The Halifax Thunderbirds kept their playoff hopes alive with a 15-10 win over the Rochester Knighthawks at ScotiaBank Centre Saturday night. Halifax used a five-goal run in the second quarter to take a commanding lead, and never looked back in the only meeting between the teams this season. The Thunderbirds improve to 7-9 on the season, and leapfrog Rochester (6-9 with the loss) in the standings to ninth place, just outside the playoff window. Halifax plays at Vancouver, then hosts Ottawa to finish the season. The Knighthawks have three games left, playing at Buffalo in Week 20 before finishing with a home-and-home doubleheader against Georgia in Week 21.
Halifax uses seven-goal second quarter for first half lead
Rochester got on the board first with a goal from Ryan Smith (1:44). A power play goal from Cody Jamieson (3:28), followed by a goal from Jason Knox (4:55) gave Halifax a 2-1 lead. Thomas McConvey (9:37 power play) equalized for Rochester, but Jake Withers (10:35) and Knox’s second (12:27 power play) put the Thunderbirds up 4-2. Ryan Lanchbury (14:21) cut the lead to 4-3 after one quarter of play.
Rochester struck quickly in the second quarter, with Blaze Riorden (0:33) tying the game at 4. But Halifax struck often in the quarter, with Graeme Hossack scoring eight seconds later and Mike Robinson (1:13) making it a two-goal game. Matt Gilray (1:22) got one back for the Knighthawks, only for the Thunderbirds to break the game open with a five-goal run. Clarke Petterson scored a power play goal (4:03), then Ryan Terefenko netted one just four seconds later. Knox scored his hat trick goal (5:59), followed by Stephen Keogh (11:46) for a 10-5 Halifax lead. Rochester pulled goaltender Riley Hutchcraft in favor of Rylan Hartley. Petterson added his second at 14:12 to give Halifax an 11-5 lead going into halftime.
Halifax keeps their playoff hopes alive
Smith (3:35) and McConvey (6:02 power play) reduced the lead to four in the third quarter. However, a second goal from Withers (6:18) pushed the Thunderbirds lead back to five, 12-7 going into the fourth quarter. Two quick goals from Petterson (0:11 fourth quarter) and Brendan Bomberry (0:40) pushed the lead to 14-7 for Halifax. The Knighthawks tried again to climb back into the game, starting with a transition goal from Taylor Jensen (6:00). Lanchbury (9:41 power play) and Connor Fields (12:48) followed to narrow the margin to 14-10. But Rochester could not get any closer, and Trevor Smyth closed the scoring for Halifax with an empty-net goal (14:28) in his first game this season after coming off the Injured Reserve list.
Other Stats Of Note
Rochester: Lanchbury (2g, 3a); McConvey (2g, 2a); Smith (2g, 2a); Fields (1g, 5a); Riorden (1g, 2a); Jensen (1g, 1a); Gilray (1g)
Halifax: Petterson (3g, 3a); Knox (3g); Withers (2g, 4a); Robinson (1g, 2a); Bomberry (1g, 2a); Keogh (1g, 1a); Terefenko (1g, 1a); Hossack (1g, 1a); Jamieson (1g); Smyth (1g)
Power Play: ROC 3 for 5; HFX 3 for 7
Jake Withers reached 2,400 faceoff wins for his career; he is less than 70 wins away from passing Geoff Snider for third place on the all-time wins list
Riley Hutchcraft/Rylan Hartley (ROC): 41 combined saves; Warren Hill (HFX): 42 saves
