Prowlers Beaten in Carolina

The Port Huron Prowlers were swept by the Carolina Thunderbirds in a weekend series after a 9-5 loss in Winston-Salem on Jan. 6. Carolina also sweeps the season series.

Petr Panacek opened the scoring less than five minutes in and then a few minutes later, on a power play, Gus Ford doubled the advantage. 26 seconds after that, John Buttitta made it 3-0.

Mitch Jones responded with a one-time on a second-period power play but Ford restored the three-goal lead 39 seconds later.

After Buttitta made it 5-1, Jones struck again with another power play one timer from the same spot. Matt Graham received a five-minute major and the Thunderbirds scored twice on the ensuing man advantage, once late in the second and once in the first minute of the third.

Tucker Scantlebury and Liam Freeborn brought the Prowlers within three, but that only lasted three minutes before Buttitta completed the hat trick. Jones completed his own hat trick with another long-range drive and Dawson Baker hit the empty net to close out the scoring.

Freeborn led all skaters with five points on a goal and four assists. Alex Johnson also finished with four helpers while Evan Foley had two. Five Prowlers found the scoresheet in total. Makar Sokolov started the game but was pulled after the third goal in favor of Ian Wallace, who played through the second but was checked on by medical staff during that period and didn’t return for the third.

Ford and Baker each finished with four points while four other Thunderbirds added three. Frankie McClendon made 33 saves in net. 

The Prowlers host the Watertown Wolves for a three-in-three on Jan. 12, 13 and 14. Tickets are available at phprowlers.com/tickets or by calling the box office at 810-985-6166.