Di Miller, NLL Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©
Featured Image Photo Credit: Christian Bender
On Friday February 4, 2022 the New York Riptide (1-6) headed to Hamilton, Ontario the home of the Toronto Rock to face the Halifax Thunderbirds (4-1) who have been given the “thumbs up” to play this and their next home game at the First Ontario Centre due to restrictions still in place in Nova Scotia. Alas, there would be no fans in the arena due to the Ontario restrictions but at least they had a game! The Riptide have got the talent, but they just can’t seem to keep their opponents from putting together those “runs” and the penalties have been the enemy of the ‘Tide as well as the Thunderbirds would tally three power-play markers on those penalties. The only hat-trick in the entire game would come from Callum Crawford. In the end although New York would tie the game at the start of the third, Halifax would ultimately put together another four goal run and outscore the Riptide in the fourth for the victory. Final Score: Thunderbirds 13—Riptide 10.
Halifax would grab the opening draw but they would get hit with a slashing penalty early on and New York would get on the board first. Connor Kearnan (2g, 1a) would get the no look feed from Callum Crawford and with a quick stick would fire a power play tally in front of the crease 2:23 putting the Riptide on the board 1-0. This would the only lead New York would have in the contest. The ‘Tide would get hit with a slashing penalty of their own and Cody Jamieson (2g, 1a) would rip one over the defenders glove side top corner at 5:54 for their first power play marker to tie it up 1-1. Another five ticked off the timer while the net-minders stood strong and it would be the T’Birds who would light the lamp next. Eric Fannell (1g, 1a) stepped and fired around his defender and hit far side twine 2-1 with 4:35 to go in the first. It took only 26 seconds before Austin Shanks (2g, 5a) got involved in the action. Shanks fired a laser past three defenders and blew it past Steven Orleman near side top corner increasing the lead 3-1. He’d put another one up with 3:21 in the frame off the great feed from Connor Watson (1a) and on the front door, he’d put it over the shoulder of Orleman increasing the lead by three. That would close it out for the quarter. Shots on goal at the end of one: Riptide 7—Thunderbirds 15; Face-offs Riptide 2-5 Thunderbirds 3-5. Score at the end of one: Thunderbirds 4—Riptide 1.
The second got off to a snails pace start but had a lot of scoring once the teams got going. The Riptide would make their move outscoring the Thunderbirds five to three. At the 6:14 mark of the frame, Mackenzie Mitchell would get hit with a cross-checking “major” and head to the sin-bin for five. The Thunderbirds would notch two off the five minute major. It would take six shots on Orleman before they could score, but Kyle Jackson (2g, 1a) would notch his first of the year with a nice underhand shot on the outside just two seconds in at 6:45 and it was 5-1 Halifax. Riptide Defenseman Damon Edwards(1g) would get the turnover and go coast to coast and fire the bouncer past Warren Hill for the short-handed goal with 5:29 left 5-2 Halifax. But it only took 13 seconds before Clark Petterson (1g, 2a) would bury it down low with the bounce shot off the great feed for another power-play tally increasing the lead back by four 6-2. Just as the five minute major ended, Tyson Gibson (1g, 2a) came down the lane, flicked his wrist and cut the lead in half with 4:45 remaining 6-3. Eighteen seconds later Crawford threw a couple of pump fakes on the door step and dumped one short side 6-4 Halifax. With 3:46 on the timer, Brad Gillies (1a) in transition, pushed the ball and sent a nice pass to Chris Boushy (2g, 1a) coming off the bench and he fired a nice shot short side 7-4. The Riptide would close out the scoring in the second. Scott Dominey (1g, 1a) scooped the loosie, put on the after burners, flew down the field and fired one right through the wickets on Hill in front of the cage with 3:14 left 7-5. With 1:51 left on the delayed penalty, Gibson set the screen and Crawford blasted a sidearm shot over the shoulder of Hill 7-6. As the quarter was closing out, the Thunderbirds would have another penalty and with the delayed call coming up, the Riptide went with the extra attacker and with 10.3 left on the clock, the men in stripes sent Tyson Bell to the sin bin putting the Riptide man up for the remainder of the frame. They were unable to capitalize so they’d bring the extra 1:5o into the third. Shots on goal in the second: Riptide 18—Thunderbirds 15; Face-offs at the end of two: Riptide 2-15 Thunderbirds 13-15; Saves: Riptide 23—Thunderbirds 19. Score at the end of two: Halifax 7—Riptide 6.
The third was a battle of the dueling net-minders as each team would only put up a combined total of three. The Riptide would score with 46 seconds left on the man up. Crawford would notch his hat-trick with an outside rip between the defenders at the 1:09 mark and this would tie it up at 7-7 and their only goal in the frame. The next tally wouldn’t go up for almost six minutes. Jackson came off the bench sprinted across the floor and fired a low side arm shot five-hole at the 6:52 mark 8-7 Thunderbirds. The final goal in the frame was one of those “uh oh” goals. Graeme Hossack (1g, 1a) flicked a side arm shot around his defender and it found its way under Orleman and past the pipes with 21 seconds on the clock increasing the lead by two once more. Shots on goal in the third: Riptide 11—Thunderbirds 14; Face-offs at the end of three: Riptide 4-19 Thunderbirds 15-19; Saves: Riptide 35—Thunderbirds 30. Score at the end of three: Halifax 9—Riptide 7.
With 15 remaining and a close game the Riptide still had plenty of time and the talent to come out on top. Unfortunately, the “uh ohs” came with them into the fourth. Shanks made a shot on goal, it hit the pipe and Jamieson got the deflection and popped it in for the “cheap goal” 21 seconds in 10-7. Boushy kept it going at 1:48 with a twirl of his stick, he stung the twine far side 11-7. The Riptide would stop the three-goal run at the 2:42 mark. Gibson with the cross crease pass on the backside to Kearnan fired it on the doorstep short side 11-8. On the next possession, Hill would send a nice outlet pass to Colton Armstrong (1g), he faked and fired it far side at the 6:34 mark and the lead was increased once again 12-8. Halifax would get hit with a five-minute major of their own with 7:21 remaining and New York would notch two. Crawford with a dandy fake left-right-left on goal line extended fired it far side with 6:15 to go 12-9. The second man-up tally came off a back hand feed from Jeff Teat (3a) to Kieran McArdle (1g, 1a) for the quick stick shot far side top corner with 5:38 remaining 12-10. But that’s as close at they’d get. The Riptide chose to go with the extra attacker with 2:48 on the ticker and Ryan Terefenko (1g) would get his first career NLL goal on the breakaway and an empty netter tally with 2:37 remaining on the clock. That would be it as neither team could put the ball in between the pipes for the last 157 seconds. Final Score: Thunderbirds 13—Riptide 10.
TEAM STATS:
New York Riptide—SOG 48; Assists 13; LB 67; Saves 48; Face-offs 8-27
Halifax Thunderbirds—SOG 61; Assists 21; LB 77; Saves 38; Face-offs 19-27
NEXT UP:
The New York Riptide (1-6) will head to Gas South Arena in Duluth, GA to face the Georgia Swarm (3-4) on Saturday February 12, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. EST. This is the “Game of the Week” in the USA so fans can catch the action on ESPN. Fans in Canada can watch the game on TSN.ca or the TSN app.
The Halifax Thunderbirds (4-1) will host the Philadelphia Wings (5-3) in their temporary home, the First Ontario Centre, in Hamilton Ontario on Sunday February 13, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. EST. There will be no fans allowed due to restrictions set in place by the Ontario government. Fans in the USA can watch the game on ESPN+. Fans in Canada can catch the action on TSN.ca or the TSN app.
Di Miller, NLL Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©