GAME RECAPS 4/14/23

COLUMBUS RIVER DRAGONS at CAROLINA THUNDERBIRDS 

THUNDERBIRDS FALL IN SHOOTOUT IN HOME REGULAR SEASON FINALE

by Brett Wiseman

Winston-Salem, NC - The Carolina Thunderbirds gave everything they had with a chance to clinch the Continental Division crown. They came up just barely short. 

Before a sellout crowd at the Winston-Salem Fairgrounds Annex, the Thunderbirds powered 58 shots on goal, to the River Dragons' 40, but Columbus's Brendan Colgan was ultimately the difference.

Petr Panacek netted two goals, both tying the game in both the first and third periods. Josh Koepplinger added a marker as well. 

Columbus got scoring from Alex Storjohann, Alexander Jmaeff and Kyle Moore.

Both squads traded chances and both goaltenders traded epic saves in overtime. Jacob Kelly scored the game winner in the shootout.
Carolina and Columbus each picked up a point, with the River Dragons earning an important second point to tie the Thunderbirds atop the division.

It will be a winner-take-all game for the Continental Division crown tomorrow night in Columbus. Puck drop is set for 7:35.


RIVER DRAGONS TAKE BIG SHOOTOUT WIN IN CAROLINA
Colgan Makes 55 Saves Through OT,
Stops All Three in Shootout

by Tom Callahan

Winston-Salem, NC - The Columbus River Dragons kept their hopes alive to clinch the Continental Division Championship with a shootout win against the Carolina Thunderbirds on Friday night. With the victory, Columbus needs just two points in the return matchup Saturday night to clinch.

FPHL Goaltender of the Year Breandan Colgan was outstanding, making 55 saves through overtime and then stopping all three shooters faced in the shootout. He clinched the victory with a stop on newly-minted league MVP Gus Ford.

Kyle Moore, Alex Storjohann and Alexander Jmaeff (power play) scored for the River Dragons in regulation. Jacob Kelly scored the game-winning goal in the third round of the shootout, beating Thudnerbirds goaltender Boris Babik with a deke to the stick side.

Columbus now returns home for Fan Appreciation Night to wrap up the regular season Saturday at 7:30 pm. Several giveaways and prizes will be part of the evening as will food specials and more. A 6 pm press conference in front of the Civic Center will contain two major announcements for the River Dragons franchise and all fans are invited to attend,. Tickets are on sale now through the Civic Center Box Office and online at TicketMaster.com.



MISSISSIPPI SEA WOLVES at MOTOR CITY ROCKERS

Rockers Secure Third In Continental Division Behind Coash's Hattrick

By Ben Szilagy

Fraser, MI – All season long the Mississippi SeaWolves have been a thorn in the Motor City Rockers’ side taking four games earlier this year in Biloxi.

But on home ice, the Rockers earned their first win over the SeaWolves, 7-3, behind Scott Coash’s second hat-trick of the season on Friday night. Motor City also clinched third place in the Continental Division with the win.

After the ensuing face-off from the second media timeout in the first period, Motor City struck first.

With 8:40 left in the first period, Cody Oakes moved the puck behind the endline away from a battle. Brad Reitter won a quick confrontation and found an opportunity to center the puck to Vanderwiel in the slot. Vanderwiel fired it glove side for his fifth of the season and a 1-0 lead. 

Five minutes later the Rockers struck again while killing a power play. 

Josh Colten chipped the puck past a crashing SeaWolves pair and ahead to Scott Coash to create a 2-on-0 breakaway with Declan Conway. Conway carried the puck into the offensive zone and slid a quick pass to Coash who buried the puck for a 2-0 lead with 3:50 to play. It was his fourth short handed goal of the season, his 36th overall. 

47-seconds later, Coash struck again. 

The puck was played from the nearside boards from Connor Inger to Ryan Rotondi at the far side circle. Rotondi fired a quick wrist shot that was saved, but Coash put away the rebound for his second of the night and a 3-0 lead with 3:03 to play in the first. 

Much like last weekend, however, Mississippi used the second period to get back into the game. 

2:20 into the middle frame, Kyle Russell hustled to get control of the puck in the offensive zone on the forecheck. Russell then fed the puck to the slot where Jeff Eppright stepped into a wrist shot that beat Trevor Babin that cut into the lead 3-1. 

Thirteen minutes later Russell got Mississippi within one when Babin was interfered with. Yaroslav Yevdokimov landed and rolled over Babin in the crease as the puck squirted out to Russell’s stick. The defensemen from Dallas, TX put the puck into the net for his 7th of the season for a 3-2 game with 4:32 to play. 

The Rockers were able to stop the bleeding two minutes later when Josh Colten collected the puck on the nearside boards and came behind the net to survey the ice. Colten saw Dante Suffredini crash the slot and feathered a one-timer to his defensive partner who buried the puck inside the far side post for a 4-2 lead. 

Russell again made a great play in the offensive zone for Mississippi that allowed the SeaWolves to pull within one, as he kept the puck inside the zone. He slid a back-handed pass to Lucas Helland who fired the puck through a crowd and past Babin for a 4-3 game, and his 5th of the season. 

The third period was reminiscent of the first as Motor City didn’t allow a goal, and instead built up a four goal lead. 

Coash completed his second hat-trick of the season 4:37 into the final frame for his 38th goal of the season for a 5-3 lead.

The Rockers got two empty net goals, one from Vanderwiel with 1:15 to play and one from Ryan Rotondi with 1.9 to play for a 7-3 win. 

Motor City and Mississippi will square off for the final time this season tomorrow night on fan appreciation night at Big Boy Arena at 6:00pm. 

Sea Wolves Stumble Against Rockers 

By Nick Roesch

Fraser, MI – The Mississippi Sea Wolves logged three goals in the second period on Friday night, but they were silenced elsewhere in a 7-3 loss to the Motor City Rockers at Big Boy Arena. 

After a consistent start to the game by both sides, the Rockers tacked together three goals between Danny Vanderweil and Scott Coash. Coash scored a pair just 47 seconds apart, including one being on the penalty kill. 

The Sea Wolves offense appeared in the second period, with Jeff Eppright and Kyle Russell combining forces to make it a 3-2 game. The teams then traded strikes between Motor City’s Dante Suffredini and Lucas Helland of the Sea Wolves. Helland’s tally was his fifth of the season. 

With the score being 4-3 Rockers entering the final period, Motor City put away the Sea Wolves for good with another three-goal stretch. Coash potted one for his hat trick before empty netters arrived from Vanderweil and Ryan Rotondi. 

Anthony D’Aloisio took the defeat in net despite stopping 39 shots. Winning goaltender Trevor Babin made 25 saves before the Rockers win became official. 

The Sea Wolves will look to conclude their season on a high note tomorrow, April 15 with a finale at Motor City. Puck drop is set for 5:00pm Central Time at Big Boy Arena.


DANBURY HAT TRICKS at PORT HURON PROWLERS

PROWLERS FALL TO HAT TRICKS

by Will Wiegelman

Port Huron, MI - The Port Huron Prowlers opened up their final series of the regular season with a 5-3 loss to the Danbury Hat Tricks on April 14. The game was Dustin Henning’s 500th as a pro and he was honored before the contest.

Brendan Sheehan made a power move to the net to open the scoring with under eight minutes to go in the first. That 1-0 lead lasted into the second.

Less than two minutes into the middle period, Austin Fetterly dug a puck out of the corner and found Gino Mini sneaking back door to tie the game at one.

Just over five minutes later, Dmitry Kuznetsov sent a shot from the point that hit a Prowler and deflected past Brian Tallieu for a power-play goal. 20 seconds after, Michael Falanga outraced everyone for a loose puck and found Daniel McKitrick in front to double the advantage.

McKitrick struck again in the second when he picked off a pass at his own blue line and scored on an ensuing breakaway to make it 4-1 heading into the third.

Falanga found a loose puck to make it 5-1 just before the midway point of the third. Mini and Fetterly got goals back late but the comeback fell short.

Mini scored twice and Fetterly had a goal and an assist to lead the Prowlers. Tallieu stopped 28 of 32 shots in 40 minutes of work while Ian Wallace made seven saves on eight third-period shots.

McKitrick led all scorers with two goals and an assist. Falanga and Kuznetsov added a goal and an assist each. Frankie McClendon made 27 saves in his 10th victory of the year.

The Prowlers and Hat Tricks battle again to end the regular season on April 15 with puck drop at McMorran Place scheduled for 6:05 P.M. It’s Fan Appreciation Night and tickets are available at phprowlers.com/tickets or by calling the box office at 810-985-6166.


BINGHAMTON BLACK BEARS at ELMIRA MAMMOTH

Mammoth Have Tough Night, Fall 10-3

by Jacob Johnson

Elmira, NY - It was the final regular season home game at First Arena. The Mammoth were decked out in Pink sweaters for Stick it to Cancer Night, these two teams amplified the I-86 Rivalry tonight. 

The Black Bears got off to a quick start with back to back goals within the first 6 minutes. First it was Tyler Gjurich with a beautiful feed from Gavin Yates and then Don Olivieri got his first of two on the night. Yates and Tyson Kirkby received the helpers. 

The Mammoth would get one of their own two minutes later. After a melee in front of the net Kyle Stevens poked one past Talor Joseph for his 8th of the season. Geno DeAngelo and Luke Richards picked up the assists. The first period would end that way as a 2-1 score.

It was all Binghamton in the 2nd period. Tyler Gjurich, Austin Thompson, Don Olivieri and Tyson Kirkby each scored to give Binghamton a 6-1 lead. 

The 2nd period also saw both Thomas McGuire and Tyson Kirkby ejected for a 3rd man in penalty. This would only amplify the chipiness for the rest of this one. After two periods of play Elmira trailed by 5 goals to Binghamton. 

The 3rd period would start off with a fight between Tristan Mock and Colan Fitzgerald, the displeasure would continue throughout the period. Just 27 seconds into the 3rd Andrew Logar would find the back of the net to give the Bears a 7-1 lead. 

Yates would add his 20th of the season with a silky move past the defense, Olivieri and Gjurich got the assists, that made the game 8-1. 

Luke Richards continued his streaky play with a goal past Talor Joseph. It was a low wrist shot from Blake Cudmore that Luke Richards tipped in.

Jesse Anderson and Andrew Logar would go back to back to give Binghamton a 10-2 lead. They each tallied onto their already multipoint nights. 

To give the home crowd something to go home happy about, Dalton Anderson put a wrap-around shot past the pad of Joseph to make it the final score of 10-3. 

The regular season will conclude tomorrow night from Binghamton as the Mammoth look to end their inaugural regular season on a high note. 

They will return home for game 1 of the Commissioner Cup Playoffs against the Danbury Hat Tricks on Friday at 7:35pm.


WATERTOWN WOLVES at DELAWARE THUNDER

 Thunder Open Final Weekend with a Victory

by Jeff Heacock

Harrington, DE - Delaware scored a big win to start off the last weekend of the season 5-2 over the Watertown Wolves in Harrington, Delaware. 

Both goalies stood tall throughout the first period until the Thunder got on the board first with a goal by Marquis Grant-Mentis just 6 seconds before the first intermission.

Midway through the second period MGM scored his second straight goal to give Delaware a 2-0 lead. Danila Milushkin would score next for the Thunder to stretch the lead to 3. 

Zac Horn got Watertown on the board with under 2 minutes left in the second, but Delaware was able to light the lamp on a goal by Denis Gafarov with just 6 seconds left in the period. 

Delaware had a 4-1 lead going into the third.

Jakub Volf scored the fifth and final goal for the Thunder 7 minutes into the third. Kolton Maguire scored the final goal for the Wolves with under a minute to go in the game to make the final Delaware 5, Watertown 2.

These same 2 teams will match up in Harrington in the season finale for Delaware on Saturday night at 7 pm.