Prowlers vs Binghamton Black Bears, Nov. 25

By David Dell

PORT HURON- 1,490 eager Prowlers fans came to watch Dalton Jay put up his 200^th Federal Prospects Hockey League goal.  It came on the power play in the third period, making Jay only the fourth player in the history of the FPHL to tally 200 goals.

That goal was the highlight of the night when Port Huron lost to the visiting Binghamton (NY) Black Bears.  The first period was a rather even affair with the Prowlers edging the Black Bears in shots 13 to 11 and Binghamton’s Cameron Yarwood drawing the only penalty a minor for High-Sticking.  Both teams came out with a goose egg in the score column.

In the second period, things got a little looser.  Three minutes in Evan Foley would sit for two minutes when he inadvertently flipped the puck out of play for a Delay of Game minor.  Cameron Yarwood would capitalize on the powerplay with help from Tyler Gjurich and Tyson Kirkby, for a 1-0 lead at 4:15.  Adam Heinzl (Port Huron) and Jamie Bucell (Binghamton)would mix things up a bit at 7:42 and both would sit for minor Roughing calls. Four on Four hockey produced only 3 shots by either team.  Jake Schultz got called on a Slashing minor at 10:13 of the frame but Port Huron only managed two shots on the powerplay.  With 5:16 left before the intermission Binghamton’s powerplay unit was no more effective during Sam Williams minor for High-Sticking.  Bret Parker’s Cross-Checking minor at 18:40 put the Black Bears down a man but that didn’t stop Colan Fitzgerald from beating Wyatt Hoflin to put them ahead 2-0 while on the penalty kill. The goal coming at 19:59 also resulted in a minor call on his teammate MJ Maerkl for Unsportsmanlike Conduct.  Shots on goal were 11-8 in favor of the visiting Black Bears.

Binghamton’s Bret Parker was caught Tripping at 1:20 giving Port Huron a 5-3 powerplay that Austin Fetterly took advantage of Alex Johnson and Larri Vartiainen to crack the scoring.  The one-goal deficit would grow back to two when Tyler Gjurich scored on an undefended Hoflin in front of the Port Huron goal. Tyson Kirkby and Jiri Hajda picked up assists.  Jake Schultz would put the Prowlers back on the powerplay at 12:06 with an Unsportsmanlike Conduct Minor but it would be negated halfway through when Larri Vartiainen would be sent off for a minor Slashing call.  With both teams at 4 men, apiece Dalton Jay would take a cross-ice pass from Sam Marit who picked up the puck from Sam Williams and buried it home from near the top of the left side faceoff circle to narrow the gap, 3-2 in favor of the visitors.  Jake Schultz took exception to the goal and drew a 10-minute Game Misconduct for Abuse of Official. The one-goal differential won’t last long when Tyler Gjurich picked up his 2nd goal going for the far upper corner to put the Black Bears back up by two at 15:15.  Nikita Ivashkin and Alex Johnson both had words and drew Unsportsmanlike Conduct minors in front of the Black Bear players bench at 16:47. MJ Maerkl joined Ivashkin on a High Sticking minor and then Tyler Gjurich joined the crowded penalty box for Binghamton’s bench minor, Too Many Men on the Ice.  This time the Prowlers powerplay looked pretty good but it took a 5-3 to do so.  With Port Huron moving the puck freely in the zone, Liam Freeborn and Vincent Dekumbis got the puck from the top of the slot to Jay this time on the left side of Joseph Sheppard where he wristed it into the far side of the net with just under two minutes remaining.  With the penalty, boxes cleared out, and Wyatt Hoflin pulled for the extra attacker, the Black Bears managed an empty net goal by Tyler Kirkby to seal the deal 5-3 with only 21 seconds remaining.