Thunderbirds drop road contest to Roughnecks
Feb 18, 2024
(CALGARY, AB) February 18, 2024 – The Halifax Thunderbirds dropped the second half of their weekend doubleheader to the Calgary Roughnecks 17-11 on Sunday night.
Ryan Benesch finished the game with a team-high five points while Clarke Petterson had two goals and four points.
Aaron Woods, Dawson Theede, Cody Jamieson, and Austin Shanks all finished with three points apiece.
Warren Hill stopped 23 shots in the loss. Drew Hutchison also appeared in the game, making 11 saves.
The game opened at a frantic pace that lasted throughout the first half. Calgary got off to a fast start with goals from Tyler Pace and Tanner Cook in the opening five minutes. Jamieson answered to get his team on the board, but Robert Hudson got another for the Riggers in transition.
After Benesch got his first of the night, Calgary went on a three-goal run, with goals from Cook, Pace, and Zach Currier, making it 6-2 for the hosts.
But Graeme Hossack scored off the ensuing draw and Aaron Woods added another to make it 6-4 after one.
Calgary started to take hold of play in the second, with a three-goal run to open the quarter before Benesch halted the run with his second. But Calgary added another pair right after to make it 11-5. A two-goal Thunderbirds run by Woods and Ryan Terefenko got Halifax some momentum, and after a transition goal from Shane Simpson, Clarke Petterson went on a two-goal run to make it a 12-9 game. Currier’s second of the night gave Calgary a four-goal lead at the half.
The second half became a defensive battle, with the goaltenders and units tightening up. But Halifax cut into the deficit with two goals from Theede. Jesse King got one to end the third, making it 14-11 Calgary with a quarter to play.
But Halifax couldn’t find the back of the net in the final frame while the hosts added three to seal the game.
With the loss, Halifax moves to 6-4 on the year. They head back out West next weekend for a rematch of their season opener with the Saskatchewan Rush at SaskTel Centre. Face-off is set for 9:00 p.m. AT.