Second Consecutive Loss for Steelhawks in Wrap Up to Regular Season

The Whitby Steelhawks started the 2025-26 Arena Lacrosse League campaign with three losses in their first four games. They ended it with two further consecutive losses. It will be the impressive eight successive wins in between, however, that will provide positive focus as they prepare for the semi-finals on Saturday March 28, 2026.  

Saturday’s matinee and regular season finale between the Toronto Monarchs and the Steelhawks was held at Children’s Arena. The first quarter ended 1-1 after Whitby opened the scoring only to watch their opponents add one 17 seconds later. The Steelhawks found themselves in penalty trouble to open the second quarter and the Monarchs capitalized with four unanswered goals, three on the extra man. That gave them a 5-1 lead with less than five minutes off the clock. Not to be outdone, Owen Orpana for the Steelhawks scored two late goals to keep the game close and it was 5-3 for Toronto at halftime.

The Monarchs charged out to a 10-4 lead mid-way through the third quarter and appeared to be in command of this contest. The Steelhawks would not go quietly and scored the last two goals of the third quarter to hold the game at 10-6 for Toronto. They would inch a little closer in the final quarter and won that last period 3-2 but as the buzzer sounded it was 12-9 in favour of the Monarchs. The win gave Toronto the season series over Whitby after a 14-13 Monarchs win back on January 3rd, 2026.

Orpana registered three goals on the day for Whitby, Quinn Hyland added a pair with singles going to Jordan Stouros, Trent Boyd, Brayden McGregor and Josh Sweet.

Whitby finished in second place this season with a 9-5 record behind only the defending champions, Brampton Express at 10-4. Each of those teams received a bye to the semi-final round. The Monarchs will face the Peterborough Timbermen in the first quarterfinal on March 21, 2026 and the Six Nations Snipers will tangle with the Ohsweken Bears in the other on March 22, 2026. The Oshawa Outlaws and Paris RiverWolves were eliminated from post-season play.