Thunderbirds Outgun Roughnecks to Move on to Semi-Finals
April 26, 2025 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Halifax Thunderbirds News Release
(HALIFAX, NS) The Halifax Thunderbirds advanced to the NLL semi-finals with a 16-12 victory over the Calgary Roughnecks at Scotiabank Centre on Saturday night.
Stats
The Thunderbirds wasted no time in getting the Halifax faithful into the game, as Nonkon Thompson opened the scoring, taking the ball end to end for a transition tally just 1:33 into the first. Petterson followed up 14 seconds later, swimming past a defender and scoring on a scoop shot. Hoggarth kept the run going for the Thunderbirds in the opening frame, cleaning up a rebound with a slick backhanded finish on the crease.
Hutchison turned away nine shots, while the Thunderbirds' defence stepped in front of multiple chances for Calgary to keep it 3-0 in favour of Halifax after one quarter.
The game began to open up in the second, with Calgary getting the opening goal of the second from Brayden Mayea. Jamieson got that goal back with a twister from distance. A transition goal by Tyler Pace cut into the Halifax lead, but back-to-back goals from Dawson Theede bumped the advantage to 6-2.
Jesse King got another for Calgary in the final minute of the half, but Halifax scored a pair of highlight-reel goals to end the second. Mike Robinson corralled a loose ball off the ensuing draw and buried a one-handed dunk from behind the cage before Hoggarth scored on a dunk of his own with two seconds remaining to make it an 8-3 Thunderbirds lead at the half.
The back-and-forth pace continued coming out of the half, where the visitors tried to cut into their deficit. A power-play goal from Dane Dobbie got them off on the right foot. Jamieson got his second for the Thunderbirds in response, however, a two-goal run helped the Roughnecks' cause. Curtis Dickson and King got those markers.
A massive goal from Smyth in transition got The Nest fired up. That made it a 10-6 game. Pace and Hoggarth traded goals to end the third, giving Halifax a four-goal lead heading into the final frame.
Looking to seal their place in the semi-finals, Halifax got back-to-back goals from Staats to open the fourth. He hammered home a shot on the power play before getting a bouncer to fall on the run. Dickson pulled one back for the Roughnecks, but Theede and Jamieson got another pair, giving Halifax a 15-8 lead with 3:15 left.
Calgary was able to chip away with some 6-on-5 goals. Curtis Dickson, Pace, and Haiden Dickson kept things interesting with four combined goals in the final three minutes, but it was too little, too late for them. Smyth scored his second of the game to wrap up the 16-12 victory.
With the victory, Halifax advances to the NLL Cup semi-finals, where they will take on the Saskatchewan Rush in an All-Canadian best-of-three series for a chance to move to the finals.
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National Lacrosse League Stories from April 26, 2025
- Thunderbirds Outgun Roughnecks to Move on to Semi-Finals - Halifax Thunderbirds
- Halifax Bounces Roughnecks 16-12 - Calgary Roughnecks
- Seals Fall in Buffalo 5-4 - San Diego Seals
- Game Day Playoff Preview - Warriors vs Knighthawks - Vancouver Warriors
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