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Game Preview - Halifax @ Philadelphia

Mar 24, 2023

Following a victory at home last weekend, the Halifax Thunderbirds head on the road again this week for a pivotal showdown with the Philadelphia Wings at Wells Fargo Center on Saturday night. Opening face-off is slated for 8:00 p.m. AT. 

Scouting the Thunderbirds

The Thunderbirds bounced back in a big way in their last game against the Toronto Rock, and it was a massive game from Eric Fannell that helped propel the team to a victory. 

Fannell (22G, 22A) set a new career high in points in his last outing, surpassing his previous high of 40 with a six-point outing against Toronto. As per usual, the Halifax attack was widespread, with Ryan Benesch (23G, 34A) finishing with four points while Clarke Petterson (19G, 41A), Chris Boushy (29G, 10A), Randy Staats (23G, 42A), Cody Jamieson (15G, 33A), and Dawson Theede (3G, 2A) each finished with three points apiece. 

The team also got big transition performances from Graeme Hossack, Colton Armstrong, and Ryan Terefenko in the victory. 

Warren Hill continued his strong play into the Thunderbirds’ last game, turning away 40 Toronto shots for his fifth victory on the campaign. He has an 11.25 GAA and a .770 SV% for the year.

Scouting the Wings

The Wings have a different look since they last saw the Thunderbirds. They acquired star lefty Mitch Jones from Vancouver mid-season, bolstering their offence. Jones currently sits third in points league-wide, scoring 91 in 14 outings – in just seven games with Philly, he has 19 goals and 56 points. 

In addition to their newest weapon, the Wings have a spread-out attack with 2022 MVP finalist Joe Resetarits (32G, 52A), along with Ben McIntosh (27G, 23A), and Blaze Riorden (29G, 29A), who’s in the midst of a career year. Riorden scored five of the Wings’ eight goals in the last matchup between these two squads. 

Defensively, Philadelphia has a solid core of Kiel Matisz, Chad Tutton, Alex Crepinsek, and Ian Llord. Matisz (3G, 22A) continues to be a two-way threat who can stay and play offence. Tutton has been a significant addition to the team this year, providing them with a leader on the back end. 

Trevor Baptiste will give Jake Withers another challenge on draws in this game. He currently sits second behind only Withers in face-off percentage, sitting at 74 percent on the year. 

In goal, Zach Higgins has had a solid season after a tough open to the year in Halifax. The Wings’ starter sits with 522 saves on the year along with an 11.58 goals-against average and a .790 save percentage.

Milestone Watch

  • Ryan Benesch needs one point to reach 1,200 for his career…needs four assists to reach 700 for his career
  • David Brock needs one point to reach 100 for his career
  • Graeme Hossack needs six points to reach 100 for his career
  • Randy Staats needs eight assists to reach 300 for his career

Broadcast Info

Thunderbirds fans in Canada can catch the team in action this weekend on both CTV2 and the TSN App. Fans in the United States can tune in on ESPN+.

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