Thunderbirds drop tight game to Seals
Feb 22, 2026
SAN DIEGO, CA (February 21, 2026) -- The Halifax Thunderbirds dropped their fifth straight game on Saturday night, falling to the San Diego Seals 9-8 at Pechanga Arena.
Randy Staats led the Thunderbirds with two goals and five points, while captain Cody Jamieson had a pair of goals and four points.
Brendan Bomberry, Jake Withers, and Ryan Terefenko each finished with two assists apiece.
Warren Hill turned away 43 shots but was saddled with the loss.
The Thunderbirds got out of the gates strong, with Jamieson opening the scoring at the 12:23 mark of the first with a low shot from outside. Staats followed that up with his first nearly five minutes later. Halifax's lead grew to three after a strong transition effort from Max Wilson set up Jamieson for a walk-in shot that he buried in the top corner.
Wes Berg got San Diego on the board with a power-play marker, giving Halifax a 3-1 advantage after the opening frame.
Halifax got that goal back early in the second, as a Jamieson pass deflected off a cutting Bo Bowhunter and into the net. However, the Seals found a pair of goals, from Tre Leclair and Berg, to cut their deficit to one.
The Thunderbirds were awarded a penalty shot in the closing minutes of the first half, and Staats made no mistake on it, sending his squad into the break with a 5-3 advantage.
Coming out of halftime, Knox got the opening marker, ripping a short-side shot home. But after that, San Diego flipped the game on its head with a five-goal run to end the third. Berg completed his hat trick before Leclaire followed with his second and third goals. Dylan Watson and Connor Robinson added on.
After carrying a three-goal lead at the seven-minute mark of the third, Halifax was facing an 8-6 deficit with 15 minutes left in regulation.
They came through in the early stages, with Petterson wiring home a shot on the power-play at the 13:45 mark. Curtis Romanchych followed that up with his first of the year in transition to tie the game at eight.
But Watson's second of the night in transition would prove to be the eventual game-winner. Halifax couldn't find an equalizer in the closing eight minutes, as San Diego pulled out a close win.
Now sitting at 3-7 on the season, Halifax heads into the second half of the season looking to get back in the win column. Their next chance will come in a week's time against Calgary on Feb 28 at Scotiabank Saddledome. Opening face-off is set for 10:00 p.m. AT.