By David Dell
PORT HURON- After a proper shellacking by the Indiana Sentinels on Friday night, the Prowlers looked to remain unbeaten on Saturday nights this season. Port Huron dropped a 9-3 decision to give the Sentinels their first win in 11 games.
Timothy Organ’s Cross-Checking minor at 1:58 of the first period set up a power play goal by Ryan Glazer at 3:38 to put Indiana out front early on. Glazer finished Friday’s match up with one of two hat tricks for the expansion team. Vincent Dekumbis (2nd of the season) put a tying marker on the big board at 5:05 starting with a pass from Blake Anderson along the boards, as Dekumbis weaved his way down the right-wing side. Slick stick handling going forehand backhand forehand, he lifted the puck over Rahul Sharma’s trapper for the goal. At 15:43 Matt Gellerman (1st of the season) made his pro scoring debut when he found the back of the net, to pop the water bottle. Jamie Bucell helped the puck into the zone where Indiana chased it around the back of the net and back. On a centering feed from a Sentinel, Gellerman stole the pass, and HE beat Sharma over the trapper to give the Prowlers their first lead of the weekend. After 20 minutes both teams had 20 shots on goal, but Port Huron had the extra point where it mattered.
A Sentinel High Sticking minor at 9:14 gave Player Coach Alex Johnson (4th of the season) a power play opportunity and he capitalized upon it. Nicholas Favaro and Lukas Lacny and Johnson worked the puck around the top of the zone before Johnson fired down the slot to beat a fully screened Sharma, giving Port Huron a two-goal lead. Favaro picked up a Cross-Checking minor at 12:28 and a minute later Ethan Esposito pulled Indiana back to within one goal 3-2. With a minute remaining in the middle frame Johnson (5th of the season) potted number 2. Lacny and Brett Morich moved the puck from behind the goal to the low slot and after a couple of swats and pokes, Johnson got it across the line to restore the two-goal lead. The Prowlers dominated shots on goal 20-6.
Bohdan Zinchenko, the other Indiana player with a hat trick Friday night pulled the visitors back to within one at 4:24 even strength, but that would be all the offense they would get on the night. Held to just six shots on goal again for the final stanza, Port Huron doubled them up and held on against the Extra Attacker when Sharma was pulled in the waning minutes. The 4-3 win improves Port Huron’s record to 8-4 on the season. Their power play hit on one of ten tonight, while going 0 for 12 on Friday. Indiana on the other hand managed 6 of 23 for the weekend. The Prowlers go on the road to Wytheville, Virginia to play the Blue Ridge Bobcats on Friday, their second visit East in this young season. The teams split two weekends ago in Virginia.
Lukas Lacny holds an eight-game point streak with a pair of assists Saturday night.
Port Huron comes home for a rare mid-week game on Wednesday the 26th against these same Indiana Sentinels, before going heading back on the road to play 7 of 8 away from McMorran Place.
Port Huron holds second place in the Empire Division with an 8-4-0 record, behind last year’s Commissioner’s Cup champions Binghamton Black Bears.
The Port Huron Prowlers, now in their 11th consecutive season, are the longest tenured team in the FPHL.
