LAS VEGAS, NV – Game three of the Oshawa FireWolves’ road trip takes them to “Sin City” tonight to face off against the Las Vegas Desert Dogs. Action begins at 10 PM ET from Lee’s Family Forum. After dropping the first two contests of this swing, Oshawa is hungry to get back into the win column. Fans can catch tonight’s tilt live on TSN+, ESPN+, and NLL+
Blocking The Shot
The offence is heating up, but the FireWolves’ defence has been the story all season. With four players ranking in the league’s top 15 for blocked shots, the unit has proven its grit. The X Factor tonight? The penalty kill. Currently at 41.3%, it’s trending upward—and it’ll need to be perfect to shut down a dangerous Las Vegas power play.
Mike McDefence
Earlier this week, the FireWolves bolstered their coaching staff by naming Mike McKay as the new Defensive Coordinator and Assistant Coach. McKay is a cornerstone of the organization, having been with the franchise since its 2017 tenure in New England. After years of excellence as the Goalie Coach and Video Coordinator, he will now step up to oversee the defence while continuing his vital work mentoring the team’s netminders.
Despicable Desert Dogs
Las Vegas is a gritty squad that thrives on physical play. With a defensive core featuring John LaFontaine, Tony Malcom, and Drew Belgrave, they never shy away from the rough stuff—playing with the tenacity of an actual Desert Dog. On the other side of the floor, Jon Donville, Mitch Jones, and Chris Cloutier lead an explosive offence that has propelled Vegas to a .500 record through nine weeks, the best start in franchise history. Behind them, goaltender Landon Kells has found his groove in the crease as he chases his third home-floor victory of the campaign.
FireWolves Players To Watch
Alex Simmons continues to dominate on offence. The third-year player posted double digits in points for the second time this season, along with his sixth multi-goal game of the year.
Dawson Theede made his presence felt in his new threads last week. Theede tallied his first goal in a FireWolves’ uniform and will be called upon in tonight’s game to match the Dogs’ physicality and add some scoring.
Ethan Walker saw his four-game goal streak snapped last week in Colorado, but is looking to start a new one. In four career games against Las Vegas, Walker has 14 goals and 29 points, including an eight-goal and eight-assist game in his first game against them.
Dyson Williams is playing his second career game against Las Vegas and will look to even the score against his father, head coach and general manager, Shawn Williams. The Desert Dogs defeated the FireWolves last year in overtime, and Williams is looking for a little revenge this time around.
Opposing Players To Watch
Jon Donnville leads the Desert Dogs in assists with 25. He’s been a great playmaker for them thus far and is shifty, which can fool defenders.
Playing in his 15th NLL season, John LaFontaine is second on the team in loose-ball recoveries. LaFontaine is a big defender who can knock down passes and block shots, and can always surprise some people by pushing the ball in transition.
Chase Fraser is always special to watch. Fraser dramatically plays his game and is due for a slick goal.
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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