“Muffler” Mike Kostiuk – Senior Correspondent, All Lacrosse All The Time
The Halifax Thunderbirds and Ottawa Black Bears kicked off a full slate in Week 13 of the NLL Friday night at the Canadian Tire Centre. Halifax came in on a three-game winning streak, above the .500 mark for the first time this season. Meanwhile, the Black Bears beat Albany the week prior to snap a two-game losing skid.
The Thunderbirds squandered a four-goal halftime lead, but ended the game with a 7-1 run to win 14-9. Their fourth straight victory moves Halifax to 6-4 and lifts them into a tie for third place in the Unified Standings. They travel to Las Vegas in Week 14 before hosting Toronto in Week 15. Ottawa is now 5-5 and drops to ninth place, below the playoff line. The Black Bears host Georgia next week.
Staats powers Halifax to first half lead
Halifax kicked off the game in style, with Ryan Terefenko scoring on a hidden ball trick (4:23). Larson Sundown responded with a power play marker (4:56) to level the game. Goals from Colton Armstrong (5:36) and Randy Staats (7:34) gave the Thunderbirds a 3-1 lead after 15 minutes of play.
Connor Kearnan opened the second quarter with a goal (1:10) to cut the lead to 3-2. Halifax then reeled off four straight goals. Tallies from Clarke Petterson (6:30), Staats (8:31; 10:05), and Terefenko (13:01 power play) made it a 7-2 game. The Black Bears got a late power play goal from Reilly O’Connor (14:28), but trailed 7-3 going into halftime.
Halifax rallies after squandering halftime lead
Just when the Thunderbirds looked to be cruising, the Black Bears came out roaring to start the second half. Two strikes from Sundown (2:28; 3:08), two from Jeff Teat (4:25; 6:37), and one from Jacob Dunbar (12:54) suddenly put Ottawa in the lead, 8-7. But Halifax responded with a run of their own, scoring seven of the final eight goals. Dawson Theede (13:55) tied it, and Petterson netted yet another buzzer beater (14:58) to put the Thunderbirds up 9-8 going into the fourth quarter.
Staats scored his fourth (2:33 fourth quarter) and Theede his second (7:39) to put Halifax up 11-8. A power play goal from Teat (9:45) pulled Ottawa within two. However, Nonkon Thompson, recently returned from injury, put up a pair of goals (11:37; 14:48), and Terefenko added his hat trick goal (12:38) to put the game away.
Other Stats of Note
Thunderbirds: Staats (4g, 1a); Terefenko (3g, 1a); Petterson (2g, 1a); Theede (2g, 1a); Thompson (2g); Armstrong (1g, 1a)
Black Bears: Teat (3g, 2a); Sundown (3g); O’Connor (1g, 2a); Dunbar (1g, 2a); Kearnan (1g, 2a); Kiel Matisz (4a)
Terefenko now has 18 points (11g, 7a) in his last four games, making a solid case for Transition Player of the Year
Warren Hill (HFX): 40 saves; Zach Higgins (OTT): 47 saves
