(photo courtesy of the Oshawa FireWolves Instagram page)
The Halifax Thunderbirds (3-3) visited the Oshawa FireWolves (2-4) at the Tribute Community Centre in Oshawa,Ontario, in front of yet another sellout crowd. The night was extra special as it honored and celebrated the Green Gaels organization as a staple of the region for many decades, with many of it’s legends coming out to the game and participating at halftime.
The Thunderbirds were coming off a 13-11 victory over the Ottawa Black Bears the previous night, led by rookie Will MacLeod with four goals. The FireWolves found their offense last week, but had some uncharacteristic defensive lapses that cost them that game. They were looking to get totally in-sync in this game.
The goalie match-up had Warren Hill in net for the Thunderbirds facing Doug Jamieson in net for the FireWolves.
After giving up the first goal of the game on the power-play, the FireWolves started the attack, never to look back the rest of the night. Led by Tye Kurtz with five first half goals, Oshawa got up 11-2 at the half. More importantly, they were controlling the flow of play, forcing bad shots from Halifax, and capitalizing on their own opportunities.
The second half saw Oshawa pick up where they left off with Tye Kurtz completing his sock-trick, and the rest of the team continuing their freewheeling offense with stingy defense. Doug Jamieson was almost unbeatable in the FireWolves net. Tempers flared throughout the second half worth a number of scrums.
Doug Jamieson was pulled midway in the fourth with cramping issues, and the FireWolves wanted to be cautious with their star goaltender. Andrew Kidd came in and got some action.
Halifax got a few goals back, but never was able to gain any momentum in the game. Oshawa had answers all night, in what was their most complete game of the season. Oshawa wins 16-9.
To The Game:
The Thunderbirds got on the board first when Randy Staats scored on the power-play off a Cody Jamieson pass at 3:35.
The FireWolves got on track with Ethan Walker replying with a shot from the top of the crease of a Dyson Williams feed at 4:48, followed by Patrick Kaschalk with a low to low laser unassisted at 8:34.
The FireWolves continued the attack with Tye Kurtz scoring a natural hat-trick. The first off was off an Alex Simmons pass from in close at 10:10, followed a blast off a Dyson Williams feed at 13:55. The third came from a low laser again off an Alex Simmons pass at 14:56.
After one quarter, Oshawa 5 Halifax 1.
Second Quarter:
The FireWolves kept the onslaught going with Jackson Nishimura firing a high to low shot off a Joel Coyle pass at 3:42.
Halifax finally stopped the bleeding with a power-play goal. Clarke Petterson scored on a quick stick off a Dawson Theede pass at 5:50, but Oshawa stormed back with Tye Kurtz scoring his fourth of the night followed by Alex Simmons with a behind the back shot for an 8-2 lead.
Halifax replaced Warren Hill with Drew Hutchison at this point.
Taggart Clark welcomed Hutchison to the game with a power-play tally from the outside off a Dyson Williams pass at 8:34, followed by another power-play marker from Ethan Walker off an Alex Simmons pass at 10:27. Kurtz then added his fifth of the half off an Alex Simmons feed at 14:02.
At the half, Oshawa 11 Halifax 2.
Third Quarter:
Alex Simmons opened the second half scoring his second of the game off an Ethan Walker pass at 0:57 seconds, followed by a power-play goal from Taggert Clark off a Dyson Williams feed at 3:59.
The Thunderbirds Dawson Theede scored off a Randy Staats pass at 5:49, followed by Clarke Petterson from the side of the net off an Ethan O’Connor pass at 7:00.
Oshawa stormed back when Tye Kurtz got his sock-trick goal on the power-play at 8:38, but the Thunderbirds kept pressing with Christian Watts scoring with a high to low shot off a Curtis Romanchych pass at 14:25.
After three quarters, Oshawa 14 Halifax 5.
Fourth Quarter:
The FireWolves drubbing of the Thunderbirds continued with Tye Kurtz scoring his seventh of the game in transition off a Patrick Kaschalk pass at 1:05.
Andrew Kidd replaced Doug Jamieson in net at 7:12 of the quarter.
The Thunderbirds got one on a two man advantage when Randy Staats converted a Dawson Theede pass at 7:38, followed by Theede himself finishing a Randy Staats feed 0:15 seconds later on the single man advantage. Halifax kept fighting with Staats converting a Clarke Petterson feed at 10:28 also on the power-play.
Oshawa came back with a power-play goal of their own when Ethan Walker converted a Tye Kurtz pass at 11:02.
Tempers flared a number of times down the stretch, but nothing major occurred in the continous minor melee’s. The referees did a good job to try and keep a lid on things issuing 124 minutes in penalties in the quarter.
Halifax added a shorthanded marker at 14:58 from Ryan Terefenko but it was too little too late.
Final score, Oshawa 16 Halifax 9.
The Three Stars:
1. Tye Kurtz
2. Ethan Walker
3. Alex Simmons
Game Stats:
- Shots on goal favored Oshawa 57-53.
- The faceoff battle went to Halifax 24-4.
- The loose ball battle was won by the Thunderbirds 74-62.
- Halifax went 6 for 9 on the power-play, also scoring a shorthanded goal.
- Oshawa went 6 for 11 on the power-play.
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