Ice Breakers Avoid Weekend Sweep

By DJ Palm

Port Huron, MI - The Mentor Ice Breakers earned a rare road victory to take with them back to Ohio after dropping back-to-back home games against the Port Huron Prowlers. Despite recent struggles, they took control on Sunday afternoon right from the start. 

Mentor netted two goals in the first 90 seconds of the game. Joe Swenson broke the ice only 27 seconds into the first period with a deflected puck from a Brody Duncan shot. Tommy Mahoney would find twine at 1:17 and make it 2-0. Joe Ftoma got in on the blue line offense, scoring a goal at 7:35 before Matt Robertson finally got the Prowlers on the board to make it 3-1. A late goal given up by Port Huron to Steven Fowler made it a 4-1 game going into the intermission. 

Patrick Porkka would resume the scoring for Mentor at 6:04 of the second period, making it 5-1. Port Huron couldn't find the piece to solve the puzzle of Derek Moser, who made 16 of his 39 saves in the middle frame. Patrik Tondl would be the only one to score for the Prowlers in the second, but kept the game within reach with a 5-2 score. 

Mark Essery would put any hopes of a comeback into serious doubt when he netted a goal to go along with three assists to make it a 6-2 game. Matt Robertson would score, but with only 14 seconds to go, it was too little too late, and 6-3 would be the final scoreline. 

Port Huron had to kill several major penalties throughout the game, two of which resulted in game misconducts for Justin Portillo and Joe Pace, Jr.

Next weekend, the Ice Breakers will be on the road for the first two of a three-game weekend series with the Elmira Enforcers. The Prowlers will host the Carolina Thunderbirds for the first two of their final three home games, capping it off when they host the Watertown Wolves on Sunday, March 31st at McMorran Arena.

Photo credit: Delta Imaging