goaltender, Drew Hutchinson, and big hits from the team’s defenders to try and spark something coming out of halftime. However, the third quarter was a scoreless frame, and the FireWolves trailed by three heading into the final 15 minutes of play.
With one quarter remaining and eager for a win, the FireWolves’ offence stepped up along with the defence. The run began with Ethan Walker finding a shooting lane to cut the deficit to two; it was then trade-deadline acquisition Jonathan Peshko scoring twice. His first goal was a shot that eluded Hutchinson. His second was on the power play, where he dunked it from behind the net to tie the game. With under four minutes to play, Kidd made a routine save then while under pressure from Halifax, it led to a turnover in front of his net that gave Halifax back the lead.
Not long after, Clark called a timeout and set up a play with the extra attacker on the floor, with success. Taggart Clark was the middle man and took a feed from Williams that found the back of the net to tie the game back up at seven apiece. On the ensuing faceoff, the Thunderbirds won the draw and quickly called a timeout to draw a specific offensive play. On the possession, Halifax moved the ball quickly to find a shot, and Kidd made a reactionary save to keep it out and send the game to overtime.
And overtime didn’t take long. 32 seconds into the extra period was all it took as Williams went underneath his defender and scored the overtime winner for the home side.
Watch the highlights below:
Game two against Ottawa welcomed fans for the first time inside the Tribute Communities Centre (TCC), firing up the atmosphere and creating even more excitement for the FireWolves players as they get ready for their inaugural season.
For the first time on Saturday, lacrosse fans in the Durham Region were able to witness their new team and expressed their thoughts on what they’re looking forward to the most this season. From the day it was announced that Oshawa had secured a professional lacrosse team, the level of excitement has been outstanding. Fans, who wished to remain anonymous, expressed their enthusiasm for the upcoming season.
“I love the FireWolves and can’t wait to watch them this season.”
“Dyson Williams is my favourite player and he’ll be fun to watch.”
“With so many different centres having lacrosse here in Durham, to have a professional lacrosse team here is exciting.”
The Ottawa/Oshawa rivalry began with Alex Simmons sniping a shot past the Black Bears goaltender to open the scoring. Not long after, a tricky goal eluded FireWolves starting goaltender Doug Jamieson. Ottawa was attempting to make a pass to the middle and the ball went off the head of a stick, hit the post, and went in to tie the game.
Former Ottawa Black Bear, Taggart Clark, wrote his name on the score sheet after a behind-the-net dunk for a 2-1 lead. Soon after, Dyson Williams managed to find a loose ball and run in alone on goal and bury it. With the goal, Williams has tallied a goal in every exhibition game this pre-season for the FireWolves. Shortly after Williams’ goal, Ottawa’s power play tied the game at three.
Signs of a rivalry quickly emerged in this game. Oshawa Captain Colton Watkinson and an Ottawa forward engaged in some rough stuff, resulting in a 4-on-4 situation. Ottawa took advantage and scored two straight to end the half and be up 6-5.
Less than three minutes into the second half was when the home fans got rowdy again. Oshawa native Williams scored his hat-trick goal and signalled to the crowd to stand up and get loud, and they did just that. The physicality continued to increase as Walker and an Ottawa defender ended up in each other’s faces, while the fans enjoyed all of the action.
After a couple of goals both ways, the Black Bears power play made it 7-6 Ottawa midway through the third quarter, and just over five minutes later, it was Williams with his fourth of the night as he leaped over the crease and went far side to tie the game at seven.
However, that was as close as the FireWolves came to securing a win, as Ottawa scored two goals to give a two-goal cushion, and they added an empty net goal to see the FireWolves lose by three in their final exhibition game.
Watch the highlights below:
Despite the loss, both Glenn Clark and Watkinson were happy with their teams performances and were looking forward to having fans in the building in Oshawa.
“It was good to have some people responding to what was happening during the game, with the game ops and all that stuff,” said Clark. “So it’s good to tee it up for larger crowds. Apparently, it’s going to be pretty full. So that’s the atmosphere we want, and that drives energy as well.”
For Watkinson, he’s looking forward to what the Durham lacrosse fans can bring to the TCC.
“It was great and I had a fun time with the fans in the stands tonight,” said Watkinson. “It was a fun time getting out there, being able to compete in the TCC. Looking forward to the 28th. I know that we’re close to a sell out right now, so that’s going to be a really fun atmosphere, and the fact that it’s against Toronto will only further the rivalry between us and them, and I’m looking forward to a fun tilt with them here in a few weeks.”
The FireWolves have one more week remaining of Training Camp presented by Vanguard Athletic Performance. They will play their Inaugural Game against the Toronto Rock on Friday, November 28 at 7:30 pm at the Tribute Communities Centre and begin a new chapter of lacrosse in Oshawa.
Visit www.oshawafirewolves.com for more information on tickets and team news.
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 Vanguard Athletic Performance
At Vanguard, we’re more than a training facility—we’re a community driven by innovation, evidence-based practice, and a passion for unlocking every athlete’s potential. Whether you’re an aspiring youth athlete, a seasoned pro, or an active adult, our cutting-edge programs are designed to optimize performance, prevent injuries, and build lifelong resilience. At Vanguard, you’re not just training—you’re elevating your game with a smarter, science-backed approach.
About the 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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