(Photos courtesy of David Pickering Pick’s Pics/NLL)
In a battle of Ontario, the Ottawa Black Bears (3-2) visited the Oshawa FireWolves (1-4) on Indigenous night at theTribute Communites Centre in Oshawa, Ontario.
These teams have been heading in different directions lately. The Black Bears, led by Connor Kearnan, Jeff Teat, Reilly O’Connor, and Rob Hellyer have gelled nicely recently. The FireWolves have had some fantastic defensive performances early on, but haven’t been able to support it offensively. The team is only giving up 8.75 goals per game, but are only scoring 5.25 goals. More bad news for Oshawa this week had face-off man Joe Nardella placed on the season ending Injury Reserve.
The goaltending match-up had Zach Higgins in net for Ottawa facing Doug Jamieson in net for Oshawa.
Oshawa came out of the gate with good energy getting out to a 2-0 lead. Penalty trouble gave the Black Bears the lead on three consecutive power-play goals. Led by Alex Simmons and Dyson Williams Oshawa would took a 7-5 lead to the dressing room at the half.
A see-saw affair in the third quarter saw the Black Bears continually get within one goal, but to the FireWolves credit never let them tie the game. Every time Ottawa got close, the FireWolves had answers with Dyson Williams and Alex Simmons leading the way.
The fourth quarter saw the Black Bears finally put together a four goal run to get in front. Led by Jeff Teat and Connor Kearnan led the way. While Oshawa tried to get back in the game Zach Higgins would come up big on a number of occasions to keep the lead. A flurry of scoring saw Ottawa score twice into empty nets, while Oshawa fought to the very end also scoring twice late. The Black Bears prevail 16-14.
To The Game:
The FireWolves got things rolling when Tye Kurtz shot from in close off an Alex Simmons pass at 3:39, followed by a blast from Dyson Williams from the top of the crease on the power-play off an Alex Simmons pass at 5:16.
The Black Bears took advantage of FireWolves penalties. First was Larson Sundown diving from behind the net off a Connor Kearnan pass at 10:30, followed by Reilly O’Connor tying the game off a Jeff Teat feed at 11:21. Connor Kearnan then beat Doug Jamieson with a sidearm snipe off an O’Connor pass 0:14 seconds later.
Oshawa came back with a great individual effort from Alex Simmons blasting an outside shot off a Tye Kurtz pass at 12:06, but Jeff Teat answered immediately from in front off a beautiful feed from Reilly O’Connor at 14:29.
After one quarter, Ottawa 4 Oshawa 3.
Second Quarter:
Oshawa’s Jackson Nishimura tied the game to start the second quarter with a dive across the crease unassisted at 5:14, followed by Tye Kurtz with a high to low shot to regain the lead at 6:42. Alex Simmons then picked the far corner off a Patrick Kaschalk pass at 12:58.
Ottawa got within one when Jeff Teat blasted a Rob Hellyer pass at 14:36, but with just 0:02.9 seconds remaining Dyson Williams dove from behind the net to beat Zach Higgins off an Ethan Walker feed.
At the half, Oshawa 7 Ottawa 5.
Third Quarter:
Oshawa got things going early in the third when Alex Simmons converted a Colton Watkinson pass in transition at 1:39, but Ottawa came right back with Larson Sundown firing a high to high laser that caught the top corner off a Jake Saunders feed at 3:19.
The Black Bears kept coming with Jacob Dunbar converting a beautiful pass from Jeff Teat, who threaded the needle at 4:42, but Dyson Williams came back with a behind the back shot that beat Zach Higgins off an Alex Simmons pass at 6:30.
Ottawa kept coming with Connor Kearnan scoring his second of the game finishing a Jeff Teat feed at 7:33, but on the power-play Alex Simmons scored from in close off a Dyson Williams pass at 10:10.
Larson Sundown got his third of the night diving across the crease to once again make this a one goal game at 12:29, but again the FireWolves replied when Ethan Walker fired a low to low bounced shot off a Corson Kealey pass at 13:10.
After three quarters, Oshawa 11 Ottawa 9.
(Photos courtesy of David Pickering Pick’s Pics/NLL)
Fourth Quarter:
Ottawa opened the fourth quarter with a shorthanded marker when Reed Kurtz scored in transition unassisted at 0:18 seconds, but Alex Simmons answered with a blast off a Taggert Clark pass at 1:45 to restore the two goal lead.
The Black Bears kept pressing with Rob Hellyer finishing a Jeff Teat pass at 2:34, followed by Teat himself blasting a Jake Stevens feed 0:14 seconds later to tie the game.
Ottawa then grabbed the lead with Sam Firth converting a Connor Kearnan pass from in close at 4:56, followed by Reilly O’Connor firing a sidearm snipe off a Rob Hellyer feed at 8:59.
Ottawa added an empty net goal from Kevin Brownell at 13:46, but Oshawa kept fighting with Dyson Williams scoring off a Tye Kurtz pass at 13:56.
The Black Bears added another empty net marker from Larson Sundown at 14:16, but with just 0:07.6 seconds left Alex Simmons added a final goal for Oshawa.
Final score, Ottawa 16 Oshawa 14.
The Three Stars:
1. Jeff Teat
2. Dyson Williams
3. Larson Sundown
Game Stats:
- Shots on goal favored Oshawa 57-54.
- The faceoff battle went to the FireWolves as well 19-15.
- The loose ball battle was won by Oshawa 71 -69.
- The Black Bears went 3 for 3 on the power-play also scoring a shorthanded goal.
- The FireWolves went 2 for 5 on the power-play.
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