The Georgia Swarm took on the Halifax Thunderbirds at ScotiaBank Centre on Saturday night in Week 10. Georgia entered the first of two games against Halifax this year on a two-game win streak. Meanwhile, the Thunderbirds are reeling, having lost four of their last five games since opening the season with two impressive victories. The woes continued for the Thunderbirds, as they kept the game close in the first half, but could not solve Swarm goaltender Brett Dobson in the second half, dropping an 11-7 decision. Georgia improves to 5-3 on the year, while Halifax falls to 3-5 and 1-3 at home. These teams meet again at The Hive in Week 17.
Knox has hat trick, but Halifax trails at half
The Swarm struck first, with Bryan Cole getting on the board at 4:38. A power play goal from Jason Knox (6:05) tied it, then Clarke Petterson (11:21) put Halifax up 2-1. Michael Grace (12:48) tied the game 2-2 as the first quarter ended. Nonkon Thompson restored the lead for Halifax at 1:18 of the second quarter, as a no-goal call was overturned after a challenge by Thunderbirds head coach Mike Accursi. The Swarm replied just 17 seconds later, when Nolan Byrne took a long feed from goaltender Brett Dobson and beat Halifax netminder Warren Hill. Shayne Jackson followed (2:28), then Byrne netted his second (4:36) to put Georgia up 5-3. Knox broke the run with his second goal (6:56), but Lyle Thompson (10:13) and Jackson’s second (10:39) pushed the Swarm’s lead to 7-4. Undeterred, Knox scored his hat trick goal (12:34), and Randy Staats (12:48) cut that lead to 7-6 going into halftime.
Dobson holds Thunderbirds to just one goal in second half
The third quarter saw a goaltending clinic put on by both Dobson and Hill. Jackson scored the only goal of the quarter, off another assist from Dobson, with just three seconds remaining to give the Swarm an 8-6 lead. Staats opened the fourth quarter by scoring just 54 seconds in to cut the Halifax deficit to 8-7. But it was all Georgia after that. Byrne’s hat trick goal (2:12), Jordan MacIntosh (6:04), and Byrne’s fourth of the game (12:30) gave the Swarm a four-goal lead. Dobson shut the door on the Thunderbirds the rest of the way, allowing just one goal in the second half.
Other Stats Of Note
Georgia: Byrne (4g); Jackson (3g, 2a); Cole (1g, 4a); Thompson (1g, 3a); MacIntosh (1g, 2a); Grace (1g); Kaleb Benedict (2a)
Halifax: Knox (3g); Staats (2g); Petterson (1g, 1a); Thompson (1g, 1a); Cody Jamieson (4a); Brendan Bomberry (2a); Mike Robinson (2a)
Brett Dobson (GA): 47 saves, 2 assists
Faceoffs: GA 2 of 21; HFX 19 of 21
