Tre Leclaire Powers Seals with Five Goals as They Upend Ottawa 16-13 to Open the 2025-26 NLL Season
NLL San Diego Seals

Tre Leclaire Powers Seals with Five Goals as They Upend Ottawa 16-13 to Open the 2025-26 NLL Season

Published on November 29, 2025 under National Lacrosse League (NLL)
San Diego Seals News Release


The San Diego Seals opened their 2025-26 National Lacrosse League campaign in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on Saturday night and needed every one of the 16 goals they scored as they held off a feisty Black Bears squad, 16-13, to earn their first win of the season.

It was a thrilling game that saw the teams combine for an unbelievable 14 goals in the fourth quarter, and it wasn't decided until James Barclay scored an empty-netter with 23 seconds left to seal the win.

Tre Leclaire scored a game-high five goals for the Seals, including a clutch goal with 2:12 left in the game that halted a late 4-0 run by Ottawa. It was part of a monster night for the veteran forward, who added three assists for a team-leading eight points.

The Seals came roaring out the gates scoring to start the season, scoring the game's first six goals. Newcomers Corey Small and Connor Robinson didn't waste any time making an immediate impression on their new teammates by scoring the game's first three goals. Small netted a pair, scoring his first 1:51 into the game before scoring again 46 seconds later, while Robinson scored 5:10 into the first to put the Seals up 3-0.

The onslaught continued to begin the second quarter. Faceoff specialist Trevor Baptiste won the battle for the ball to open the second quarter and took it in unassisted for a goal that put the Seals up 4-0. Leclaire would then score his first of the night at the 11:08 mark before rookie Noah Armitrage, playing in his first career NLL game, scored to put the Seals up 6-0.

Looking for a spark down 6-0 early in the second, Ottawa's Luc Magnan dropped the gloves with Seals defender Patrick Shoemay with both drawing five-minute major penalties. The move seemed to work as just three minutes later, Ottawa found the back of the net for the first time on the night and the Black Bears would procced to go on a three-goal run to trim the deficit in half and get within 6-3. Leclaire halted the run with his second of the night, but Ottawa's Riley O'Connor countered 42 seconds later and the teams went to the halftime break with the Seals on top, 7-4.

The teams traded goals in the third with each side scoring a pair. Both of the Black Bears' goals were scored on no-look shots, while the Seals' goals came from Dylan Watson and Small on a power play. Small's goal, his third of the night for the hat trick, also came on a rare 4-on-3 power play.

Then came the fireworks with the teams combining for the 14 fourth quarter goals with each team scoring seven times. The Seals outscored Ottawa 5-3 over the first 7:45 of the period before the Black Bears answered with the aforementioned four-goal run to get within 14-13, but Leclaire and Barclay's goals sealed the deal for the visitors who escaped with the win.

Complete stats from tonight's game are available at https://www.nll.com/game/703328545/san-diego-seals-vs-ottawa-black-bears/2025-11-29/.

The 1-0 Seals will now enjoy a week off before returning to San Diego for their home opener in 15 days (Sunday, Dec. 14) against the Rochester Knighthawks at Pechanga Arena. Faceoff is 2 p.m. PT and tickets are available at https://sealslax.com/.

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National Lacrosse League Stories from November 29, 2025


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