By: Laurence Heinen – 24-02.24

Hometown hero Dan Taylor had a natural hat trick in the fourth quarter to lead the Roughnecks to a 14-11 win over the Philadelphia Wings in front of 12,110 fans at the Rough House on Saturday.

Taylor finished the game with four goals and one assist, while Josh Currier also had a strong performance with a hat trick and a helper on WestJet Field at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

Captain Jesse King scored twice and set up five others for the Roughnecks (5-5) who won their third straight game, while the Wings fell to 3-6.

Tyler Pace, Tanner Cook, Thomas Hoggarth, Haiden Dickson and Shane Simpson also scored, while goalie Christian Del Bianco made 36 saves to record the victory.

Cook had a couple great chances to open the scoring but he wound up hitting the crossbar three minutes into the game before being stoned by Philadelphia goalie Zach Higgins a short time later.

It was a defensive battle in the early going before the visitors finally got on the scoreboard 9:33 into the contest.

The Riggers then exploded for three goals in 48 seconds to take the lead.

After King squeaked in a shot to the short side at 12:26, Hoggarth added another 26 seconds later. Pace, who assisted on the first two goals, then whipped a long-range shot past Higgins.

Taylor manufactured a goal by driving hard to the net 20 seconds into the second quarter before the visitors responded with three straight goals to take a 5-4 lead.

Cook and King also scored in the second for the Riggers, who found themselves trailing 7-6 heading into the halftime intermission.

Dickson evened the score at 5:07 of the third before he assisted on a goal by Josh Currier at 9:24 to put the ’Necks back up by one.

Taylor emerged as the hero in the fourth quarter with three straight goals, while Currier notched the eventual game-winner and another before Simpson scored into an empty net.

COACH’S COMMENT

“It was huge. They were 3-5, we were 4-5. We knew we were going to get their best game. I thought Philadelphia played really well. I thought we played well too. It’s just sticking with it for 60 minutes. Obviously, we had a really big fourth quarter – defensively, offensively, goaltending – so I’m just really happy all the guys stuck with it for 60 minutes. They got a couple little runs on us that we could have not stuck with it, so to speak, but we kept coming back and pushing. I’m just really happy for the guys that we’re back to .500 here and we’re going to try to get (a win) next week too.”

Re Dan Taylor – “He’s a leader in the room. He’s a little snake bitten around the net, but you keep doing good things and they come in bunches like they did tonight, so I’m glad he got rewarded because he played so good last week and they just didn’t fall for him. Then tonight, they started falling for him obviously in the second half. All the guys are really happy for him. He’s just a leader of ours.”

SAY WHAT:

“I think it’s the best thing in the world playing in this arena and growing up in this city. I remember watching the games from where I used to sit. Being able to play in front of them and have a good game like that is special.” – Dan Taylor

“I’ve played with Holden since I was four years old. I played against him. Any time we’re on the floor together, I know we’re both going to bring our best, so it was fun.” – Taylor re: fellow Calgarian Holden Cattoni, who had hat trick for Wings

“I feel great. I’m getting my feet underneath me, which is great, but I’m leaning on the older guys. Our veterans, they’ve been doing a great job of supporting me and encouraging me. We’re building chemistry right now in the unit and it feels good.” – Justin Inacio, who won 16 of 29 faceoffs, while scooping up five loose balls

NEXT UP:

The same two teams will meet for a rematch in Philadelphia next Saturday, March 2 for a matinee matchup at 1 p.m.

STAT PACK:

Dan Taylor: 4g, 1a

Josh Currier 3g, 1a

Jesse King: 2g, 5a

Tyler Pace: 1g, 5a

Haiden Dickson: 1g. 2a

Tanner Cook: 1g, 2a

Thomas Hoggarth: 1g, 1a

Shane Simpson 1g

Christian Del Bianco: 36 saves

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