Freeborn Notches OT Winner, Prowlers Sweep Wolves
The Port Huron Prowlers completed a weekend sweep of the Watertown Wolves with a 4-3 overtime victory on Feb. 10. Liam Freeborn scored the game winner for the third straight game.
“It was a big win,” said Prowlers assistant coach Chris Paulin. “Not the ending we wanted as far as the third period goes but good teams find a way.”
Evan Foley found Dalton Jay in tight for a power-play goal just under nine minutes into the opening period. A few minutes later, Jay got a shot off the faceoff and Freeborn tapped the rebound back in front to Jay who put it home for his second of the period.
Chiwetin Blacksmith got one back as the Wolves caught the Prowlers in a line change to cut the lead in half. Alex Johnson picked the corner on Spencer Kozlowski to make it 3-1 heading into the third.
In the final frame of regulation, Tate Leeson jumped on a puck off the faceoff and stickhandled around Tucker Tynan to pull the Wolves within one. Then, Nico Hemming put home a bouncing puck in front of the Port Huron net. His first as a pro sent the game to overtime.
“It’s tough to sweep any team and we knew they were going to come out punching in the third,” Paulin said. “I thought we started making some uncharacteristic mistakes that we’ll have to address but that’s why you have a goalie. Sometimes, you have to make a couple of saves and he sure did.”
15 seconds into the extra session, Freeborn one-handed the puck towards the cage. It slipped five-hole on Kozlowski and barely crossed the goal line. Watertown disagreed but it was called a good goal and the Prowlers took the extra point.
Freeborn finished with a goal and two assists while Jay put home a pair. Foley and Matt Graham dished out two helpers apiece while Tynan made 38 saves.
Vladislav Pavlov skated away with a pair of assists while Kozlowski made 41 stops.
The Prowlers are back in action with a home-and-home against the Motor City Rockers on Feb. 16 and 17. Tickets to the first game are available at phprowlers.com/tickets.