Hometown Ottawa Black Bears lacrosse player excited for inaugural game

Home floor advantage for Black Bears player Stittsville's Nathan Grenon will suit up for Ottawa's new pro lacrosse team in its debut game Friday night. CTV's Peter Szperling reports.

Get ready for excitement, as Ottawa’s new professional lacrosse team launch their inaugural season.

The Ottawa Black Bears are hitting off the season against the Toronto Rock at the Canadian Tire Centre on Friday night.

“I think it's a born-again rivalry, right? Battle of Ontario starts right now,” said Forward Nathan Grenon.

After months of anticipation, the team, part of the National Lacrosse League will debut to hometown fans – with some of the players from Ottawa.

“They’re fired up as well,” says Grenon.

The Black Bears play in the National Lacrosse League, which includes 14 teams from the U.S. and Canada.

The 25-year-old grew up in Stittsville, and was traded to play with Ottawa from Albany, New York.

“I got a whole new set of brothers I’m playing with, and I love it, and I couldn’t want to be anywhere else,” he told CTV News Ottawa Friday.

He’s says his family had season tickets before they even knew he was being traded.

“I played in front of them before but obviously it's heightened; but, you just can't sink into that thought too much, really. It's you're there for the game. You're there to win, and then afterwards you can go see them,” he said.

What should fans expect Friday night?

Grenon says it’s a high pace of play, and throughout the night “it's loud, (and) it's action packed.”

Game time is 7 p.m. Friday night at the CTC.

For tickets, click here: https://ottawablackbears.com/

With files from CTV News Ottawa's Ted Raymond