Success Continues for Steelhawks as Regular Season Winds Down

Photo courtesy of Jay Saucier Photography

When the calendar flipped to 2026, the Whitby Steelhawks were struggling with a 1-3 record. Fast forward two months and the team has corrected their course with an incredible seven successive wins. They clawed back to second overall while nipping at the heels of the defending champion Brampton Express. Whitby’s most recent victims were the Peterborough Timbermen, who won the first meeting between these teams 15-9. On Saturday afternoon, the Steelhawks won by a final of 18-10. The Steelhawks were also happy to welcome Tyler Goodchild and Trent Boyd back to the roster.

The boxscore told the tale of the contest. The Steelhawks outscored their guests through three quarters by scores of 4-2, 4-2 and 6-2. Credit to the Timbermen, who didn’t surrender, as they tied the fourth quarter 4-4, including three straight power play goals in the last two minutes. However, with a 14-6 Whitby lead after the aforementioned three quarters, it was a big ask for the Timbermen to make it any closer.

Once again it was the Owen Orpana show on offense as he scored eight times and added two assists for an incredible 10 points earning selection as the games first star. Fans noted that he was not wearing his trademark yellow Coquitlam Adanacs helmet in favour of a plain black model. Right behind Orpana was Parker Pipher, with a pair of goals and seven helpers for nine points. Rounding out the three stars, in the Whitby cage, was Ethan Harwood with another solid performance.

It was Aaron Woods with his league leading 35th goal to open the scoring for the Timbermen. Orpana answered, with a nice goal that he snared from a rebound off Kaleb Martin in the Peterborough net to tie the contest. He scored again with five minutes left in the quarter. Veteran Timbermen forward, Cam Milligan registered a goal before the buzzer to make it 4-2 for Whitby after the first 15-minutes.

Orpana continued his scoring ways to open the second quarter as he benefited from a nice tic-tac-toe passing play between Dallas Clancy and Cody Hamley. Off the ensuing face-off, Riley Morgan won the draw and ran the ball down the floor and fired it past Harwood to try and keep Peterborough close. In his second game back with the Steelhawks, Landen Sinfield scored two in succession and at half-time it was an 8-4 lead for Whitby. His first of three on the night was a nice short-handed crease dive that found the net behind Martin.

Sinfield remains on the practice roster for the Philadelphia Wings of the National Lacrosse League and has seen action in three games this season.

“It’s been a blast in Philadelphia, great guys and great coaches. It’s been fun to be able to travel with the team. I’m playing here to keep my stick going and to be ready if the call comes from the Wings,” said Sinfield.

Sinfield was also a member of the 2025 President Cup winning Snake Island Muskies.

“Playing with the Muskies was great last summer, so many veteran guys on that team and they have been trying to get that trophy for so long, it was great to be a part of that,” added Sinfield.

With only five minutes off the clock in the third quarter, the Steelhawks reeled off four straight goals to extend their lead to eight.

Sinfield opened the scoring for Whitby in the fourth before a natural hat-trick for Orpana that ensured the win. Three power-play markers for the Timbermen late in the fourth was too little, too late as the Steelhawks took the 18-10 win to improve to 8-3 and drop Peterborough to 6-5.

Next up for the Steelhawks, Saturday February 28 at 5 pm when they host the Paris RiverWolves (3-8) at Children’s Arena.