ANALYSIS – The Ottawa Black Bears never led the game and were down by as many as five goals in the fourth quarter. However, they came back to win the game. This keeps the Black Bears’ chances of holding onto a playoff spot, while the FireWolves are now last in the National Lacrosse League (NLL).
Ottawa Black Bears Come From Behind to Win at the CTC
The Ottawa Black Bears Score Four Goals Late In The Fourth Quarter
What might be the story of the game is how the Ottawa Black Bears were able to score four goals late in the fourth quarter. They scored four goals in the last one minute and 50 seconds of the fourth quarter, which included scoring three goals in the last 54 seconds of the game to tie it.
The plan to have the extra man helped the Black Bears secure the win, as they won key faceoffs during that period of time that allowed them to tie the game in regulation.
Yes, Reilly O’Connor’s overtime goal, assisted by Jeff Teat, was splendid. However, that goal would not have been scored if Ottawa had not stepped up late in the fourth quarter.
Ottawa Black Bears head coach, Dan MacRae, talked about the team never giving up, according to the Ottawa Black Bears website:
As one can see from some of the goals scored late, Ottawa made some great passes in Oshawa’s zone to find the open man. This was seen throughout the game, as it played a big role in their win.
The Seamless Passing of the Ottawa Black Bears Was Notable
One thing Ottawa did all game was pass the ball until they found the open man for the goal. It seemed to be a theme all game long for the Black Bears.
Some examples of this include:
- Reilly O’Connor scored a great goal, as seen with the tic-tac-toe between O’Connor, Connor Kearnan, Rob Hellyer, and Jeff Teat.
- Sam Firth scored thanks to some great tic-tac-toe passes, which started the first of four goals scored to tie the game late in the fourth quarter. Connor Kearnen scored the goal while O’Connor provided the assist.
These goals highlighted a lot of the plays Ottawa created for itself. They tried to either find the open man or find a good scoring position. They also made accurate passes to their players on a breakaway near the goal. However, all of this would not be important if the Black Bears’ goaltender did not play well.
Ottawa Black Bears Goaltender, Zach Higgins, Was Spectacular
There were moments during the game, especially in the fourth quarter, when the Black Bears looked like they were going to lose the game. This was especially apparent in the third and fourth quarters, which included Higgins making a diving save on one of them.
Without those saves, Ottawa would not have won this game. He kept the game close enough that the Black Bears just had enough to tie the game and go to overtime, where they would get the eventual game-winner.
READ MORE: NLL Game Box
Other Factors: Notable Players that Stepped Up and Atmosphere in Ottawa, Ontario
The Oshawa FireWolves played exceptionally well. They exploited the underside of the Ottawa Black Bears’ end of the floor. Some great individual one-on-ones and individual goals showcased how Oshawa played in this game. A few examples include:
- Ty Kurtz exploited the right side of the Ottawa defence and scored for his team.
- Will Johansen scored a goal from an Ottawa Black Bears turnover.
Also, eight total goal scorers from Oshawa on Saturday. This highlighted the team’s balanced scoring.
Similarly, Ottawa also had balanced scoring. There were a total of nine scorers for the Black Bears today. Some notable performances included Reilly O’Connor with four goals and two assists and Rob Hellyer, who had two goals and four assists.
Also, Jeff Teat and Kearnen both had one goal and four assists, as they played a big role in Ottawa’s win over Oshawa.
It was an unforgettable night in Ottawa, as the Black Bears player, O’Connor and head coach, MacRae, said about this to the Black Bears website:
“You could feel it in the fourth, the crowd came alive,” said O’Connor. “We came alive, they felt, I think, that pressure, and we just rode it.”
“It helps. It helps a lot. Yeah, that’s the loudest I’ve heard them, for sure, this season, when [Kearnan] scored that one to tie things up,” said MacRae.
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Where Both Teams Stand Now
With the Black Bears winning, they now go up to fifth in the NLL standings. With eight teams making the playoffs, this puts the Black Bears in a good position to make the playoffs for the first-time ever. The Black Bears came into being after the New York Riptide relocated to Ottawa prior to the start of the 2024-25 NLL season.
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The Black Bears now go on the road as they travel to the west. Their first two games on the road will be against the Colorado Mammoth on March 7 at 9:00pm EST, then against the Calgary Roughnecks on March 14 at 9:00pm EST.
This is while the FireWolves face the Philadelphia Wings on March 8 at 3:00 pm EST and then host the Wings at the Tribute Communities Centre on March 13 at 7:00 pm EST. The Wings are second-last in the NLL, so these next two games will be a good test for the FireWolves to see if they can leap ahead of the Wings in the NLL standings.
Both Ottawa and Oshawa games will be available live on NLL+ and TSN+.
Photo Credit: Ottawa Black Bears X Account on March 1, 2026.
