New York State In-depth

FireWolves cannot outlast Thunderbirds and lose 14-11

ALBANY, NY (NEWS10) – The Albany FireWolves (1-2) were defeated 14-11 by the Halifax Thunderbirds (3-1) on Saturday night at MVP Arena in Albany, New York. Justin Geddie had a solid night at the net in his FireWolves debut, stopping 61 Halifax shots. The game was tight throughout, but the Thunderbirds managed to score the last four goals and walk away with an away win.

Halifax secured the game’s first faceoff but failed to put a shot in the net. After almost 10 goalless minutes at the opening of the game, the floodgates opened. Each side played four on the floor following illegal substitution penalties, the scoring drought was broken when Charlie Kitchen slammed one into the back net. Halifax wasted no time in replying as Chris Boushy caught a nice backfeed and hit from just outside the crease. The Thunderbirds quickly took the lead when Boushy shot his second goal past Geddie. The scoring continued as Hiana Thompson secured a deft one-handed pass from Connor Kelly and scored his first goal of the competition. Less than a minute later, Kelly got one himself when he regained the lead for Albany with a mid-floor snipe. With 25 seconds left in the quarter, Ethan Walker found an opener that came off a screen and gave the FireWolves a two-point lead.

The pace continued in the second quarter as Halifax leader Randy Staats buried his first of the contest while falling into the crease. Kelly scored the goal back for the FireWolves when he scored his second goal of the night by bouncing one through Warren Hill’s legs. Eric Fannell found space shortly after and defeated Geddie for the team’s fourth goal of the night. Former FireWolf Ryan Benesch then equalized the game at five on subsequent possession, putting in one from the right. Possession later, Benesch found Boushy just in front of the net as he completed his hat-trick to put Halifax ahead. After a penalty against the Thunderbirds, Albany was able to capitalize when Kelly scored a hat-trick of his own while taking the game to six with just under 10 minutes left. After nearly eight minutes without a goal, Austin Shanks broke the tie for Halifax. Despite a save from Geddie, Cody Jamieson was able to find the ball in the crease and go around the back of the net, burying a one-handed goal while diving. With just a second left at halftime, Patrick Kaschalk ran the length of the floor and shot one past Hill, reducing the deficit to one, 8-7, and going on the break.

After five minutes of empty drives and multiple penalties from both sides, Kieran McArdle leveled the game with a deflected ball that found its way over the goal line. Albany wasted no time putting another goal on the board when McArdle served Thompson in front of the net for his second goal of the night. Halifax eventually scored their first goal of the second half when Fannell found an empty net while Geddie struggled from a loose ball to level the game at nine goals apiece in the closing stages.

Just seconds into the fourth quarter, Albany was penalized for roughing. Geddie stayed strong throughout the Thunderbirds’ power play and after a defensive stand, Colton Watkinson came out of the box and was hit in the crotch on his way to give the FireWolves a 10-9 lead. Halifax was quick to respond as Fannell capped his hat trick by slamming one into the net. Shortly thereafter, the FireWolves ran onto the hardwood floor and found Kelly on the offensive end, drilling his fourth game. Another Albany penalty saw Halifax capitalize as Boushy cleaned up a miss and carried one into back netting from a step outside the crease. With just under seven to play, Staats came around a screen and broke from the deep to give the Thunderbirds a 12-11 lead. After a holding penalty from Albany, Halifax extended their late lead when Clarke Petterson put one past Geddie. Fannell continued to extend the Thunderbirds’ lead as he leapt through the crease and scored a one-handed goal, his fourth of the night. Albany was then penalized for a five-minute high-sticking major, and Halifax was able to run out the clock to secure a 14-11 win on the road. The two teams meet again on Friday, January 13 at 6:30 p.m. in Halifax.

The FireWolves return home on Saturday, January 21st to face the New York Riptide.

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