By David Dell
DANBURY Ct- The pressure was on the Prowlers to get the win tonight against the Hat Tricks, having exited the Commissioner’s Cup in the first round of the playoffs for the last seven years. After a rocky start in the first period, they settled down and proved that they can beat some of the better teams in the league.
Vince Dekumbis started things with shot just 16 seconds in and Tucker Scantlbury responding to some facewashing from a Danbury player drew a Match Penalty Cross-Checking and ejection. The Hat Tricks brought the heat to Reid Cooper with 8 shots before Johnny Ruiz was able to stuff the puck in for a power play goal and 1-0 lead for Danbury at 3:57. Braiden Simmons-Fischer drew a Slashing minor at 6:59 and Ruiz used 5 ticks from the clock to make it 2-0 again with a power play goal at 7:04. With just under 2 minutes remaining in a seemingly disasterous period, Reggie Millette (22nd of the season, 3rd of the playoffs) split the lead with a seeing-eye wrister through traffic, from the high slot, off a feed from the goal line by Player Coach Matt Graham. The score would remain 2-1 at the horn, with the Hat Tricks besting the Prowlers 16-11 in shots on goal.
The coaching staff must have reinforced their ability to play 5 on 5 during the intermission because the Prowlers responded with the offense. Just moments after Coach Chris Paulin challenged a suspect goal for Danbury which was overturned, Matt Graham (25th of the season, 1st of the playoffs) evened the match 2 all, at 3:28. Millette and Brett Lockhart moved the puck easily in the Danbury zone and got it down low to Graham at the side of cage. The initial shot found the pipes, but Graham was right there to slam it home. 3:40 on the clock showed another Port Huron goal when Tyler Fox (2nd of the season, 1st of the playoffs) one-timed a shot beating Connor McCollum from low in the slot, off a tape to tape centering pass from Stefan Diezi in the deep corner. Just like that the Prowlers were in front and showing the crowd of 1,800 they had come to finish what they started Friday night at home. Bobby Price (6th of the season 2nd of the playoffs) put his mark on the big board at 13:01 when Timothy Organ gloved the puck out of the air at center ice. Price getting the pass took it from 6’ inside the defensive zone, picking up speed as he raced down the middle of the ice, and fired beating McCollum for the 4th unanswered goal by the visitors. Up by two, Jacob Ratcliffe would narrow that by a goal at 15:41 to end the period 4-3 in favor of the Prowlers.
Braiden Simmons-Fischer was assessed a double minor High Sticking at 2:08 of the final frame which set off a 12-2 shot differential in favor of Danbury, anxious to tie the game again. Port Huron killed the penalty, and Vadim Frolov was sent off for High Sticking at 12:32 the Prowlers got a flurry of shots for themselves besting Danbury 5-2 before Bobby Price (7th of the season 3rd of the playoffs) made his presence known once again. Vince Dekumbis grabbed the face off back to clear the Port Huron zone and found himself two steps in front of a pair of Hat Trick defenders as he angled to the half wall. Pirouetting and backhanding a pass to Price, Price walked in and beat the tendy to regain the two goal lead and leaving Hat Tricks’ defenders looking skyward in disbelief. The last 3:47 was enough time for Danbury to pull their goalie for the extra attacker and then go up 6 on 4 when Lukas Lacny caught the edge of the puck and picked up a Delay of Game minor when it went off the ice. Danbury was unable to best Reid Cooper who stopped 50 of 53 shots, propelling the Prowlers on to round two of the playoffs.
Port Huron will host the Binghamton (New York) Black Bears in the first of the semi-final round Friday night at McMorran Arena before traveling east for the second and third (if needed) games. Binghamton is the reigning FPHL Commissioner’s Cup champion.
The Prowlers play in the Empire Division of the Federal Prospects Hockey League, now in its’ 15th year.
