Ottawa Caps A Massive Comeback With An OT Victory

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Gary Groob

Gary Groob has been involved with Lacrosse for the majority of his life, whether playing, coaching, or covering the sport for the media. An avid fan, with a real drive about helping to "grow the game", Gary became part of podcasts about the game in 2010. Through the podcasts, Mr. Groob was given an opportunity to write about lacrosse, and the rest as they say, is history. Through many miles (flying and driving) Gary has made inroads with the National Lacrosse League, Major Series Lacrosse, Ontario Series Lacrosse, the Ontario Lacrosse Association, CUFLA, as well as the Arena Lacrosse League, covering the leagues, their teams, and players, working for, and in concert with all of them. In the year 2019, Mr. Groob was made the media person for the Arena Lacrosse League, voted onto the board of directors of the Brampton Excelsiors Lacrosse Club, as well as being made administrator of the Lacrosse page "Global Lacrosse" with a membership of 14,000+ members in over 90 Countries. Gary was also made an administrator of Lacrosse History Past Present and Future in 2022 with a membership of 19,000+. Gary also has been the media person for Ontario Series Lacrosse (Senior B) since 2023. Mr. Groob also covers the Green Gaels for their excursions to Prague at the Ales Hrebesky tournament since 2022. In 2024, when Major Series Lacrosse was in need of a media person, Gary stepped in as their interim media person. His tasks were running their social media, as well as their website until a full time person was found to fill the role. In 2025 Gary was voted onto the Board of Directors for Ontario Series Lacrosse. Mr. Groob hosts a weekly lacrosse interview show formerly on Spanglish Sports World, and ZingoTV channel 250, now on StreamPunkEnt.com, Youtube, as well as Spotify. Groob also hosts a lacrosse talk show and podcast for All Lacrosse All The Time seen live Sunday nights at 8pm (ET), and archived on the All Lacrosse All The Time YouTube page, as well as Spotify. Gary also wrote a weekly lacrosse editorial column for La Portada Canada News both in print and online for three years from 2021-2024. In 2025, Mr. Groob joined the ownership ranks, becoming a minority owner of StreamPunk Entertainment, ensuring Lacrosse will always have voice in media. Mr. Groob's other sports interests include Hockey, Football, Boxing, Wrestling, and Baseball, competing competitively in Boxing and Wrestling for many years.

(Photo courtesy of the Ottawa Black Bears Instagram Page)

The Oshawa FireWolves (2-10) visited the Ottawa Black Bears (6-6) in Saturday night NLL action at the Canadian Tire Centre in Kanata, Ontario.

Both teams have had their struggles this season, and were looking to move forward in this game.  Ottawa’s offense has a number of weapons with Jeff Teat, Reilly O’Connor, Rob Hellyer, Connor Kearnan and Larson Sundown.

The FireWolves are coming off a bye week, and were looking to hit the ground running.  The team has a lot of firepower with Alex Simmons, Tye Kurtz, Ethan Walker, Dyson Williams, Patrick Kaschalk, and Dawson Theede.

The goaltending match-up had Doug Jamieson in net for the FireWolves facing Zach Higgins in net for Ottawa.

While the first quarter was rather tame ending in a 1-1 tie, Oshawa would wake up in a big way in the second and third quarters.  Oshawa’s offense scored eight unanswered goals to build a commanding six-goal cushion. Dyson Williams led the charge, supported by a hat trick from Tye Kurtz and two goals from Alex Simmons.  Reilly O’Connor would stop the run at the end of third on the power-play, but the climb would still be steep for the Black Bears, down 10-5 after three.

Led by Reilly O’Connor, Connor Kearnan, and Rob Hellyer, Ottawa would show why they are the best fourth quarter team in the NLL.  The Black Bears rhymed off eight goals, including the tying goal by Kearnan with just 0:14 seconds left, sending the game to overtime.

In the extra period, Reilly O’Connor would be the FireWolves killer, converting a Jeff Teat feed just 1:55 into the frame, to complete the comeback.   Ottawa defeats Oshawa 14-13.

To The Game:

The FireWolves got on the board first when Will Johansen would score unassisted at 2:05, but Kevin Brownell would tie the game in transition finishing a Larson Sundown pass at 3:37.

After one quarter, Oshawa 1 Ottawa 1.

Second Quarter:

Jackson Nishimura gave Oshawa the lead once again on a broken play scoring in transition at 1:08, but a three goal run from the Black Bears would change the momentum of the game. 

Callum Jones blasted an Alex Marinier pass at 1:17, followed by Jeff Teat with an outside shot off a Rob Hellyer feed at 6:05.  Nick Volkov then added another transition marker off a Kevin Brownell pass at 8:06 for a two goal lead.

Dyson Williams got the FireWolves within one with a sidearm snipe off a Jonathan Peshko pass at 9:50, followed by Tye Kurtz with an outside laser off a Dyson Williams pass at 11:30.

Will Johansen scored his second of the night off a long lead pass from Doug Jamieson at 12:34, followed by Kurtz with his second of the frame off a Taggert Clark feed at 14:41.

At the half, Oshawa 6 Ottawa 4.

Warriors

Third Quarter:

Oshawa picked up where they left off in the first half keeping up the barrage.  Ethan Walker scored off a Dyson Williams pass at 2:17, followed by Alex Simmons with a pair. The first was a blast from the side of the net off an Ethan Walker pass, followed by a pretty goal off a Dawson Theede feed at 8:11.  Tye Kurrz kept the momentum up with his third of the night off a Mike Byrne pass at 10:24.

Reilly O’Connor stopped the bleeding on the power-play converting a Connor Kearnan pass from in close at 13:33.

After three quarters, Oshawa 10 Ottawa 5.

Fourth Quarter

Sam Firth got the Black Bears rolling early scoring just 0:40 into the quarter off a Connor Kearnan pass, but Alex Simmons answered with a low to low shot off a Dyson Williams pass 0:26 seconds later.

Reilly O’Connor then found the back of the net off a Rob Hellyer pass at 4:16, followed by Hellyer himself finishing an O’Connor feed at 7:21.

Dawson Theede increased the FireWolves lead to four, with an outside blast off a Nick Chaykowsky pass 0:12 seconds later, but Jake Stevens would get that back unassisted 0:26 seconds after that.

Taggart Clark scored unassisted on the power-play to again increase the FireWolves lead to four with 4:34 remaining, but a late rally from Ottawa would turn the game upside down.

Sam Firth got the Black Bears within three off a Connor Kearnan pass at 13:10, followed by Rob Hellyer converting a Kearnan feed at 14:06.

Reilly O’Connor got Ottawa within one scoring from in close at 14:26, followed by Connor Kearnan tying the game with just 0:14 seconds left.

After regulation, Ottawa 13 Oshawa 13.

Overtime:

Reilly O’Connor would play the hero in the Ottawa comeback, converting a Jeff Teat feed at 1:55 to win the game.

Final score, Ottawa 14 Oshawa 13.

The Three Stars:

1. Reilly O’Connor
2. Tye Kurtz
3. Connor Kearnan

Game Stats:

  • Shots on goal favored Ottawa 64-50.
  • Faceoffs were won by Ottawa 21-10.
  • The loose ball battle was won by the Black Bears 73-70.
  • The FireWolves went 1 for 2 on the power-play, while the Black Bears went 1 for 4 on the power-play.

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