For the first time in the Halifax Thunderbirds’ history, they have won a single elimination quarter-final game. Defeating the Calgary Roughnecks 16-12 on Saturday night at the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax to move on to the semi-finals against the Saskatchewan Rush.
“It’s an awesome feeling, it is the first playoff win in my career as well, so I’m still getting used to it and getting prepared for the next week,” said Clarke Petterson, who has played in every one of Halifax’s playoff games over the past four years. “But it was great to get the first playoff win in (Thunderbirds’) franchise history at home. The fans were unreal, they were rocking all night and supported us and pushed us on those runs where we kind of separated during the game. It was a great team win.”
This is the Thunderbirds’ fourth playoff appearance since moving from Rochester in 2019. Their first season was cut short due to the pandemic. The following three years the Thunderbirds qualified for the playoffs but failed to make it through the quarter-final. They lost to the Toronto Rock in back-to-back years and fell 9-3 last season against the Albany FireWolves.
“I think we were more prepared for sure,” said Petterson. “I think it’s a little bit of losing those past games from the road and learning what it takes to win a playoff game. The intensity, the physicality, it all gets cranked up, so understanding that and coming into this game prepared about what it’s going to take to win a game. Being home was just an added benefit for us.”
It was an unlikely hero who opened the scoring two minutes into the game for the Thunderbirds. Defender Nonkon Thompson grabbed a loose ball in the defensive zone and ran all the way down the floor with it to fire a shot past Calgary’s goalie, Nick Rose.
Petterson added another goal 10 seconds later to send the Scotiabank Centre into a frenzy.
Thomas Hoggarth grabbed a rebound in front to score another to give the Thunderbirds a 3-0 lead heading into the second quarter.
Brayden Mayea broke Calgary’s scoreless streak five minutes into the second quarter. Jason King made a great one-handed pass to Mayea in the slot, and he scored to give the Roughnecks some life.
Cody Jamieson and Tyler Pace traded goals for both teams, and then Dawson Theede went to work for the Thunderbirds. Theede received the ball from the outside and did a stutter step to blow by the defender and fire a shot past Rose. Theede scored another shorthanded to stretch Halifax’s lead to 6-2.
Jesse King answered for Calgary, but the Thunderbirds wouldn’t stop scoring.
Jake Withers won the ensuing face-off after King’s goal, which led to Thomas Hoggarth getting a great chance in front that Nick Rose had to dive to keep out. The ball went behind the net, where Matt Robinson picked it up and jumped for a one-handed dunk while Rose was still on the ground.
Not to be outdone, Hoggarth scored a behind-the-net dunk of his own to round out the scoring. The Thunderbirds went into the first half up 8-3.
One of the big storylines coming into this game is Drew Hutchison started his first playoff game in net for the Thunderbirds. He and the defence were outstanding for most of the game. Calgary only scored three goals in the first half. They came in with the league’s best power play and went 2/7 in the game.
“Our composure on the floor was just because of Hutchy,” said Petterson. “He was just so calm and he was playing his angels really well, he was deep in his net, making a ton of saves early, really stifling their offence. That gives the defence the trust that they can stretch out a little bit, play pretty aggressive and on offence allow us not to force shots. It all starts with him, I think he was unbelievable.”
However, Calgary opened the scoring in the second half on a power play. Dobbie ran into the middle to fire a shot that beat Hutchison. Unfortunately for Calgary, Jamieson answered off the ensuing face-off.
But the Roughnecks wouldn’t be deterred. Curtis Dickson scored a rebound goal, and Jesse King scored another to give Calgary their first back-to-back goals of the contest and shorten Halifax’s lead to 9-6.
Trevor Smyth answered with a beautiful goal. Hutchison stopped King in the slot and the Thunderbirds went the other way. Colton Armstrong passed it back to Smyth and he spun around a defender and scored for Halifax.
Tyler Pace and Thomas Hoggarth completed the scoring in the quarter with Halifax up 11-4.
Randy Staats came out firing for the Thunderbirds early in the fourth quarter. He scored two goals in a minute to stretch Halifax’s lead to 13-4.
Dickson scored Calgary’s first goal of the quarter with under five minutes left. King nearly scored 31 seconds later on a breakaway. He shot the ball past Hutchison, but his foot was in the crease before the ball crossed the line, so the goal was called back.
Halifax made them pay as Dawson Theede and Cody Jamieson completed their hat tricks to extend Halifax’s lead to 15-8. The Thunderbirds came into this game averaging 13.2 goals per game, which is the second highest total in the league next to Buffalo.
“Putting up 16, is not unusual for us on the offensive end, it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary,” said Petterson. “We just kept playing our game. Sharing the ball, righties and lefties shooting, using those resets and second opportunities to really wear the defences down. It is something we do well as an offence and I think that is why we were able to put up a lot of goals tonight.”
To Calgary’s credit, they didn’t quit. They scored four goals with 2:20 left with the goalie pulled, but they dug too deep of a hole to get back from. Trevor Smyth scored a goal for Halifax in the middle of the run and Halifax won 16-12.
Hoggarth, Theede and Jamieson all scored hat tricks for Halifax. Staats had two goals and seven points, and Matt Robinson and Clarke Petterson all picked up five assists and six points. Graeme Hossack was a beast defensively with seven loose balls, four blocked shots and two caused turnovers. Drew Hutchison stopped 38/50 shots.
For Calgary, Curtis Dickson led the way with three goals and eight points. Tyler Pace scored four goals, Dane Dobbie had five assists and six points and Jesse King scored two goals and five points. Nick Rose stopped 42/58 shots.
The Halifax Thunderbirds move on to face the Saskatchewan Rush in the semi-finals. The teams have faced each other twice this season, with the home team winning each game. Saskatchewan won the first game 9-8 in overtime while Halifax won the second game 17-9.
