OSHAWA, ONTARIO – National Lacrosse League between the Toronto Rock and Oshawa FireWolves at Tribute Communities Centre on November 28th, 2065 in Oshawa, Ontario. (Photo by Ryan McCullough / Toronto Rock)
The second matchup of the pivotal two-week roundabout in the Battle of Ontario is upon us! After a massive seven-goal win against their Ottawa rivals in Week 10, the Toronto Rock have tied the provincial race at 1-1, rocketing themselves to the fifth seat with 4-3 record. Now, with a shot to pull ahead in the Battle of Ontario and climb higher into the rankings, the Rock are inviting the Oshawa FireWolves into TD Coliseum for a Week 1 rematch.
In last week’s run-in against the Black Bears, the Rock put together the 60 minutes they’ve been looking for all season, gaining and holding an early lead, as well as locking down the corners defensively. The Toronto backend was responsible for five blocks and 15 caused turnovers, a third of which were caused by defender Elijah Gash (5 CTO), while the frontend amassed a staggering 46 points, with forward Mark Matthews responsible for 11 of them (2G, 9A) and the rookie stars CJ Kirst and Owen Hiltz racking up a combined 11 points as well.
Though the Rock’s second-half effort is only just beginning, they’re quickly becoming the most dangerous squad in the League both offensively and defensively. With that said, however, their visiting Ontario rivals, the 2-7 Oshawa FireWolves are stuck struggling for wins just inches from the bottom of the totem pole after their third straight loss against Las Vegas. Offensively, the FireWolves consistently put up at least 10 points a game, but their defense is just as consistently giving up more goals than they can score.
The Battle of Ontario is sure to get ugly as these teams duke it out for control of the province, but without wins on the board, both of these teams are still in danger of losing a playoff bid down the line.
The pivotal matchup in the Battle of Ontario is set for Saturday night, starting at 7:00PM ET on TSN.
Saskatchewan Rush at Ottawa Black Bears 12.12.25
Now fully steeped into the second half of the season, several teams are coming over the hump on low notes. Despite a hot start against Saskatchewan in Week 10, the Calgary Roughnecks still seem to be missing their secret sauce, resulting in a third consecutive loss at the Saddledome.
Even backed by a near 50-save evening from goaltender Aden Walsh, the now 1-6 Roughnecks struggled to find a collective effort against Saskatchewan, with both sides of the ball needing to pick up the slack for the other. Forwards Tanner Cook and Brayden Mayea led the team in goals, while Tyler Pace quarterbacked the Calgary offense with four assists, but the steam ran out quick after a scoreless second quarter blew their three-goal lead to a four-goal deficit. Though Roughnecks captain Eli Salama and fellow defender Brayden Laity put it all out there to keep Calgary in the running, with a turnover and quick assist from Laity to Cook cutting the gap to three scores, the gap only continued to widen as the Rush bloated their lead by another six goals. A potential lack in chemistry and a clear vacancy in several roles on the Roughnecks’ roster have become increasingly glaring since the exit of several key figures in Calgary’s past success.
But the visiting squad isn’t off the hook yet either. After a 17-10 pivotal loss to Toronto in Week 10, the Ottawa Black Bears have plummeted to the ninth seat in the League rankings with a 4-5 record. Last weekend’s lineup in Hamilton naturally brought with it loud performances from Jeff Teat and Rob Hellyer, both stacking up seven and six point games, respectively, but the Toronto defense put the Ottawa offense and transition line in an uncharacteristically panicked mode. Though the Black Bears’ put up three key Power Play goals in the third quarter to cut the goal deficit down to three scores, they were unable to acclimate to Toronto’s aggressive transition game and several untimely penalties in the fourth quarter kept them from clawing back.
At this point, Calgary is looking for any opportunity to ruin their neighbors’ chances of a strong playoff berth and potentially bring themselves back into the conversation with a .500 record later down the line. Ottawa, on the other hand, can’t afford to lay down another loss at this juncture in the season. But given Ottawa mascot Cubby’s recent press conference, fans can expect another matchup fueled by heavy hits and big plays.
The Saturday night action kicks off at the Canadian Tire Centre at 7:00PM ET on ESPN+, NLL+ and TSN+.
Denver, Colorado – January 31, 2025: Buffalo Bandits at Colorado Mammoth at the Ball Arena in Denver Colorado, United States. (Photo by John Matthew Harrison/National Lacrosse League)
Tehoka Nanticoke #1 of the Buffalo Bandits
It’s been a long week of travel for the Philadelphia Wings, falling first to the Seals at home in Week 9 and abroad in Week 10 to give up the two-game series and drop to 1-6. Aside from the now usual performances from sophomore standouts Brennan O’Neill and Michael Sowers, as well as Joe Resetarits, Philadelphia is stuck with a similar issue to that of Oshawa and Calgary– a combined 60-minute effort.
Aside from individual efforts, the Wings have looked less like a cohesive unit and more like a still-gelling team, despite the immense talent level on the roster. Resetarits and Sowers pulled the Wings up to a two-goal lead headed into the second quarter, but a scoreless 30 minutes in between Sowers last goal in the first and Eric Fannell’s first goal in the fourth quarter has left the Wings with yet another tally in the loss column.
Despite their six-game losing streak, there’s hope still for a Wings resurgence. For their second straight road game this weekend, the Wings are headed up to KeyBank Center for a rough-up with the Buffalo Bandits. The Bandits are also on the receiving end of a string of disappointments, losing their third straight game to Colorado last week and dropping to 3-4. Though goaltenders Matt Vinc and Evan Constantopoulos put up a united front between the pipes for a combined 38 saves, the recent string of trades and releases from the Buffalo bench was felt the most at Ball Arena last weekend, resulting in a scoreless first quarter and being outshot nearly 2-1 for the remainder of regulation.
A loss to Philly this weekend would mark the Bandits’ fourth straight loss this season and their four-game losing streak since the 2017-18 season. Conversely, a win against Buffalo this weekend could be just what the Wings need to peel themselves off the cutting room floor.
The Wings take on the Bandits this Saturday at 7:00PM ET on EPSN+, NLL+ and TSN+.
Halifax, Nova Scotia – Jan 31: National Lacrosse League game between the Halifax Thunderbirds and Georgia Swarm on January 31 2026 at the Scotiabank Center in Halifax, Nova Scotia. (Trevor MacMillan/Halifax Thunderbirds)
After their week stint in the great Canadian plains, the Georgia Swarm are finally taking a much-needed and well-earned break from the road to finally open the doors to their hometown fans. Reeling off their first three-game hot streak of the season, the Swarm are excitedly preparing for their annual National Girls and Women in Sports Night, celebrating women in sports, and featuring engaging speaker panels, Q&A, networking opportunities, and women-owned business vendors. And to top it all off, the Swarm are looking for a fourth straight win against the Las Vegas Desert Dogs.
The Swarm have been the talk of the town this season, rising through the ranks after several weeks trading wins and losses to now find a comfortable spot in the League’s Top 4. In their 11-7 win over Halifax in Week 10, the Swarm amassed nine caused turnovers and 56 ground balls, and featured multiple four-point performances from the rooks and the vets, with rookie forward Nolan Byrne leading in scoring against the Thunderbirds (4G, 0A). But it was goaltender Brett Dobson who stole the show in Nova Scotia, stopping 47 shots and firing off two assists of his own.
After spending two straight weeks in the fourth seat, the target on the Swarm’s back has grown larger by the day, and the visiting Desert Dogs are hungry to tear them from the pedestal. After their second straight win against the Oshawa Firewolves, Las Vegas is now one of four teams tied for fifth place with a 4-3 record, and is just a win away from swiping the Swarm’s footing out from underneath them. Though Chase Fraser had himself a quiet night, Chris Cloutier,
Jonathan Donville and Mitch Jones’s combined 25 points were more than enough to compensate. Additionally, faceoff specialist Tyrell Hamer-Jackson’s 24 faceoff wins and 10 loose balls kept the Desert Dogs in control of the game’s momentum.
Both of these teams are hot, and neither is able to give an inch at this stage in the season. For Las Vegas, it’s going to come down to control of the faceoff dot and finding extra opportunities for settled offense, while Georgia will likely place their emphasis on big defensive stops and quick transition to pull ahead early.
The Desert Dogs storm into Gas South Arena at 7:30PM ET on ESPN+, NLL+ and TSN+.
January 23, 2026: The San Diego Seals vs Philadelphia Wings at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, PA.
The San Diego Seals are slowly sneaking their way back into the Weekly Power Rankings, and with two more victories against Philadelphia in the win column, the fellas-out-west are ready for their biggest challenge of the season.
In last weekend’s matchup against the Philadelphia Wings, the Seals put it all together on both sides of the bench, swinging the ball more effectively than ever for a 13-7 victory. Goaltender Christopher Origlieri kept the Wings scoreless for 34 minutes, while Connor Robinson secured a breakout six-point game (3G, 3A), his highest scoring game since joining the Seals. Things are on the up for the Seals, but with the Saskatchewan Rush next on the schedule, it’s easy to count the purple and gold out of the conversation early. However, the Seals have shone brightest when faced with a top-deck opponent, as evidenced by their undefeated-season-breaking win against the Buffalo Bandits last season.
The Rush, however, are in no danger of falling from the pinnacle. After their 14-8 win against Calgary in the second round of the 2025-26 Battle of the Prairies, Saskatchewan has climbed further up, becoming the first team to seven wins this season. As the winningest and scoringest team in the League (0.875 PCT, 102 GF), a win this weekend only puts them further ahead of the competition, and with the 6-2 Colorado Mammoth on a bye week, a loss would still put them in no danger of dropping from the rafters until the following weekend.
Saskatchewan has paid ahead and is reaping the benefits of its early wins. But with the giant slayers, the San Diego Seals, eagerly inviting them into their lair, the Rush will need to play cautiously and aggressively to snuff out the hopes of a top-spot takeover.
The Seals take it to the Rush at Pechanga Arena at 10:00PM ET on ESPN+, NLL+ and TSN+.
Vancouver Warriors @ Rochester Knighthawks 01/31/26 (Credit: Jonathan Tenca/NLL)
We’ve all seen the tapes; we know what’s about to go down here this weekend. After what we’d like to call a ‘chippy’ first sighting in Week 10, the Rochester Knighthawks and the Vancouver Warriors are swapping home benches for the second meeting of their two-game series.
It’s no secret that this weekend’s matchup has not only major standings implications, as last weekend’s loss dropped Rochester from the third seat all the way down to the eighth, but also stands out as a game of pride. After the hit heard round the world, goaltender Ryan Hartley will likely be suspended for at least the next game, leaving Riley Hutchcraft to hold down the pipes. Additionally, with the sting of a 10-goal loss still fresh in their minds, the Knighthawks are likely to be more aggressive than last game– it’s also important to remember they stacked up nearly an hour’s worth of penalty minutes by the end of regulation.
On paper, however, the Warriors look to be the favorite in their Rochester redux, hammering in six Power Play goals on 43 points, with Keegan Bal being responsible for over a quarter of them (2G, 10A). Though a mostly offensive evening, goaltender Christian Del Bianco still walked out of Blue Cross Arena with 44 saves and an assist under his belt.
This weekend’s rematch could get ugly fast, but it’s sure to be good competition. Vancouver is still in danger of falling down the rankings as quickly as Rochester did, and the Knighthawks could climb back up the leaderboard in the same sentence.
The Knighthawks take it to the Warriors at 10:00PM ET on ESPN+, NLL+ and TSN+.
