By David Dell
PORT HURON- Nasty weather and snowy roads didn’t put a damper on the Port Huron Prowlers’ hockey team as they gave 968 faithful a big win over the visiting Watertown Wolves. The game was a “Matthew Stafford” type return of Dustin Henning who played for the Prowlers from 2015 to 2017 and again from 2020 to 2023, serving as Captain on his second stint.
The first period was full of back and forth play with neither team dominating the other until the 18:04 mark when Prowler Dan Chartrand (3rd of the season) started the scoring. Watertown’s Lincoln Gingerich brought the puck around the Wolves goal and had his stick lifted allowing Chartrand to pick his pocket. Sweeping the puck over to his backhand, he stuffed it around a sprawling Josh Rosenzweig. Sam Marit and Tristan Simm were credited with assists. Barely a minute later Evan Foley (5th of the season) deflected a shot that went just wide of the goal, past Rosenzweig. Frank Schumacher and Tucker Scantlebury picked up the helpers. The frame ended with Port Huron up 2-0 and with a one Shot on goal lead 8-7.
After the first intermission, Dalton Jay made it 3-0 for the home team when he sniped the upper corner of the goal from the top of the right-side faceoff circle. In a post-game interview, Jay said “It’s been nine games since my last goal so I just closed my eyes and shot the puck.” Adding “Parsons made a really good play, bouncing it off the boards. I skated into it and it was just a natural shot that I have. I just grabbed the puck and I looked and shot it and he’s backwards, so I went high glove. So, it was natural.” Bryan Parsons who just returned after a short stint in the Southern Professional Hockey League, picked up the assist. The goal coming at 7:07. Vladislav Pavlov ruined Makar Sokolov’s bid for a shut out at 15:33 when he put a tally up on the Visitors’ side of the scoreboard. Tucker Scantlebury (7th of the season) pushed the Prowlers’ lead back to three goals at 18:33 with help from Dalton Young and Liam Freeborn. Young brought the puck to the top of the slot and made a play to the left side of the net where Scantlebury was able to beat the goalie on his stick side. Shots on goal still favored Port Huron 16-10 for the period.Tristan Simm (7th of the season) who drew the Prowlers’ lone penalty on the night at 10:22 of the third stanza potted his goal at 13:37 on what was ultimately a missed shot by Young. Young, bringing the puck around the back of the Watertown cage fired a low angle shot that passed completely through the crease where Simm was waiting on the other side. A sliding Rosenzweig, couldn’t get his pads to the post in time and Port Huron was up 5-1 with 6:24 remaining in regulation. Both clubs managed only three shots apiece in that time before the final horn sounded. Shots on goal were again in favor of the Prowlers 13-11. Port Huron remains in fourth place in the Continental Division with a 9-11-4-2 record behind the Mississippi Seawolves. Both teams will face off again Saturday night at 7:05. There will be a skate with the players session after the game.
