Game Preview: Wings at Thunderbirds

VS HALIFAX

The Wings are looking for their first win over the Thunderbirds since the franchise relocated to Halifax. They have gone 0-4 overall against Halifax while being outscored 54-32. The Wings are 0-2 against Halifax on the road but only one of those games has been played here; the other was played in Ontario due to COVID protocol.

WING TIPS

Philadelphia has seen the injury bug bite early in the season, with both Holden Cattoni and Blaze Riorden out for extended periods oftime with upper body injuries. Both project to return sometime in mid-to-late January.

With those absences, spots have opened up for some of the team’s young talent to step in. Taggart Clark made his NLL debut two weeks ago and scored a goal last week against his father, Albany head coach Glenn Clark. Taggart Clark attended Robert Morris University and was the Wings first-round selection (23rd overall) in the 2022 NLL Entry Draft.

The Wings also signed forward Tanner Buck on December 8 and he made his Wings debut last week due to the absences on the le] side. Buck actually signed with Albany in the offseason but was released during training camp. A fourth-round pick of Georgia in 2020, Buck appeared in two games with the Swarm in 2022, picking up two goals and an assist, and appeared in one game with no points last season. Buck has extensive indoor experience in Canada and most recently put up 70 points (28G, 42A) in 20 games last summer in MSL Sr. A, a league full of NLL players.

Among the remaining offensive threats, Mitch Jones enters the weekend tied for fourth in the NLL in overall scoring (18 pts) and tied for second in assists (13). Jones led the Wings in scoring each of the first two games and shared the team lead with Joe Resetarits last time out. Resetarits has 14 points on the season after recording a hat trick and adding three assists vs. Albany.

HOMECOMING

This contest is a homecoming game of sorts for Wings defenseman Alex Pace, who grew up in Halifax. He will be looking to help lead to the Wings to victory in his hometown for the first time, and will have a large group of friends and family in attendance to support him.