By David Dell
PORT HURON- Expansion team Rock Lobsters of Athens, Georgia came north for a pair of games against the Prowlers and in Saturday night’s game came close to taking the shine of the home team’s weekend
Port Huron who took more than 19 and half minutes before putting up their first tally on Friday changed things a bit and on their first shot at 1:36 Lukas Lacny (12th of the season) went five-hole from the left wing point. Garrett Milan would get that one back at 10:47, returning the favor of the five-hole on Reid Cooper. The Prowlers put up 11 shots on goal and held the Rock Lobsters to seven.
A flurry of infractions were called in the top half of the 2nd with Jamie Bucell, Adam Heinzl, picking up minors while Alex Johnson, and Luke James drew Unsportsmanlike Conduct Misconduct penalties. Garrett Milan also picked up a Misconduct penalty which when it all shook out, put Athens on the power play. Orca Weisblatt took advantage of the situation and put the Lobsters up 2-1 at 5:25. At 9:38 Weisblatt and Heinzl would tangle in front of the Prowlers goal with each getting Cross-Checking minors and Fighting Majors. Shots on goal greatly favored Athens 16-7.
Lukas Lacny (13th of the season) notched his second goal of the night at 10:02 on an Athens penalty kill. He found the puck loose and bouncing around in a crowd near the crease when Matt Graham’s initial shot hit traffic. Knotted at two apiece regulation time would expire with shots going to Athens again 11-7.
Overtime was not productive for either team, with only 3 shots apiece but Port Huron’s defensive play, top shelf goaltending and spot on line calling from Coach Chris Paulin kept the Prowlers in it, while Player Coach Alex Johnson picked up a High Sticking minor to put the Rock Lobsters on the powerplay. With the shootout, Port Huron’s Captain Austin Fetterly made easy work slipping the puck past Athens’ William Lavalliere for the only score in the skills competition, to give Port Huron it’s second win this weekend.
Port Huron comes away with 2 badly needed points in the chase for 3rd place, to avoid a one-game play in to continue into the post season. The Prowlers currently sit one point back from Watertown Wolves and will face the Athens Rock Lobsters again Sunday afternoon in a 3pm matinee match.
The Prowlers play in the Empire Division of the Federal Prospects Hockey League, now in its’ 15th year.
