January 16, 2026
Photo: Greg Mason/NLL
Black Bears visit defending champion Bandits
Alliteration is the theme at KeyBank Centre in Buffalo on Friday night, where the Bandits host the Black Bears. Ottawa enters 3-3 on the season, while the three-time defending champion Bandits enter 3-2.
There is no doubt that the pairings of Jeff Teat and Rob Hellyer against Dhane Smith and Josh Byrne will make for some entertaining television on fans’ sets. Teat and Hellyer have combined for 28 goals through six games, while Smith and Byrne have combined for 23.
Like last season, Friday’s game will mark the lone meeting of the season between the teams, who were state rivals while the Black Bears franchise was on Long Island. Ottawa will look to ensure that is the only similarity between last year’s game and this year’s though, as that 18-7 loss is tied for the largest deficit the franchise has experienced.
THE GOODS
Watch: Tonight’s game will appear on TSN 1 and TSN 5 as the first half of an NLL Friday Night on TSN doubleheader. Tonight’s game will also be available on TSN+, and ESPN+.
The Opponent: The Bandits have won three straight NLL Championships under head coach John Tavares. Despite their success, the Black Bears have proved a worthy opponent for their former state rivals. They are 2-4 all-time against Buffalo.
The Stat: The Black Bears defence already has scored 11 goals through six games. Last season, that unit scored just 15 goals all season long. The leader of that group, Callum Jones, leads the NLL in caused turnovers (16) and ranks second in loose balls (61, behind Jake Withers) entering play in Week 8.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
“We’ve had some ups and downs, and just trying to figure out ways of stopping these big runs that are happening in-game, and have swung a few in our favour, but have also kind of gone the other way. I find we’re a lot more balanced on the offensive end this year, and a lot of guys chipping in. Defence, we’re still kind of trying to find ways to get that number down a little bit, but we’re a really good, big athletic group, and just hoping that we can kind of put both ends of the ball together in the same game, and not kind of rely on one end of the floor to win us one.” — Kevin Brownell in conversation with John Gurtler Jr., play-by-play voice of the Bandits regarding the Black Bears’ season so far
“I wouldn’t say a whole lot, really. I came in as more as an offensive player, when I got drafted initially in Buffalo, but always tried to kind of focus on defence first and then use those abilities to push a bit of transition. There’s been years where I’ve been more of a stay-at-home defenceman, just given the balance we’ve had on the D-end. This year, as a group in Ottawa, it’s more of a five-man unit pushing the ball, so trying to play that solid defence but pushing in transition as well.” — Kevin Brownell in conversation with John Gurtler Jr., play-by-play voice of the Bandits regarding if he has changed as a player since being drafted by Buffalo in 2012
This year, the Black Bears will play four Friday home games and five Saturday home games from November to April.
Next up at home is a Friday meeting with Vancouver on Jan. 23 at Canadian Tire Centre.
You can view the team’s entire schedule here, purchase Season Seats here, and Single Game tickets here.
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