Carolina Completes Comeback in Overtime Thriller

By David Cesefske

Port Huron, MI - Saturday marked the second meeting of three between the hometown Prowlers and the visiting Carolina Thunderbirds. Port Huron came in with an impressive 10-3 victory last night, but was unable to hold off a surging Thunderbirds team, losing 6-5 in overtime.

Port Huron led 3-1 after the first period of play, a period highlighted by Prowlers Matt Robertson's early hat trick.

The Prowlers would add two more in the second period to take a commanding 5-2 lead -- A lead in which they could not protect. Carolina finished off the period with two of their own, coming off the sticks of Richard O'Connor and Michael Bunn. The score after 40 minutes of play was  5-4 in favor of Port Huron, primed for an exciting finish in the third period.

In the third period Carolina would complete the comeback with the tying goal coming from Josh Pietrantonio, assisted by forwards Jan Salak and Stanislav Vlasov. The goal was Pietrantonio's seventh on the season.

After regulation the game remained tied at 5 a piece and would go into overtime, only to be won by Thunderbirds forward Jiri Pestuka. Pestuka would also pick up the 1st Star with three points on the night.  

The Prowlers will look to get back into the win column as these two teams will meet for a matinee game at 1:00 PM Sunday afternoon at McMorran Arena.

Photo credit: Delta Imaging