Game Preview - Halifax @ Calgary
Feb 18, 2024
The Halifax Thunderbirds are back in action Sunday night, as they finish up a weekend doubleheader with a Western swing to face the Calgary Roughnecks at Scotiabank Saddledome. Opening face-off is set for 8:00 p.m. AT.
Scouting the Thunderbirds
Halifax enters the second half of their crucial back-to-back weekend on the heels of a 14-goal outing against Buffalo on Friday.
It was a full effort from the forwards, with Clarke Petterson (21G, 30A) and Austin Shanks (10G, 33A) posting identical two-goal, nine-point games. Ryan Benesch (26G, 17A) had another five-goal night and finished with six points in the win. Dawson Theede (16G, 15A) and Aaron Woods (6G, 9A) combined for five goals while Thunderbirds captain Cody Jamieson (11G, 25A) surpassed 600 career assists with three helpers.
The Thunderbirds have gotten some reinforcements over the last month defensively, with veteran David Brock returning three games ago. Friday, Nonkon Thompson was activated for the first time since suffering a season-ending lower-body injury prior to the 2022-23 season. Both have brought some much-needed experience to the back end and helped steady the unit further.
Jake Withers posted another historic night on Friday, going a perfect 29-for-29 from the stripe while also having 30 loose balls. He has been able to help in all facets of the game, and his leadership on the back end alongside the likes of Graeme Hossack, Ryan Terefenko, and Tyson Bell has been crucial this season.
In goal, Warren Hill is likely to get the nod in this contest. He’ll be looking for a bounceback to end his weekend after he was pulled for Drew Hutchison on Friday night. Hill holds a 5-3 record with an 11.40 goals-against average and a .760 save percentage this year.
Scouting the Roughnecks
Calgary is coming off a big road victory against Toronto last weekend. They’ll be waiting at home for the Thunderbirds, looking to make it consecutive victories.
Captain Jesse King (14G, 35A) leads the way, while Tyler Pace (11G, 26A) and Tanner Cook (11G, 21A) are also off to strong starts.
Calgary’s supporting cast is also strong, as Haiden Dickson (17G, 6A), Dan Taylor (3G, 12A), and Thomas Hoggarth (8G, 1A) are all dependable to help produce on any given night.
The Roughnecks are also one of the best teams in the league at turning defence into offence with their transition acumen. Zach Currier (8A) has always been a thorn in the side of opposing teams, but it’s been Shane Simpson (9G, 4A) who loves to hurt teams with his athleticism and scoring ability over the last two seasons. They also have the likes of Harrison Matsuoka, Seth Van Schepen, and Jeff Cornwall who like to jump up.
Calgary starter Christian Del Bianco is one of the best in the league year over year. The reigning NLL MVP and Goalie of the year currently sits with a 3-5 record on the year, but his stats have been strong, as he boasts a 10.75 GAA and a .790 SV%.
Transition Battle
In last year’s meeting between these two teams, Calgary had a distinct advantage when it came to transition, potting seven on the run, including Jeff Cornwall’s overtime winner. Aiding Calgary with their potent transition attack is Del Bianco, who is one of, if not the best in the league, at scooping up the ball and promptly rifling it up the floor to defenders who break for opportunities at the other end.
Halifax has been very strong in the transition game as well this year, getting multiple goals from their defenders over the last month.
If the Thunderbirds are able to keep an eye on defenders splitting the zone early, they’ll be able to better limit the opportunities for Calgary to sting them in reverse transition.
Milestone Tracker
- Clarke Petterson needs five goals to reach 100 for his career
- Austin Shanks needs eight points to reach 300 for his career
- Colton Armstrong needs nine loose balls to reach 200 for his career
Broadcast Info
The Thunderbirds will be a part of the NLL Game of the Week on TSN for the second consecutive weekend. Fans can tune in on TSN5, as well as online on TSN+ in Canada and ESPN+ in the United States.