WATERTOWN WOLVES at PORT HURON PROWLERS

BALANCED ATTACK LEADS PROWLERS PAST WOLVES

by Will Wiegelman

Port Huron, MI - The Port Huron Prowlers opened up their three-in-three with the Watertown Wolves by picking up a 5-1 win at McMorran Place on Jan. 12. 10 different Prowlers found the scoresheet in the victory.

“We played well enough to win the game,” said Prowlers head coach Matt Graham. “We can still improve on a lot of things, a lot of areas of our game are lacking. All in all, I saw a lot of good things.”

Dan Chartrand opened the scoring with under two minutes to go in the first as he picked Lincoln Gingerich’s pocket and avoided the poke check from Josh Rosenzweig before sliding the puck home on the back hand. 1:03 later, Tucker Scantlebury feathered a pass from the slot down to the side of the cage where Evan Foley tapped home his fifth of the season.

In the second, Dalton Jay entered offensive territory and picked the corner over Rosenzweig’s glove to make it 3-0. 

“Parsons made a good looking play, bouncing it off the boards,” Jay said. “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.”

It was the first goal in nine games for Jay and he was named the game’s second star.

“It’s been nine games since the last time I scored so I just closed my eyes and shot the puck,” Jay joked.

The Wolves got one back later in that period when William Godbout’s shot hit Vladislav Pavlov in the slot and bounced in to get Watertown on the board.

Three minutes after that, Dalton Young slid a pass right on Tucker Scantlebury’s tape and he tapped it home from the slot to restore the three-goal lead.

The Marysville, MI native got another assist in the third when Sam Marit caused a turnover and Young swung around the net and fed the puck to the back door where Tristan Simm lofted it over the outstretched pad of backup goaltender Spencer Kozlowski.

Scantlebury and Young both finished with two points as Scantlebury was named the first star of the game. The third star was Makar Sokolov who made 27 saves in net.

Trevor Lord got his team-high 23rd assist of the season for Watertown. Rosenzweig gave up four goals on 24 shots in 40 minutes while Kozlowski stopped 12 of 13 in the third.

The teams battle for the second time on Saturday, Jan. 13 with puck drop scheduled for 6:05 P.M. Tickets are available at phprowlers.com/tickets.

BINGHAMTON BLACK BEARS at DANBURY HAT TRICKS

HAT TRICKS ERASE THREE GOAL DEFICIT IN THIRD, WIN FIFTH STRAIGHT

by Doug Lattuca

Danbury, CT - For the third consecutive game against Binghamton, the Hat Tricks overcame a three-goal deficit to edge out a 5-4 shootout win Friday night. The Hat Tricks extended their winning streak to five and have victories in six of the last seven games.

The Hat Tricks entered the third period in a three-goal hole but right out of the locker room the momentum completely changed. At 1:43, forward Chase Harwell snapped a pass from Nick DiNicola into the back of the net to bring the Hat Tricks within two. Minutes later, Harwell picked up his second tally of the night when he redirected a netside feed into the goal to make it a one goal contest. The comeback was capped off when forward Jonny Ruiz, sprung on a breakaway, backhanded the puck inside the far post to tie the game. 

Despite the Black Bears getting two man advantages during the extra period, the score remained the same. For the third time this season, the two sides headed to a shootout. After trading goals in the first round of the shootout, Hat Trick netminder Conor McCollum stopped Tyson Kirkby and Corey Cunningham netted the go-ahead score for the Hat Tricks. Fowarward Andrew Logar appeared to have kept the shootout alive, however, the referee immediately waved the goal off stating that Logar shifted the puck backwards. The Hat Tricks have defeated the Black Bears four times this season, all of them in extra time.

Prior to the Hat Tricks comeback, Binghamton was up one in the second period and took advantage of a power play when forward Nikita Ivashkin backhanded the puck in from the slot. 36 seconds later, forward Gavin Yates fired a wrister into the far side to extend the Black Bears lead to three. 

Midway into the period, Ruiz and Logar found themselves in a scuffle that resulted in both players getting five minutes for fighting, but it woke up the marginally silent crowd of the Danbury Hat Tricks fans.  

At 2:29 into the first period, forward Don Oliveri sniped the puck past McCollum to give Binghamton an early lead. Moments later, Cunningham slid the puck through Black Bears goalie Connor McAnanama five goals to knot things up at one. The forward has been red hot since returning from suspension, tallying ten points (5g 5a) in four games. With time running down Black Bears forward Kirkby snuck up from behind and found the back of the net to put Binghamton back on top. 



The Hat Tricks go for the weekend sweep of the Black Bears, Saturday, Jan. 12. Puck drop is set for 7:00 pm. 

BINGHAMTON EARNS POINT IN SHOOTOUT

by Brooks Hill

Danbury, CT - The Binghamton Black Bears fell in a shootout to the Danbury Hat Tricks 5-4 on Friday night. This marks the second-straight time that Danbury has bested Binghamton in consecutive matchups. 

Binghamton started off the game hot, scoring in the first three minutes. Don Olivieri extended his point streak to 12 games with the opening goal. Not to further down the road, Danbury’s Corey Cunningham scored on the power play to tie the game at 1-1. Late in the period, it was the Black Bears captain, Tyson Kirkby knocking in a loose rebound, sending the Black Bears to the room with a 2-1 advantage. 

The Black Bears dominated the second period, even though they scored both their goals in the first two minutes of the frame. Nikita Ivashkin and Gavin Yates both scored extending the lead up to 4-1.  

Once again, Danbury mounted a multi-goal comeback for the third-consecutive game. Chase Harwell scored the first two of the period, then Jonny Ruiz was able to grab the game tying goal at the 8:57 mark. With 11 minutes left in regulation time the game was tied at 4-4.

Neither side was able to grab the difference maker in regulation, so both teams secured one point in the standings. Binghamton had a power play in overtime, but it was unsuccessful, ringing four posts in the process. The shootout would commence after. 

Thomas Wray scored first, which was answered by Connor Wooley. Kirkby missed and Cunningham scored, forcing Andrew Logar into a score-and-extend situation. Logar shot the puck into the back of the net, seemingly scored, but the goal was disallowed. The play was reviewed, but the call on the ice stood, no-goal. Danbury wins 5-4 in the shootout, winning the final segment 2-1.   



MOTOR CITY ROCKERS at WYTHEVILLE BOBCATS 

BOBCATS BLAST ROCKERS 7-1 TO END SIX GAME SKID

by Brett Wiseman

Wytheville, VA - The Blue Ridge Bobcats busted out of a 6-game slump with authority, blitzing the Motor City Rockers by a whopping score of 7-1 before a crowd of over 1,000 on Blackout Night at the APEX Center.

Motor City's potent power play converted for the first goal of the game at 5:55 of the opening period, but Owen Liskiewicz stopped every shot he saw in net for Blue Ridge from then on out. His 35 saves on 36 shots faced earned him the game's third star.

A tenacious effort by team point leader Jakub Volf tied the game at 1, and Joel Frazee picked up his first professional assist on the game-tying goal. Both teams entered the second period tied at 1, but once Blue Ridge found their stride, the Bobcats never looked back.

Ricards Jelenskis, the game's second star, began the scoring onslaught 3:58 into the middle frame converting off a Savva Smirnov forced turnover behind the net and stuffing one home underneath the pad of Rockers' netminder Ricardo Gonzalez. The goal, one of two for Jelenskis on the night, were his 4th and 5th as a Bobcats in just 4 games with Blue Ridge. Just 49 seconds later, Vladislav Vlasov converted on a 1-on-0 breakaway to double the Bobcats lead, and the avalanche of goals continued from there.

Danny Martin converted on a breakaway of his own late in the second to make it a 4-1 game. Martin converted again in the third on a carbon copy breakaway goal to make it 5-1. Josh Newberg tipped home a shot by Frazee to make it 6-1, and Jelenskis blasted home a one-timer for the 7th exclamation point goal.



The Bobcats host the Rockers again at the APEX Center tomorrow night on Hometown Heroes night. Puck drop is set for 7:00.

Motor City Rockers Lose 7-1 To Bobcats In First Game In Virginia

by Ben Szilagy

Wytheville, VA - The Motor City Rockers gave up seven unanswered goals in its 7-1 loss to the Blue Ridge Bobcats on Friday night.

It was the first trip to the Apex Center for Motor City this season and it didn’t take the Rockers long to get used to the sight lines.

At the 5:55 mark of the first period, the Rockers cashed in on the power play. Pavel Svintsov fed the puck to the point and on the stick of Jameson Milam who rifled a shot from the blueline. The puck got deflected in front of the net by DeVon Fields for a 1-0 lead.

It was Fields’ first FPHL goal of his career.

From then on, the Bobcats controlled home ice and rattled off seven unanswered goals. 

Blue Ridge tied the score, 1-1, on a scrum in front of the net with 11:09 left in the first period. As Rocker goaltender Ricky Gonzalez was trying to freeze the puck Jakub Volf found a way to get his stick on the piece of vulcanized rubber and earn his tenth of the year.

Motor City had an apparent goal in the second period waived off due to a delayed off-sides and couldn’t find the back of the net the rest of the way.

Blue Ridge received goals from Ricards Jelenskis, Vlasov Vladislav, and Daniel Martin that gave the Bobcats a commanding 4-1 lead after two.

Martin, Jelenskis both added another goal in the third period, while Josh Newburg chipped in with his fourth of the season for a 7-1 lead.

Jonathan Julian had a breakaway in the third that was turned away by Owen Liskiewicz who stopped 26 shots on the night. Gonzalez stopped 30.

The Rockers and Blue Ridge will square off for the final time in Virginia on Saturday at 7:00pm at the Apex Center before Motor City heads home to Michigan.

ELMIRA RIVER SHARKS at COLUMBUS RIVER DRAGONS

Pietrantonio and MacDonald Lead the Way to River Dragons Win

by Tom Callahan

Columbus, GA -  Josh Pietrantonio scored twice and Justin MacDonald extended his scoring streak to 13 games as the Columbus River Dragons outlasted the Elmira River Sharks 4-3 on Friday night at the Columbus Civic Center.

The game was a back-and-forth affair, with Columbus jumping on the board first just 4:18 into the game on Pietrantonio’s first goal of the game from Austin Daae and Hunter Bersani, but Elmira rallied to tie the game right before the intermission on a goal from Davide Gaeta.

In the second, former River Dragon Steven Klink put his team ahead on a breakaway goal at 1:12 to make it 2-1 River Sharks. But the River Dragons responded with Pietrantonio’s second goal of the night at 10:11 followed by Ryan Hunter’s eighth goal of the season to take a 3-2 lead after 40 minutes of play.

In the third, Elmira once again tied the game at 13:19 on a Darius Davidson goal, setting the stage for a tense finish.

After killing off a late five-on-three power play, Columbus got a big goal with just 1:31 left from MacDonald, who broke down the right wing and wristed a shot just inside the far post past the right pad of Elmira goalie Eli Bowers (32 saves) for the game-winning goal.

Columbus then had to kill of a boarding call with just 1:11 remaining to secure the victory. Breandan Colgan earned the win with 22 saves.

Notes:

• MacDonald now has points in 13 straight games (11-15-26)
• Austin Daae extended his scoring streak to seven games (3-9-12)
• The River Dragons top-ranked penalty kill finished the game 4-for-5 including a five-on-three stretch of 1:10 in the third period when the game was tied.
• Tonight and tomorrow night are the only two meetings of the regular season between the River Sharks and River Dragons.
• Columbus remains the only team in the league unbeaten at home at 8-0-1.

The same two teams face off again tomorrow night at 7:05 pm. Tickets are on sale for all remaining River Dragons home games through the Civic Center Box Office and online at TicketMaster.com.

LATE GOAL PUTS DRAGONS OVER SHARKS, 4-3

by Jon Kliment

Columbus, GA -  Elmira went to Georgia looking for points having had a struggle getting points early in the season. As both teams look to make a playoff push in early 2024 this weekend will be the only meeting between the two teams outside of a potential playoff matchup.

Columbus had early opportunities on the man advantage but were unable to take advantage, but at even strength Josh Pietrantonio scored first 4:18 into the game on a pass from Austin Daae to beat Elijah Bowers. However a late period penalty gave Elmira an advantage and after a Steven Klinck breakaway was unsuccessful, Davide Gaeta scored his 8th of the season on a break of his own to tie the game 1-1.

The River Sharks came out buzzing in the second period as Klinck got another breakaway attempt and put it behind Brandan Colgan just 1:12 into the second period, but just after the halfway point of the period. Pietrantonio had a pass deflect off Steven Ford and end up behind Bowers to tie the game. Ryan Hunter added one of his own with just 96 seconds to go in the second to give Columbus back the lead after two at 3-2. 

Mark Pozsar took a delay of game penalty 11:18 into the third and as time wound down Darius Davidson chipped a puck out of the zone hustled down the side boards and fired a puck by Colgan to tie the game at 2-2. Elmira had a 5 on 3 late in the game but was unable to find the back of the net. With just 90 seconds to go a puck bounced off the boards and as the puck got by the Sharks defense Justin MacDonald scooped it up and put the puck past Bowers to give Columbus the 4-3 victory.

Bowers stopped 32 of 36 in the loss.

The River Sharks are back in action tomorrow night live from Columbus for the final game against the River Dragons this season. Follow along on Youtube and on Mixlr. #FeartheFin 

BATON ROUGE ZYDECO at MISSISSIPPI SEA WOLVES

SHEPPARD, D’ALOISIO COMBINE TO SHUT OUT ZYDECO IN 4-0 SEA WOLVES WIN

Four different goal scorers, 45 saves lead Sea Wolves to second straight win

by Javik Blake

Biloxi, MS -  Joseph Sheppard and Anthony D’Aloisio combined for 46 saves in a 4-0 win for the Mississippi Sea Wolves (11-2-1-14) over the Baton Rouge Zydeco (6-1-2-16) at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum on Friday night.

The Sea Wolves struck early five minutes in with a shorthanded goal from Justin Barr with assists from Jackson Bond and Connor Lind. In the second, the Sea Wolves extended the lead to two with a four-on-four goal from Matt Stoia two minutes into the second. Later in the period, the Sea Wolves struck again with a goal from Danny Liscio. In the third, Joakim Nilsson netted his 18th goal of the season, making it 4-0.

Sheppard stopped all 15 shots faced before exiting the game in the second with an injury, while D’Aloisio stopped all 30 shots faced in relief.

The Sea Wolves wrap up their 13-game homestand tomorrow at 6:05 p.m. against the Zydeco at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum.

ZYDECO POWER PLAY STRUGGLES CONTINUE, FALL 4-0

by Joseph Furtado

Biloxi, MS -  The Baton Rouge Zydeco headed back to Mississippi for another battle with the Sea Wolves, in hopes of winning back-to-back games for the first time this season.

Despite early pressure in the first period, things looked promising for the Zydeco. After starting the night out early on the power play, they would surrender a short-handed goal to Justin Barr. That’s when things quickly went south on the power play.

Power play opportunities were not hard to come by in this game for the Zydeco, who had 10 chances, but goals were. They finished the night 0/10, including a 5 on 3 and two (5-minute)major penalties. Their power play is now 19/116 (16.3%) on the season.

Despite the power play chances, Anthony D’Aloisio would help steal the win from the Zydeco after coming into relief for Joseph Sheppard, who was injured in the second period. 

His effort would help blank the Zydeco on the power play and for the rest of the game to secure a 4-0 win. Both teams will be back at it tomorrow for the final game of this series at 6:05 pm.