Fetterly, Vartiainen Lead Prowlers Past Rockers

The Port Huron Prowlers defeated the Motor City Rockers 6-3 in the ninth edition of the Battle of I-94 at Big Boy Arena in Fraser, Michigan on Jan. 13, 2023. It was the fourth win in the last five games for the Prowlers.


Larri Vartiainen got things started just 61 seconds into the game. Evan Foley won a faceoff and Vartiainen beat Blake Scott with a backhander. Declan Conway responded three and a half minutes later and Jonathan Juliano tipped home a Tim Perks shot to give the Rockers a 2-1 lead under eight minutes in.


Austin Fetterly struck twice before the end of the first period to send his team into the locker room with a 3-2 advantage.


Scott and Wyatt Hoflin stood firm in the second and the one-goal Port Huron lead held until early in the third. Vartiainen went bar down just 1:14 into the period to give the Prowlers a two-goal cushion.


That 4-2 score stood until the Rockers pulled their goaltender and Everett Thompson tapped in a back-door pass with two minutes to go. Seconds later, Dante Suffredini tripped Liam Freeborn to put Port Huron on a power play. Sam Marit scored a dagger on the man advantage and Freeborn hit the empty netter in the final seconds to give the Prowlers the win.


Fetterly and Vartiainen were named the first and second stars, respectively, with two goals apiece. Alex Johnson, Dalton Jay and Evan Foley each turned in two-assist nights while Marit had a goal and a helper. Hoflin finished with 28 saves on 31 shots.


Conway had a goal and an assist and was named the third star for Motor City. Cade Lambdin added a pair of assists. Scott made 34 stops in the loss. The Rockers have dropped four-straight games.


The Prowlers and Rockers switch venues to Port Huron on Jan. 14. Puck drop at McMorran Place is scheduled for 6:05 P.M. and the game will be broadcast live on the Port Huron Prowlers YouTube channel.


Photo courtesy of Delta Imaging