Warriors Lose Hard-Fought Battle Against Black Bears

OTTAWA, ON – The Ottawa Black Bears opened the second half with a four-goal surge and held off a late rally by the Vancouver Warriors to secure a 9-8 victory in front of 5,217 fans in the nation’s capital. 

Port Moody native Riley Loewen led Vancouver’s offense with a first-half hat trick. Kevin Crowley contributed two goals, while Keegan Bal, Reid Bowering, and Owen Grant each scored one. Grant’s seventh goal of the season leads all NLL defenders. 

Goaltender Aden Walsh made 34 saves on 43 shots in the loss. 

Game Highlights: 

• Riley Loewen Shines: Loewen’s three-goal effort marked his first hat trick since March 23, 2024, against Philadelphia—Vancouver’s next opponent. In that game, Loewen tallied 10 points, the highest single-game total of his career. 

• Alec Stathakis’ Resilience: After starting 1-for-5 in faceoffs against Ottawa veteran Jay Thorimbert, Stathakis rebounded to win 10 of his next 14, finishing 11-10 overall. The University of Denver alum maintains a face-off win rate above 60% in his rookie season. 

• Aden Walsh’s Steady Play: Walsh posted a 79% save percentage in the loss, bringing his season record to 3-2. Since taking over as starter, Walsh boasts a 9.00 goals-against average and an .805 save percentage, ranking among the league’s top five goaltenders. 

• Defensive Contributions: Owen Grant’s goal extended his lead as the top-scoring NLL defender with 12 points (7 goals, 5 assists). Teammate Reid Bowering, with eight points (5 goals, 3 assists), also ranks among the league’s best defensive scorers. 

• Keegan Bal’s Milestones: Bal’s fourth-quarter goal was the 191st of his career, tying him with Jeff Zywicki for third all-time in franchise history. Bal’s two assists bring his career total to 276, just two behind Logan Schuss for third place in team history. 

Up Next: 

The Warriors travel to Philadelphia for a Monday afternoon showdown against the Wings. Originally scheduled for Sunday, the game was rescheduled due to the NFL’s Eagles hosting a playoff game at Lincoln Financial Field. 

Game time: 2 PM PT at Wells Fargo Center. Watch live on NLL+.