Thunderbirds fall short against Seals

Mar 10, 2024

(SAN DIEGO, CA) March 9, 2024 – The Halifax Thunderbirds dropped their second straight game, losing to the San Diego Seals 12-8 at Pechanga Arena on Saturday night. 

The Thunderbirds opened the game strong with a four-goal first quarter. Clarke Petterson got things going around the 10-minute mark but was answered by a Dane Dobbie marker. Halifax potted two straight from Aaron Woods and Cody Jamieson. 

San Diego got the back to even as Jake Govett and Tre Leclaire knotted things up at three. But an Austin Shanks transition marker at the end of the first gave the Thunderbirds a one-goal advantage. 

From that point on, penalties were the story of the game, with Halifax spending a chunk of every quarter on the kill. 

The Seals took control in the second quarter, with four goals – two on the man advantage. Austin Staats and Leclaire put San Diego into the lead, and Jacob Dunbar made it a two-goal lead for the hosts. Petterson made it 5-6 with a diving effort, but Staats got it right back to end the second. 

Despite having to kill off five power plays in the final 13 minutes of the half, Warren Hill and the Halifax defence held strong and kept their team within a pair with 30 minutes to play. 

But it was more of the same in the second half. Dunbar and Staats got power-play goals, and Wes Berg made it 10-6 heading into the final frame. 

The fourth was tied 2-2, with Jamieson and Shanks trading goals with Staats and Dobbie, but it wasn’t enough in the end.

With the loss, the Thunderbirds move to 7-6 for the year. They’ll try to break their current skid when they return home on Feb 15 for a matchup with the Panther City Lacrosse Club. Opening face-off is at 7:30 p.m. AT.