By David Dell
PORT HURON- The Mississippi (Biloxi) Seawolves, once contenders in the Federal Prospects Hockey League are sitting in the basement of the Continental Division after a rough patch consisting of most of this season. The red-hot Prowlers added to their misery on the long road trip to town, on Saturday night.
At 00:46 of the first period, Reggie Millette (15th of the season) playing against a former linemate in Isaiah Parris ripped a shot from the right faceoff circle that was stopped but as he continued deeper into the offensive zone, he was able to corral the wild rebounding puck, and his second attempt found pay dirt. 14 minutes would click off before a stoppage in play for a Mississippi minor penalty and Player Coach Alex Johnson (18th of the season) doubled up the tally for Port Huron on the power play. The goal coming at 15:50. Working the zone, Austin Fetterly, Lukas Lacny, and Reggie Millette moved the puck with ease before Fetterly’s shot was deflected of Johnson for the second time in two games. Port Huron had the fire going, putting up 21 shots in the period.
The middle stanza saw a reduction in urgency or pep, with the Prowlers going 15-5 in shots on goal and just one of them being recorded in the score book. Adam Heinzl got the puck deep behind the Seawolves goal from the blue line, where Vince Dekumbis was able to muck it out of a crowd and bring it to the right faceoff circle. Feeding a pass through the defenders in the crease, Tucker Scantlebury (19th of the season) got tape on it and easily put it past net minder Richie Parent to give Port Huron a 3-0 lead. That would be the final score through the period.
Seven seconds after a mid-period face off to the left of Prowlers’ goalie Yoshihiro Kuroiwa, Dylan Marty picked the drop, got it out to Vince Dekumbis (2nd of the season) who was off to the races. Splitting the defense on the far blue line, he shuffled the puck from forehand to backhand back to forehand, finally lifting it over Seawolves’ Parent at 7:19 with ease to put the Prowlers up 4-0. Four minutes later, Dekumbis (3rd of the season) tallied another lamp lighter. The play started near the goal line in the Mississippi zone. The puck was dug out and flipped down ice where Dekumbis gloved it to the ice. Going to Adam Heinzl, it was passed to Tucker Scantlebury at center ice who circled back to Prowler ice before going down range. Circling around the cage to attempt a backdoor score, the puck came loose on the far side of the crease where Dekumbis was able to cash in the loose change to make it 5-0 for Port Huron. Just shy of another four minutes expired before Reggie Millette (16th of the season) found the key. Bryan Parsons put the puck on net, but Parent was able to get it with his blocker. Millette coming down the same path had the rebound hit his stick and he was able to bury it.
1,328 fans saw Yoshihiro Kuroiwa’s second home start in net this season, playing mostly in the Back Up Goalie spot on the roster. He put up the Prowlers’ second shut out this year. Federal Prospects Hockey League Referee Kevin Mallin retired from officiating at the end of the game, with players and captains from both teams offering congratulations on his many years of service to hockey.
Mississippi fell short on goals and short on shots 24-51 at the final horn. Port Huron finished the weekend with their seventh straight win; currently the longest win streak in the FPHL and 28 wins, 22 loses, good for 84 points. The Prowlers will play a home and home series with the Motor City Rockers out of Fraser, Michigan next weekend starting in Fraser.
The Prowlers play in the Empire Division of the Federal Prospects Hockey League, now in its’ 15th year.
