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Game Preview - Halifax @ Saskatchewan

Feb 22, 2024

The Halifax Thunderbirds will look to get back into the win column when they travel West to take on the Saskatchewan Rush at SaskTel Centre on Saturday night. Opening face-off is set for 9:00 p.m. AT.

Head to Head

The Thunderbirds wrap up their season series with the Rush on Saturday, and they’ll be looking for the sweep on the road. The two teams faced off to open the 2023-24 NLL season in Halifax, with the Thunderbirds coming out with a 17-12 victory in The Nest. 

Halifax came out of the gates strong in the first meeting, scoring nine goals in the first quarter and never looking back. The Birds led 17-7 at one point in the fourth, but a five-goal run by the visitors cut the final deficit to five. 

Last year, the Thunderbirds took home a crucial victory down the backstretch of their season in Saskatchewan. They’ll be aiming to do the same this year, but that’ll be easier said than done with a Saskatchewan side that’s hitting its stride at the right time. 

Scouting the Thunderbirds

The Thunderbirds are winners of four of their last five, and the team has found success offensively over that span with everyone getting in on the production. Clarke Petterson (23G, 32A), Ryan Benesch (28G, 20A), and Austin Shanks (10G, 36A) lead the team in scoring. But it has been the play of rookie Aaron Woods (8G, 10A) that has taken the headlines over the last four games. 

Halifax gets back to full strength on the righty side with the return of Randy Staats (11G, 17A), who was activated from Injured Reserve on Thursday. He’ll provide a massive spark from a physicality and skill standpoint up front. Staats was also out for the home opener when these teams last met, so he’ll be looking to continue the success he had in SaskTel Centre last season. 

Jake Withers continued his dominance on draws over last weekend’s doubleheader, going a perfect 30-for-30 on face-offs against Buffalo and winning 20 of 32 in Calgary. Graeme Hossack and Ryan Terefenko also added goals against the Roughnecks – with Terefenko’s coming off a hidden-ball trick. 

Warren Hill is looking to get back on track after suffering his fourth loss of the season last weekend. The Halifax starter holds a 5-4 record on the year with an 11.63 goals-against average and a .750 save percentage. 

Scouting the Rush

The Rush are led offensively by the trio of Robert Church (18G, 19A), Zach Manns (16G, 20A), and captain Ryan Keenan (10G, 24A). Last game against the Thunderbirds, Manns had a team-best six-point outing. 

Saskatchewan also has several solid complimentary options like Patrick Dodds (4G, 15A), Clark Walter (7G, 10A), and Mike Triolo (6G, 5A). 

In their initial game against Halifax, the Rush also found success in transition – especially in the late goings when they were looking to chip into the Thunderbirds’ lead. Jake Boudreau (3G, 8A) leads the defenders on the team in points while Mike Messenger (5G, 4A), Ryan Barnable (1G, 6A), and Jerrett Smith (2G, 3A) all like to take their chances at the other end when presented with the chance to get up the floor in transition. 

In goal, Frank Scigliano has been solid for the Rush, holding a 10.70 GAA and a .790 SV% to go along with a 3-3 record this season. 

Milestone Watch

  • Clarke Petterson needs three goals to reach 100 for his career
  • Colton Armstrong needs five loose balls to reach 200 for his career
  • Luc Magnan needs one game played to reach 100 for his career…Needs one loose ball to reach 400 for his career
  • Austin Shanks needs five points to reach 300 for his career
  • Jake Withers needs 14 loose balls to reach 1,100 for his career
  • Randy Staats needs five loose balls to reach 400 for his career

Broadcast Info

Thunderbirds fans can tune into Saturday’s action on CTV2 and TSN+ in Canada and ESPN+ in the United States

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