MOTOR CITY ROCKERS at PORT HURON PROWLERS
ROCKERS COME BACK TO DEFEAT PROWLERS IN OT
by Will Wiegelman
Port Huron, MI - The Port Huron Prowlers opened their 2023-24 season with a 3-2 overtime loss to the Motor City Rockers at McMorran Place on Oct. 20. Scott Coash scored the winner after Motor City battled back from a two-goal deficit.
“I thought we played pretty well for 40 minutes,” said Prowlers head coach Matt Graham. “In the third, I was pretty disappointed with our level of play and compete, our composure as well [and] discipline. I think there’s a lot to build on, a lot of good habits that I saw today that we can take forward into tomorrow and next week.”
Ian Wallace and Trevor Babin kept the teams off the board in the opening period and Port Huron struck first in the second. Brandon Picard stepped over the blue line and wired a wrist shot over Babin’s glove for the Prowlers’ first goal of the season and his for as a pro.
“It’s awesome for a guy to play his first game and get his first goal in the same game,” Graham said. “It was a play that we don’t work on in practice where you walk in and take a shot one-on-three, but sometimes that’s how it works out.”
1:35 later, Dalton Jay picked the same corner over Babin’s glove to double the advantage.
The Rockers got the power play going in the third. Brad Reitter potted a loose puck after Danny Vanderwiel drove the crease and then Dante Suffredini one-timed a shot from the slot to knot the score at two. In all, Motor City had five power plays in the third.
Wallace made 39 saves in the loss while Jay added an assist to his goal. Matt Graham also picked up a helper for Port Huron.
Coash’s overtime goal was enough to notch him the first star of the game. Six different Rockers picked up a point and Babin made 22 saves in net.
The rivalry is renewed on Oct. 21 at McMorran Place with puck drop scheduled for 6:05 P.M. You can get tickets at phprowlers.com/tickets or by calling the box office at 810-985-6166.
Rockers Rally Back to Win in OT
by Ben Szilagy
Port Huron, MI - The Motor City Rockers traveled to Port Huron to renew the I-94 Rivalry and kick off the 2023-24 season on Friday night.
The Rockers used an explosive third period and two power play goals to force overtime against the Prowlers. The Rockers won 3-2 thanks to Scott Coash’s game winning goal in the extra frame.
The two teams skated to an even first period as nothing was resolved. The Rockers trailed on shots 12-10, as both teams couldn’t secure quality scoring chances.
The Prowlers made sure that changed in the second period as Port Huron scored two goals to build an insurmountable lead.
The first goal was off the stick of Brandon Picard as he rifled a shot from the slot as he immediately entered the offensive zone for his first of the season and a 1-0 lead with 11:10 left in the second period.
Dalton Jay added on to the lead when the Prowlers put on extreme pressure after forcing a turnover. After creating a 4-on-1, the Jay picked up a misplayed puck in the slot and fired home the puck for a 2-0 lead.
The Rockers offense woke up in the third period thanks to the power play where Motor City received five power plays in the final frame.
As bodies were crashing the net, Brad Reitter opened the scoring for the Rockers when he shoved the puck past Ian Wallace to cut into the lead 2-1. Dante Suffredini finished off a one-time in the slot from Roman Gaudet to pull the Rockers even at 2-2 with 4:36 to play.
In the overtime period, Scott Coash picked up the puck near center ice and walked into the offensive zone. As he reached the high slot he fired in the game winning goal with 1:13 into the extra frame.
The Rockers and Prowlers will square off again on Saturday night at 6:05pm at McMorran Place.
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