Ice Chips 111/11/26

DANBURY HAT TRICKS at WATERTOWN WOLVES

Wolves Hang Tough for Two Periods, Outclassed in Third

By Connor LaLone

WATERTOWN, NY - The Watertown Wolves hosted the Danbury Hat Tricks for the third time this season for a Wednesday night contest on Veterans Day. Watertown would look to pick up their first win with Brent Clarke and Cameron Yarwood both suiting up to play for the team they coach. 

Danbury got rolling early, with a little fortune, as Genaro Fronduto’s hopeful centering pass somehow eluded Anthony Shrum just 3 minutes into the contest. The Hat Tricks’ second goal was much prettier, as Josh Newburg collected one timed passes from Levi Wunder and Grady Friedman to beat Shrum at 8:32. The Watertown power-play would surrender a shorthanded goal as Fronduto potted from Miklakos as MJ Maerkl served his first penalty of the evening.

In the late stages of period one, MJ Maerkl would pick up a charging call while Danbury was already playing with a delayed penalty. The delayed penalty disappeared in the scuffle, and after spending a lengthy amount of time on the ice after the dangerous hit, Michael Mania would skate over, understandably upset at Maerkl, who was already seated in the closed penalty box. Mania’s actions were deemed unsportsmanlike and a situation in which it appeared Watertown would skate 5 on 3 turned into an even strength sequence after just one second, when Grady Friedman was released from his slashing penalty.

The Wolves would come close in the dying stages, as a Zeke Endy attempt fluttered past Kyle Penton, but the Danbury netminder was able to recover and keep the puck out of the net, keeping the score 3-0 in favor of the visitors. 

The Watertown frustration with MJ Maerkl would boil over in the second period, as the Danbury assistant captain would deliver a clean but unappreciated hit on a puck handling Zeke Endy, prompting a healthy slash from Taylor Cutting. Cutter would pick up two minor penalties as well as a game misconduct. The incident combined with a successful penalty kill seemed to energize Watertown. Brendan Hussey would capitalize on a loose puck in the slot area and fire home to beat Penton at 12:31. Hunter Hall picked up an assist on the play. The Wolves would continue to buzz and headed into the third period trailing by only two. 

The third period would not be the 20 minutes Watertown would hope for, as they continued to be stymied on the powerplay, and surrendered their second short handed goal against of the evening, as Stefan Miklakos converted a 2 on 1 from Eli Rivers and Samuel Barnitz. Danbury would add a 5th for good measure in the dying stages, when Levi Wunder tallied from Matt Gellerman and Justin Movalli with just 36 seconds remaining. 

Watertown continues to search for their first win of the year as they travel to Winston-Salem to take on the Twin City Thunderbirds in a two game weekend set Friday and Saturday. 

    FINAL: Danbury 5 - 1 Watertown 

DANBURY CUTS THROUGH WATERTOWN DEFENSE IN 5-1 WIN

By Patrick Grudberg

Watertown, NY -  In the first of three games in four nights, the Danbury Hat Tricks defeated the Watertown Wolves 5-1 on the road at Northern Credit Union Community Arena. With the win, the Hat Tricks improved to 4-5 on the season.

The Hat Tricks took control early at 3:01 when Genaro Fronduto’s backhander slipped past Anthony Shrum. Five minutes later, Grady Friedman escaped an oncoming defenseman and dropped it low for Levi Wunder who zipped it across to Josh Newberg for a one-time finish. Then at 11:36, Stefan Miklakos teed up Fronduto for his second of the period, this time shorthanded for the Hat Tricks’ third goal of the period.

It was a penalty-riddled second period as both teams combined for 9 penalties. Wolves defenseman Taylor Cutting collected 26 PIMs of his own on the way to a game misconduct at 8:26, his third of the season. Brendan Hussey got the Wolves on the board at 12:31 off a high-slot wrister, bringing it to 3-1 after two periods.

Halfway through the third, Danbury cashed in again at 9:37 with another shorthanded goal as Stefan Miklakos finished off a two-on-one. With 36 seconds left, Levi Wunder added a fifth to punctuate a dominant road win.

The Danbury Hat Tricks now head out to Michigan where they are set to face the Port Huron Prowlers on Friday, November 13th at McMorran Arena. Puck drop is set for 7:05pm ET.

MOTOR CITY ROCKERS at PORT HURON PROWLERS

Prowlers Win Streak Snapped on Final Minute Goal

By Will Wiegelman

Port Huron, MI - The Port Huron Prowlers had their five-game win streak snapped by the rival Motor City Rockers after a heartbreaking 3-2 loss at McMorran Place on Veteran’s Day. Douglas Blaisdell scored the winner with 30 seconds left.

“I give a lot of credit to Motor City,” said Prowlers associate head coach Chris Paulin. “I thought they played extremely well. I thought they were the more physical team and I’m shocked to say that.”

Port Huron’s power play got the scoring started as Luke James fired a shot that Ricardo Gonzalez got a piece of, but not enough, as it leaked through. That lead lasted 48 seconds before Jhuwon Davis snuck behind the Prowlers’ defense and tied the score heading into the second.

Brett Lockhart put Port Huron back in front with another power-play goal and his team took that advantage into the third. There, Parker Williams, making his pro debut, tied the score crashing the blue paint.

The Prowlers got a power play with less than two minutes to go but took a penalty during the man advantage. Immediately off the ensuing faceoff, Blaisdell stepped up with a wrist shot that found the back of the net through a screen.

Lockhart added an assist to his goal for Port Huron. Andrew MacLean stopped 27 shots in the loss.

Cory Checco picked up a pair of helpers and Gonzalez made 35 saves in the win.

The Prowlers turn their attention to the Danbury Hat Tricks on Friday, November 13. It’s Teacher Appreciation Night at McMorran Place and tickets are available at phprowlers.com/tickets.

Blaisdell's Blast Beats Port Huron 3-2

By Brady Beedon

Port Huron, MI - The Motor City Rockers only lead the game for 30 seconds, but it was the right 30 seconds.

The Rockers downed the Port Huron Prowlers 3-2 on Wednesday evening to snap Port Huron's five game winning streak.

Port Huron got on the board early when Luke James helped deflect a puck in front of the net, trickling by Motor City's Rico Gonzalez to get the scoring started.

The Rockers would answer just 48 seconds later, when Jhuwon Davis found the back of the net for the second time in as many games to even the scoring at one a side.

The score would stay stagnant until more than midway into the second, when on an extended powerplay, Port Huron's Brett Lockhart ripped a shot into the top left corner, giving the Prowlers the lone goal in the frame, and the lead going into the third.

However, something was said or done in the Motor City locker room.

Coming out into the third period, after giving up 36 shots through 40 minutes, the Rockers held Port Huron without a shot for the first 13 minutes of the third.

In that time, Motor City newcomer Parker Williams found the puck on his stick off a rebound and fired it past Prowlers netminder Andrew McClean to even the score at 2-2 mid way through the third.

Neither side could break the tie, and the contest seemed destined for overtime, until a scrum in front of Gonzalez resulted in a Port Huron power play with just 1:35 left in regulation.

The Prowlers carried the play, until a shot that Gonzalez gloved drew a whistle. In the aftermath, James, who got the scoring started for the Prowlers, cross-checked Gonzalez.

The infraction drew a penalty, ending the Port Huron man advantage with just 40 seconds on the clock.

With the draw in the Prowler end, TJ Sneath won the draw. After a Dakota Bohn shot, the rebound cycled around to Doug Blaisdell in the right win circle.

Blaisdell let one rip past McClean for his first of the season and giving the Rockers the 3-2 lead with just 30 seconds left.

Port Huron could not answer in the final 30 seconds, and Motor City started their trilogy of games on the week with a win.

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Motor City will rest up on Thursday, before a pair of games on the weekend.

Friday, the Rockers meet up with the Stockton Thunder for their first contest of the year, before seeing Danbury again on Saturday.

Friday's game will start at 7:30, while Saturday's bout begins at 6:30. All of the action will be available on the Rockers Media Network.

STOCKTON THUNDER at OCEANSIDE SHOCK

STOCKTON WINS ROUGH-AND-TUMBLE AFFAIR 4-2 

Thunder send Shock to seventh straight loss Thunder send Shock to seventh straight loss Thunder send Shock to seventh straight loss

Courtesy of Oceanside staff

Oceanside, CA - The early-season struggles continued for the Oceanside Shock with a 4-2 loss on Tuesday night to the Stockton Thunder at Frontwave Arena. A penalty-filled game saw 95 total minutes of penalties called, including multiple fights and a match penalty against Stockton’s Ilnur Madiarov. Lester Brown, a forward waived by the Shock earlier in the week, was signed by the Thunder and had his revenge game, scoring 41 seconds into the game and later adding a second goal along with an assist. 

The Shock (1-7-2, 4 points) found themselves trailing on the night’s first shift thanks to pure happenstance, as Brown found a loose puck behind the Shock net and sent it forward, where it caromed off an Oceanside skate and then the inside of goaltender Chris O’Shaughnessy’s pads at 41 seconds. The Shock took fifteen penalties in the game and twelve minors, forcing Oceanside into their best penalty-killing night of the season, as they warded off ten opposing power plays. Stockton (3-2-2, 8 points) was just as frisky and afforded Oceanside two different two-man advantages of over a minute in length in the first period, but the Shock also came up dry. 

James Spaargaren netted a goal and an assist for Oceanside, but his goal at 14:45 of the second period was answered nine seconds later by Brown to return the lead to a two-goal edge at 3-1. The third period was filled with penalties, penalty kills, and scoreless hockey until Stockton’s Chris Mott jumped a puck to score an empty-net goal at 18:12. Isaiah Socha scored his second goal of the season on Spaargaren’s assist at 19:40 to set the final score. The Shock return to action on home ice Tuesday, November 17, against the first-place Fresno Falcons.

Lester Brown Shines in Thunder Debut

By Steve McCall

Oceanside, CA - It didn't take long for newly signed Lester Brown to make his mark with the Stockton Thunder, and against his former team, the Oceanside Shock no less, as Stockton won 4-2.

Brown, signed by the Thunder on Tuesday, played his first game for the Thunder at Oceanside on Wednesday night. He took only 41 seconds to score his first goal of the season, and he was just warming up. 

The 6-foot-2, 190 pounder scored two goals and added an assist for the Thunder which ran its record to 3-2-2, while Oceanside fell to 1-7-2.

Brown assisted on Petr Pancek's second period goal. And after James Spaargaren cut the lead to 2-1, it took Brown only nine seconds to score his second goal of the night, reclaiming the Thunder's two-goal lead. 

Chris Mott scored an empty net goal for Stockton with 1:42 left to play, and Isiah Sochoa rounded out the scoring for Oceanside with only 20 seconds left to play. Sparaargaren assisted on that goal giving him a goal and assist on the night for the Shock. Panacek assisted on both of Brown's goals, giving him a three-point night with a goal and two assists. 

The Thunder visit the Motor City Rockers Friday in a 4:30 p.m. PST game.