The Oshawa FireWolves discovered yet another frustrating path to defeat in their latest National Lacrosse League outing, falling 13-7 to the San Diego Seals at Tribute Communities Centre on Saturday. This loss marks their fifth consecutive setback, dropping their record to 2-9 and placing them at the bottom of the league standings.
Penalty Troubles Plague FireWolves
Head coach Glenn Clark expressed disappointment as his team, which has struggled with inconsistent offence and defence throughout the season, found itself in early penalty trouble. Penalties to Alex Simmons and Blake Gibson-McDonald just four minutes into the game led to quick goals by Dylan Watson and Tre Leclaire for the Seals.
"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," Clark remarked. "I think we've actually been pretty well disciplined this year in terms of penalties."
San Diego capitalized on this momentum, dominating the first half and building a commanding 9-1 lead by halftime. Although the FireWolves showed more fight in the second half, including a three-goal run in the third quarter, the Seals maintained control throughout the contest.
Team Remains Positive Despite Struggles
Captain Colton Watkinson highlighted the team's resilience, noting, "We got a locker room full of guys that care, that compete hard, that want to win." With a bye week ahead, Watkinson added, "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."
For the Seals (5-4), Ben McIntosh led the scoring with five goals, while Watson contributed three. Wes Berg and Zach Currier each added two goals. Oshawa's scoring was led by Tye Kurtz and Dyson Williams with two goals apiece, with Simmons, Mike Burne, and Taggart Clark each netting one.
Toronto Rock Crushed in Colorado
Meanwhile, the Toronto Rock faced a tough 16-8 loss against the Colorado Mammoth at Ball Arena. The Mammoth set the tone early, with Matthew Paolatto scoring just seven seconds into the game off a faceoff, sparking a dominant performance.
Colorado scored the first five goals within ten minutes, leaving the Rock struggling to recover. Head coach Matt Sawyer acknowledged the team's shortcomings, stating, "We weren't good in all three areas. It's not the way you want to start the game and we were chasing it from there on out."
The Mammoth carried a 9-4 lead into halftime and sealed the victory with a six-goal run in the third quarter. Goaltender Troy Holowchuk had a challenging night and was occasionally replaced by Steve Orleman, recently acquired by the Rock.
Notable Performances and Milestones
Andrew Kew led Colorado (8-2) with four goals and ten points, while Braedon Saris recorded a hat trick. Paolatto, Will Malcom, and Dylan McIntosh each scored twice, with additional goals from Owen Rahn, Thomas Vela, and Jack Hannah.
For Toronto (5-4), Mark Matthews achieved a personal milestone, becoming the 14th player in NLL history to reach 1,100 career points. He finished with two goals and three assists. Challen Rogers added a hat trick, and Phil Mazzuca, Chris Boushy, and Owen Hiltz also scored.
"We just didn't have it tonight in all ends of the floor," Matthews admitted. "We have to start on time. We have to get out a little hotter and put some (goals) on the board for our D."
The Rock announced injuries to Justin Martin, placed on season-ending IR, and Chris Weier, who will miss some time. The two teams are set to meet again on Friday at TD Coliseum.
Other NLL Weekend Results
In other league action, the San Diego Seals opened the weekend with a 13-12 road win over the Las Vegas Desert Dogs, with Kew leading Colorado with five goals. Chris Cloutier scored four for Las Vegas (4-5).
Dhane Smith's late goal secured an 11-10 victory for the Buffalo Bandits over the Halifax Thunderbirds, with Josh Byrne and Tehoka Nanticoke each scoring twice for Buffalo (4-5). Clarke Petterson had a hat trick for Halifax (3-6).
The Ottawa Black Bears earned a 10-8 road win against the Rochester Knighthawks, with Rob Hellyer scoring three goals for Ottawa (6-5). Graydon Hogg and Zed Williams each had two for Rochester (4-5).
Robert Church's overtime goal gave the Saskatchewan Rush a 9-8 win over the Vancouver Warriors, with Zach Manns leading the Rush (9-1) with three goals and three assists. Adam Charalambides had a similar performance for the Warriors (6-3).
Finally, the Calgary Roughnecks began a two-game homestand with a 10-9 win over the Philadelphia Wings, with Tanner Cook and Riley Loewen each scoring three goals for Calgary (2-7). Kyle Jackson had three for Philadelphia (2-7). The Roughnecks were scheduled to host the Georgia Swarm (6-3) late Sunday.
