The playoff scenario on Saturday night in Halifax between the Thunderbirds and Ottawa Black Bears was simple: win and you are in the playoffs.
Halifax rode a six-goal second quarter as the Thunderbirds rolled to a 12-6 win and punched their ticket to the postseason.
Interestingly, between the New York Riptide and the Ottawa Black Bears, the franchise is now 0-10 all-time against the Halifax Thunderbirds.
The Thunderbirds finished with a record of 8-10, tied with the Black Bears, Las Vegas Desert Dogs, and San Diego Seals. Using tiebreakers, San Diego secured seventh place and Halifax claimed the eighth and final playoff spot, while Ottawa and Las Vegas miss the playoffs.
By finishing eighth, the Thunderbirds will face the first-place Vancouver Warriors on Friday night in Vancouver in the one-and-done first round. During the regular season, the Warriors defeated Halifax 8-7 after a fourth-quarter collapse by the Thunderbirds.
Clarke Petterson led Halifax with a goal and three assists for four points. Graeme Hossack, Jason Knox, and Wake:Riat BowHunter each scored twice.
Jeff Teat led the Black Bears with a hat trick and two assists. However, there wasn’t much support behind him, as Rob Hellyer, Sam Firth, and Larson Sundown each scored once.
First Quarter
Ottawa opened the scoring 1:42 into the game. Teat delivered a behind-the-back pass to Firth, who finished with a twister to make it 1-0.
Halifax responded just 15 seconds later, as Petterson found Knox with a long outlet pass in transition.
On the power play, Teat set up Sundown at the side of the net, and he scored while falling into the crease at 8:58.
The Thunderbirds rounded out the scoring as Curtis Romanchych struck in transition. He ran down the floor, stopped, and fired past Zach Higgins with 51 seconds remaining to tie it 2-2 after one.
Second Quarter
The Black Bears regained the lead early in the second quarter, as Reilly O’Connor found Teat in front at 1:15 to make it 3-2.
Halifax responded with two goals in under a minute. Cody Jamieson scored with a long overhand shot from outside at 2:27 to tie the game.
At 3:22, Mike Robinson fought through defenders and found the back of the net to give Halifax a 4-3 lead.
Teat answered with a sidearm shot at 5:48 to tie the game at four.
The Thunderbirds then took control, closing the half on a four-goal run.
Colton Armstrong went coast-to-coast in transition at 8:22, and BowHunter followed 29 seconds later, converting his own rebound.
Trevor Smyth made it 7-4 with 1:11 left after picking up a rebound, and Petterson set up Knox on the crease with 21.3 seconds remaining to give Halifax an 8-4 lead at halftime.
Third and Fourth Quarters
Warren Hill and Zach Higgins went save-for-save in the third quarter, with both defences standing tall as neither team scored.
In the fourth, Hossack finished a two-on-one in transition at 1:12, with an assist credited to Hill.
Hellyer then found a leaping Teat, who banked the ball off Hill’s back and into the net at 2:04. After a review, the goal was upheld.
At the 5:00 mark, Jamieson found BowHunter open in the middle to make it 10-5.
Ottawa pulled Higgins for the extra attacker, but Petterson scored into the empty net with 2:45 remaining.
The Black Bears gambled again by pulling Higgins while shorthanded to regain even strength, but Hossack scooped up a loose ball and scored another empty-net goal on the power play with 2:13 left.
Hellyer added a late goal with 6.4 seconds remaining, but Halifax secured the “win and you are in” game with a 12-6 victory.
Top Scorers
Halifax Thunderbirds
- Clarke Petterson — 1g, 3a
- Graeme Hossack — 2g, 1a
- Wake:Riat BowHunter — 2g, 1a
Ottawa Black Bears
- Jeff Teat — 3g, 2a
- Rob Hellyer — 1g, 3a
- Reilly O’Connor — 3a
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