By David Dell
FRASER-Saturday evening’s matchup between the Prowlers and the Motor City Rockers did not get off to a very auspicious start. On the road with a recent win under their belts against the Rockers, the enthusiasm seemed to have dissipated with the drive down Interstate 94. The home team hammered Tucker Tynan with 21 shots, and went up 3-0 in the first stanza. TJ Sneath, Declan Conway, and Scott Coash all found twine all even strength. Port Huron looked to have its’ work cut out for themselves, managing only 5 shots on goal.
Going to work is exactly what Mitch Jones (12th of the season) did. At 00:18 of the second period he got goal number one with helpers from Liam Freeborn and Austin Fetterly. On the sixth shot of the frame, all of them being Prowler shots, Bryan Parsons (5th of the season) put up another marker cutting the Rockers’ lead to one goal. Parson’s goal coming at 4:37. 8:10 had Ross Bartlett being whistled for Slashing and Jonathan Juliano picking up an Embellishment minor. It appears that the league is sending out memos to their on-ice officials regarding what calls they are to make. Earlier in the season there was a rash of Unsportsmanlike Conduct minors and as of late there seems to be an abundance of Embellishment calls. Roman Gaudet picked up a 10 Misconduct for Inciting an Opponent at 9:20 but that doesn’t result in a powerplay opportunity. With both teams back to skating full strength, Connor Foley (4th of the season) tied the game at 10:42. That extends his point a game streak to five, since joining the Port Huron, just a week ago. Mike Winn pushed Fraser back out front 4-3, at 18:51. The Prowlers held the line in shots on goal 17-12.
Down one goal to start the third, didn’t deter Port Huron and Ross Bartlett (1st of the season) got a marker against his former team, to tie things back up with 4 apiece just 1:26 into the period. Tristen Wells got the goal back for Fraser at 6:24 to move the home team back to the forefront. Jameson Milam, picked up a Roughing minor when he tangled with Tucker Scantlebury. Scantlebury then was caught up with Roman Gaudet for Fighting with Gaudet also drawing a Game Misconduct and Ejection for Continuing an Altercation when it was clear Scantlebury wasn’t interested in fighting. These penalties occurring at 9:11 of the period. Fraser’s captain Danny Vanderweil Cross Checked a Prowler netting a Major at 14:18, and then had a Game Misconduct and Ejection tacked on when he Cross Checked the Port Huron player in the head, while he was laying on the ice. Prowlers’ goalie Tucker Tynan was pulled for the extra attacker with 00:41 remaining and the major powerplay about to expire but they couldn’t hold the offensive zone. At the 19:50 mark, Lane King took a feed from T.J. Sneath and with only one defender in front of him, found the empty net for the insurance goal, 6-4. Port Huron digging themselves out of an early hole, just couldn’t keep the hole from collapsing back in on them. Fraser found the front of the net 48 times in the game. This second loss kept the Prowlers from clinching a playoff spot but they still sit in 3rd in the Continental Division while Fraser holds 2nd place n the Empire.
Port Huron will play again Sunday in Fraser for the last of the Prowlers’ v. Motor City Rockers Battle of I-94, 2023-2024 edition. Puck drop is at 2:05.
