GAME RECAP: KURTZ TALLIES FOUR POINTS IN LOSS TO SEALS ON STAR WARS NIGHT

OSHAWA, ON – A two-goal and two-assist night for Tye Kurtz was his ninth game this season with four or more points, but he and the rest of the Oshawa FireWolves (2-9) didn’t muster enough as they fell to the San Diego Seals (5-4) 13-7 on Saturday Night at the Tribute Communitites Centre in Oshawa. 

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“We’ve gone back to basics, trying to get ourselves to a position where we can get ourselves back in this thing, and then that happens,” said head coach Glenn Clark post-game after the loss. “I think we’ve actually been pretty well disciplined this year in terms of penalties.”

The game began with a flurry of penalties that Oshawa suffered, and San Diego went to work as they scored two goals on the man advantage to secure a quick 2-0 lead. Zach Currier was the game’s third goal scorer, and after the Seals had silenced the TCC, Taggart Clark made the fans erupt. Clark came in and collected a rebound and went far side past Seals starting goaltender, Chris Origlieri, to make it 3-1. The small success was short-lived as San Diego would go on a six-goal run. The FireWolves did all they could to battle back, but it was tough going in the first two quarters. 

After the visitors took a 9-1 lead into halftime, Oshawa wanted to respond and give the hometown fans something to cheer about after they hadn’t seen their team play in over a month. The second half began with a FireWolves run of three goals. The first was on the power play, Dyson Williams, Tye Kurtz netted a goal, and then a gritty faceoff win saw Mike Byrne find the back of the net to see Oshawa claw their way back into the contest. San Diego would score one more before the quarter ended to be up by six with one quarter remaining. 

Berg started the fourth-quarter scoring by scoring a wicked around-the-world goal whilst falling. Simmons would net another goal off a seeing-eye shot and then a pretty passing play set Kurtz for his second on the night. After the Seals tallied another, a textbook tic-tac-toe play saw Williams score a quick-stick goal to give Oshawa some life down the stretch to bring the score to 12-7. However, time would run out for the FireWolves as the game would end with San Diego winning 13-7. 

“We got a locker room full of guys that care, that compete hard, that want to win,” said FireWolves captain Colton Watkinson. “We have a bye week, which will allow us to rest and watch some film and then head to Ottawa to hopefully get back on track.” 

Oshawa will have its second bye week of the season next week before heading to the Nation’s Capital City against the Ottawa Black Bears on Saturday, February 28 at 7:00. 

The FireWolves will be back in Oshawa at the TCC on Friday, March 13, for Alphie’s Birthday Bash against the Philadelphia Wings at 7:00 PM. Fans can secure their seats here for a birthday party inside The Den.