In a wild turn of events, the Firewolves are the early season’s team-to-beat! After a monumental inaugural home win against the Toronto Rock, Oshawa is once again starting the weekend on NLL Friday Night on TSN. For the team’s first road game of the season, the Firewolves are headed east to the Scotiabank Centre to take on the Halifax Thunderbirds.
The two last saw each other during the regular season in Week 5 of 2024, resulting in the Thunderbirds notching a 13-9 home victory, with Clarke Petterson and Randy Staats both putting up seven points for a combined four of the 13 scores. The early-season loss was clearly still fresh on the pre-debut Oshawa squad’s mind during the preseason, as the Firewolves fought tooth-and-nail in their final exhibition match with Halifax to pick up an 8-7 overtime win, ending training camp on a high note– a note that has since carried over into their season opener.
Gearing up for their own home and season opener, Halifax has made several notable additions to their defensive end and re-signed all the fan-faves on both sides of the ball. On the returning end, the Thunderbirds managed to hold over their entire 2024 offensive line, notably resigning forwards Petterson and Thomas Hoggarth to three-year extensions, and keeping their defense scary with Tyson Bell and Graeme Hossack returning to the bench as well.
The Halifax defense is also welcoming a few notable names from the American-based teams this season. Joining Warren Hill and Drew Hutchison between the pipes is former Las Vegas goaltender Justin Geddie. In his 14 games with the Desert Dogs last season, Geddie stopped 225 shots for a 75% save percentage, and has averaged 12.82 GAA and a .753 SV% across 51 career games. More interesting still, the Thunderbirds acquired defender Brendan Bomberry, formerly of the Georgia Swarm. Bomberry put up 13 goals and 55 points in his last season with the Swarm, as well as picking up 73 loose balls. He also spent his summer completing the Mann Cup three-peat with the Six Nations Chiefs.
Halifax will also be debuting their 12th-overall pick this weekend, Will MacLeod, drafted out of Robert Morris University and the Major Series’ Brooklin Lacrosse Club. The lefty forward made his mark in the OJLL as an assist specialist, handing out 80 helping hands during his 2023 Championship run with the Burlington Blaze in 2023. In his first season in MSL, MacLeod notched 43 points for himself during the regular season, 24 of which were gathered assisting NLL regular contenders Chris Boushy, Tanner Cook and Taggart Clark.
The Thunderbirds are entering the season heavy and hungry, and are unwilling to take a loss to start their season. The visiting Firewolves are entering Nova Scotia confident and healthy, ready to provide Halifax with disappointment.
NLL Friday Night on TSN starts at 6:00PM ET. Halifax vs Oshawa is also available to stream on ESPN+, NLL+ and TSN+.
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The Battle of the Prairies has hit the schedule early this year, as the longtime Alberta rivals go head-to-head at the SaskTel Centre this Saturday, December 6th. The 2025 runner-up, the Saskatchewan Rush, are planning to pack the house for their home and season opener against the Calgary Roughnecks with their first theme night of the year, Rush Nation Night.
The Rush, Rowdy and the Electric Crew plan to make it a night to remember for fans and visitors alike. Saskatchewan has been stewing on their less-than-satisfactory end to the 2025 postseason, and has brought back all the names that made it possible for another go at the Cup. Forward Ryan Keenan will once again be helming the S.S. Saskatchewan as the returning Rush captain, backed up by offensive powerhouses Robert Church, Zach Manns and Austin Shanks.
The 2025 Goaltender of the Year, Frank Scigliano, will also be returning to the SaskTel Centre this season to lock down the house, and he won’t be doing it alone. In addition to defensive returner Ryan Barnable and Matt Hossack (currently on Short Term Hold Out), the Rush have activated first-rounder and the 2025 13th overall pick Levi Verch for his first home outing against the Calgary Roughnecks. Likened to the League’s biggest defensive stars, Verch has been said to “match feet with the best of them,” and is sure to wow fans in his first rivalry game.
On the opposite bench, the visiting rivals have the most to prove. After losing a significant portion of not only their veteran goal scorers, but their leadership team to the Free Agency and retirements, the Roughnecks have never looked scrappier. Ahead of their season opener with Saskatchewan, Calgary has activated their first-round draft picks, forward Noah Manning and transition Kyle Pepper, for their first outings at the professional level. Additionally, with former captain Jessie King’s move to Vancouver, defenseman Eli Salama has been named as the Roughnecks’ captain, the 10th in franchise history.
“It was an easy decision for us to name Eli the next captain of the Calgary Roughnecks,” said Roughnecks Head Coach Josh Sanderson. “He is a leader, both on and off the floor. Liam, Harry, Tanner and the rest of our leadership group will provide a solid foundation for our team culture.”
In the last two Battles of the Prairies, the Roughnecks and the Rush traded wins and losses, with Saskatchewan taking the first win in Week 12 of the 2024 season and Calgary taking it home in Week 19. As if the coals weren’t burning hot enough with just that, the rivals also closed out the preseason with an exhibition match against each other, resulting in a tight 11-10 victory for the Roughnecks. Now looking to make the tie-breaker official, Calgary don’t intend to give the Rush any freebies, gimmies, or breaks in their first rivalry match of the season.
The 2026 Battle of the Prairies kicks off Saturday, December 6th at 8:00PM ET on ESPN+, NLL+ and TSN+.
