First Period Goals Lift Prowlers Past Danbury

A first period flurry made up 75% of the game’s scoring as the Port Huron Prowlers downed the Danbury Hat Tricks 3-1 at McMorran Place. The teams split the two-game weekend series.

The Hat Tricks got a power play in the first but Bobby Price caused issues for them. He stole the puck and went up ice on a breakaway but hit the post on a shot. Seconds later, he stole the puck again up high and got into the offensive zone but, this time, he pulled up and gave the puck to Vincent Dekumbis who returned it right back and Price buried it. It was Port Huron’s first shorthanded goal of the season leaving just one team in the FPHL without one; the Twin City Thunderbirds.

Just after that same power-play expired, Anton Rubtsov knocked down a shot to the net and tucked the puck around Reid Cooper to tie it up.

The score stayed tied for all of 27 seconds until Blake Anderson spun a centering pass to Dekumbis who put home his second point of the period. The three goals all came in a span of 2:03.

“We did some things really well tonight,” said Prowlers associate head coach Chris Paulin. “We put an emphasis on rotations and playing behind their net. Vinny’s goal was a really good example of executing how we wanted to attack.”

The Hat Tricks pressured but couldn’t find the tying tally. Reggie Millette sealed the deal with an empty netter with 5.2 seconds remaining.

Dekumbis and Price each finished with a goal and an assist while Cooper made 36 saves to take sole control of third place on Port Huron’s all-time wins list with 24.

“It’s the whole team,” Cooper said. “We preach clearing lanes so I can see it. I love the defense corps. Brockway is a die hard shot blocker, we saw that last night on the penalty kill. All the boys do their part.”

Kyle Penton stopped 22 shots.

The Prowlers return next weekend for a home-and-home against the Indiana Sentinels on January 24 and 25. Tickets to the game on January 24 at 8:05 P.M. are at phprowlers.com/tickets.

Photo courtesy of Brooklyn Hossler