Thunderbirds outlast Bandits for overtime victory
Dec 14, 2025
BUFFALO, NY (December 13, 2025) -- The Halifax Thunderbirds staged a massive fourth-quarter comeback, eventually winning an overtime thriller against the Buffalo Bandits at KeyBank Center on Saturday.
Dawson Theede led all Thunderbirds with three goals and two assists in the win. Clarke Petterson had a hat trick on the night while Randy Staats posted three assists. Jason Knox (2G), Cody Jamieson (1G, 1A), and Mike Robinson (2A) also chipped in solid outings.
Ryan Terefenko posted three assists while Graeme Hossack, Max Wilson, and Nonkon Thompson also had assists in transition.
Warren Hill had another strong outing for Halifax, stopping 45 shots for his second win of the year
The Bandits got out to an early two-goal advantage thanks to a pair of tallies from Dhane Smith. Halifax was able to get the game back to even, first with a Theede individual effort and then with a Knox finish on top of the crease.
But Buffalo would get some chances on the power play and take advantage. Ian MacKay put the hosts back ahead at the 4:08 mark of the first before Ryan Benesch and Josh Byrne followed up to make it 5-2 for the Bandits after the opening frame.
The Thunderbirds were able to win the second period to cut into the lead. Theede got his second of the game on an impressive diving effort, and after Byrne answered with a goal for Buffalo, Petterson got his first of the night, sending Halifax into the break down 6-4.
The teams came out and locked things down in the third, with each squad only coming away with a single goal apiece. Smith scored on the power play at the 5:41 mark, but Theede completed his hat trick, getting that one back for Halifax three minutes later.
With Buffalo leading 7-5 heading into the fourth, Halifax came out firing to push for the tie. Petterson hammered a shot home while backpedalling at the 9:27 mark. Knox got his second on a short-side rip to tie the game at seven. Jamieson put the Thunderbirds into the lead for the first time on the night at 6:41 of the quarter.
Hill and the Thunderbirds' defence were able to hold down the fort for most of the remainder of the fourth, but a Byrne bouncer fell to tie things back up in the dying minutes.
With the final touch of regulation, the Thunderbirds thought they found the winner from Petterson, but the clock had expired just before the ball crossed the line. The game headed to overtime.
Thankfully for Halifax, it would be a quick extra frame. Off a face-off win from Jake Withers, Staats and Petterson worked the two-man game, which gave the latter a lane to the net. He outwaited Matt Vinc, getting him to move off the post before finishing on the short side to end the game.