Thunderbirds drop semifinal opener to Rush

May 4, 2025

(HALIFAX, NS) May 4, 2025 -- The Halifax Thunderbirds dropped Game 1 of their semifinal series on Saturday night, losing to the Saskatchewan Rush 16-7 at Scotiabank Centre. 

Randy Staats had a team-best six points, while Dawson Theede and Clarke Petterson each finished with three points apiece. 

Drew Hutchison was saddled with the loss. He made 21 saves but was relieved by Warren Hill in the second half. Hill turned away 14 shots. 

The game opened with a goal from Petterson just 53 seconds into the game, giving Halifax an early 1-0 lead. But Saskatchewan took over momentum in the opening frame from there, scoring five straight goals. 

Clark Walter knotted the game up, and Saskatchewan got goals from Robert Church, Zach Manns, and a pair from Austin Shanks to make it 5-1. Staats and Theede got the Thunderbirds back within a pair, but Shanks' hat-trick tally ended the quarter, sending Saskatchewan into the second up 6-3. 

The second quarter saw the teams slow down the pace and settle into the game. Hoggarth got the Thunderbirds' lone goal in the frame while Matt Hossack added one for the Rush, sending the teams into the break with Saskatchewan holding a 7-4 advantage. 

Coming out of the half, the Rush took hold of the game. Shanks completed a sock trick, while Ryan Keenan and Mike Messenger added to the run. After three, Saskatchewan led 12-5. 

The game's chippiness began to show through in the fourth, with Halifax trailing. Hoggarth and Church traded goals to open the final stanza, and despite a Theede goal, that wouldn't be enough to chip away at the deficit. Manns added another, and Brock Haley scored on two penalty shots in the final minutes to seal the Rush's road victory.

Saskatchewan leads the best-of-three series 1-0. The teams will head to SaskTel Centre next weekend to wrap up the series. Game 2 is set for May 10 at 10:30 p.m. AT.