Thunderbirds Take Pre-Season Opener over Mammoth
Published on November 10, 2025 under National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Halifax Thunderbirds News Release
SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND RIVER - The Halifax Thunderbirds opened their preseason slate with a victory, beating the Colorado Mammoth 14-13 at Iroquois Lacrosse Arena on Saturday night.
Christian Watts led the team with a hat trick while chipping in multiple assists in his first action of the year. Mike Robinson and Brendan Bomberry also chipped in with two goals apiece. Halifax also had goals from Skkylar Thomas, Nonkon Thompson, Will MacLeod, Clarke Petterson, Bo Bowhunter, and Jake Withers.
Warren Hill and Ashton Brown each played a half of lacrosse in the game, combining to help the team take home a victory.
The game started off in the Mammoth's favour, as they jumped out to an early 3-0 lead. But Skkylar Thomas was able to get Halifax on the scoresheet, getting underneath his defender and scoring with a short-side twister. After Colorado added another, Nonkon Thompson scored his first of the game, burying a shot from the outside that beat the shot clock. A fifth Mammoth goal sent the visitors into the second quarter with a three-goal lead.
But it was Halifax who flipped the script in the second. After Robinson got one and the Mammoth answered, making it 6-3, the Thunderbirds went on a seven-goal run. 2025 first-round pick Will MacLeod finished off a back-post feed from Petterson. Bomberry followed up with his first preseason goal with the Thunderbirds two minutes later.
Robinson's second of the night knotted things up, as he scored on another shot from the outside. Just 20 seconds later, Watts put the Thunderbirds ahead with his first of the game off a shot that dropped from distance. After Withers won another draw, Mitch Wilde kept the run going strong, sweeping the top and powering a shot through the goaltender to make it an 8-6 lead.
Petterson and Watts added a pair of goals, but after a Colorado goal ended the run, Halifax carried a 10-7 lead into the half.
Colorado came out of the gates hot in the third, however. They posted four straight goals by the eight-minute mark of the frame, hopping back into the lead. Bowhunter tied things up again with a bouncer. The teams headed into the fourth quarter knotted at 11.
Withers was able to get out in transition early in the final frame and sting a shot on the run to put Halifax back ahead, but the back and forth continued, with the Mammoth dropping two more shots to make it 13-12. But Watts would complete his hat trick with a big shot from the top of the power play.
Colorado was able to get an equalizer, making it 13-13 around the three-minute mark of the fourth, but Watts and Bomberry connected, with the latter finishing a great play in tight to put Halifax back ahead with 2:15 left in regulation.
The Mammoth pulled their goaltender looking for an equalizer, but the Thunderbirds' defence held strong, securing a victory on the opening day of camp.
With their first Training Camp weekend in the books, the Thunderbirds will turn their attention to Nov 14, when they head on the road for their final preseason tune-up against the Oshawa FireWolves. Opening face-off is set for 7:30 pm ET.
National Lacrosse League Stories from November 10, 2025
- Thunderbirds Take Pre-Season Opener over Mammoth - Halifax Thunderbirds
- King's Command: Veteran Forward Helping Warriors' Offence Find Its Flow - Vancouver Warriors
- Oshawa FireWolves Make Strides in Week Two of Training Camp Presented by Vanguard Athletic Performance - Oshawa FireWolves
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