The Saskatchewan Rush took an absolute pounding from the Halifax Thunderbirds on Friday night, dropping a 17-9 decision.
It was a missed opportunity for Saskatchewan, as a win would have clinched them a playoff spot.
For Halifax, they got off to a quick start, jumping out to a 9-2 lead after the first quarter.
It was possibly Warren Hill’s best 60 minutes between the pipes for the Thunderbirds. He stopped 39 of 48 shots in the win.
For Saskatchewan, they will be looking to get their offense back on track after scoring only 24 goals in the past three games. Their power-play woes continued as well, as they went 0-for-4 with the man advantage.
Rough First Quarter For The Rush
Halifax had the hot hand with nine goals in the first quarter alone.
Clarke Petterson opened the scoring at 1:16, followed by Mike Robinson 42 seconds later to make it 2-0 Halifax.
Saskatchewan got on the board at 2:55, with Adam Jay scoring on transition, unassisted.
The Thunderbirds replied with a four-goal run, with goals from Cody Jamieson, Robinson, Petterson, and Thomas Hoggarth.
The Rush got back on the board to make it 6-2 when Jerret Smith stayed on the floor to play some offense, scoring with 4:44 left on the clock.
However, Hoggarth scored on the power play with 3:58 left, followed by Randy Staats with 2:26 on the clock. Petterson rounded out the first-quarter scoring with 1:38 left to make it 9-2 after one.
Onslaught Continues
The game then went scoreless until the 6:07 mark, when Staats found the back of the net to extend Halifax’s lead to eight.
Clark Walter replied for the Rush just over a minute later, but the celebration was short-lived. Cole Kirst and Staats, on the power play, made it a 12-3 game.
Walter rounded out the scoring with 3:59 left in the half to make it 12-4 for Halifax at halftime.
Halifax Pulls Away In The Third
The Thunderbirds put this game away early in the third quarter with a three-goal run.
Jamieson converted on a feed from Petterson at 2:02, followed by Trevor Smyth on transition at 3:41. Kirst rounded out the run at 6:49 as Halifax took a 15-4 lead.
Robert Church, who was back in the lineup after his wife gave birth last weekend, got on the board at 7:16. Jay then scored his second of the game on transition off a feed from Matt Hossack with 4:39 on the clock to make it a nine-goal game.
Jake Withers rounded out the third-quarter scoring with 3:48 on the clock as the Thunderbirds led 16-6 heading into the fourth.
Rush Show Up For 15 Minutes
Saskatchewan finally put together a performance in the fourth quarter, outscoring Halifax 3-1.
Ryan Keenan opened the scoring 51 seconds into the quarter. Robinson replied at the five-minute mark to make it 17-7.
Austin Shanks, who returned to Halifax for the first time as a member of the Rush, scored at 9:21. Brock Haley finished off the game with a goal with 35 seconds left as the Rush took a pounding from Halifax, 17-9.
Top Scorers
Halifax Thunderbirds
Clarke Petterson, 3g 6a
Mike Robinson, 3g 4a
Cody Jamieson, 2g 4a
Saskatchewan Rush
Ryan Keenan, 1g 3a
Clark Walter, 2g 1a
Robert Church, 1g 2a
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