San Diego Seals transition player Zach Currier had a memorable homecoming on Saturday night, leading the Seals to a 16-12 win over the Calgary Roughnecks at the Scotiabank Saddledome. It was a big win for the Seals as they have their eyes set on the 2025 NLL Playoffs. The teams came in separated by a half-game but with the win, the Seals improved to 8-6 and created some separation in the standings.
Currier, The third overall pick in the 2017 NLL Draft by Calgary and an NLL Champion with the Roughnecks in 2019, was playing his first game back in Calgary since an offseason trade that landed him in San Diego. Currier came up clutch with a late third-quarter goal and two more in the fourth that
Turned an 11-10 game into a 14-11 Seals advantage with just 5:15 left in the contest.
Wes Berg continued his hot streak, scoring a game-high five goals for San Diego, while Ben McIntosh scored three times to go along with seven assists. Rob Hellyer, the Seals’ season-leader in assists had another big night, assisting on eight of the Seals’ 16 goals.
Both teams came out swinging in the first quarter as they combined for nine goals, five for the Seals and four for the Roughnecks. Season goal-scoring leader Wes Berg scored twice while Ben McIntosh, Tre Leclaire and Jake Govett also found the back of the Calgary net.
While the Seals outscored the Roughnecks by a goal in the first quarter, Calgary returned the favor in the second outscoring the visitors 3-2 to send the teams into the locker room at halftime tied 7-7. After Ryan Benesch scored to put the Seals up 6-4, Calgary scored three unanswered to take a 7-6 lead before Berg tied things up on a power play goal with 4:55 left in the second.
Both teams’ offenses came back to life in the third as they again combined for nine goals with the Seals again outscoring Calgary 5-4. Calgary outscored the Seals 3-1 in the opening 5:01 of the third quarter with two of the scores coming on the power play to jump ahead 10-8. The Seals lone goal during the stretch came off the stick of McIntosh and it was the 300th regular-season goal of his career. The Seals then came back with a run of their own, scoring four unanswered during a 4:28 stretch to re-take the lead, 12-10. Berg scored twice more, McIntosh scored another and Currier scored his first of the night. Calgary got a late goal from Jack Follows and the teams went to the final quarter with San Diego ahead 12-11.
The fourth quarter was all Seals as they outscored the Roughnecks 4-1 to close out the win. And while the Seals improved to 8-6, the Roughnecks fell to 7-8.
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