Playoff Preview: New Opponent, Same Goal

For the first time since 2018, the Port Huron Prowlers see an opponent other than the Carolina Thunderbirds standing in their way to open the Commissioner’s Cup playoffs. The Danbury Hat Tricks will be the foe as Port Huron begins the postseason.

This season, the Prowlers saw renaissance campaigns from some of their staples. Matt Graham led the team with 66 points including a career-high 24 goals in his 10th FPHL season and 12th as a pro. The longest tenured Prowler, Austin Fetterly, reached a new career high with 53 points in his ninth FPHL season. In his ninth FPHL season and 10th as a pro, Alex Johnson shattered previous career bests with 65 points and a team-high 45 assists. Early-season additions Lukas Lacny and Reggie Millette have delivered as high-end offensive talent. They’re supported by a deep forward group that got even deeper in the college signings season with Lawrence University’s Dylan Marty and Trine University’s Tyler Fox, Bobby Price and Drew Welsch joining the cause. Alternate captains Tucker Scantlebury and Daniel Chartrand returned from inactive list stints to continue to bolster the forward group. Should anyone be unable to go, Port Huron’s coaching staff has plenty of options to plug in.

 Along with Johnson on the back end, Brett Lockhart has emerged as a top pairing option. Collegiate signings include Trine’s Tim Organ and former NCAA Division I blueliner Braidan Simmons-Fischer. Bryan Parsons and Adam Heinzl are still options while newcomer Ben Brockway brings toughness and shot-blocking ability. In net, Port Huron boasts possibly the best one-two punch in franchise history. Valtteri Nousiainen and Reid Cooper rank second and fourth in franchise history, respectively, on the list of lowest goals-against average (minimum 15 game played). It culminated in a 32-18-6 record with 95 points, the most points since the 2017-18 season.

The Hat Tricks are two years removed from their championship in 2023 and have reloaded to make another run. Russian newcomer Gleb Bandurkin has led the way offensively with 32 goals and 64 points in his first FPHL season and fourth pro campaign. True rookie and countryman Vadim Frolov finished with 49 points in 50 games, typically playing on a line with Bandurkin. KHL veteran Aleksandr Vasilyev was a mid-season addition and has shown his passing prowess with 37 assists in 35 games. Chase Harwell has emerged as a top scoring option while 2023 champions Jonny Ruiz and Jacob Ratcliffe have continued their high offensive outputs with Ratcliffe’s 39 assists leading the team this season. 

On the blue line, Josh Labelle and Charlie Bedard represent the top pairing and Labelle turned in a 38-assist season as the quarterback of the top power play unit. Kyle Gonzalez played the full season after getting into just 19 games last year. Defense was a priority for Danbury in the college signings season as they added Zachary Ross, Brendan Greig and Demitris Christou. They also got back Xavier Abdella who was on an extended IR stint from October through the first week of March. Connor McCollum is the unquestioned starter between the pipes, leading the FPHL with over 2,400 minutes played and finishing second with 22 wins. The Hat Tricks finished at 33-15-8 with 102 points, reaching the century mark for the third time in franchise history in year one of Ruiz and Gonzalez running the show as co-head coaches.

REGULAR SEASON SERIES (HAT TRICKS WON 5-2)

Nov. 29 @ Port Huron: Hat Tricks 5, Prowlers 4

Nov. 30 @ Port Huron: Hat Tricks 5, Prowlers 2

Feb. 14 @ Port Huron: Hat Tricks 7, Prowlers 2

Feb. 15 @ Port Huron: Prowlers 4, Hat Tricks 2

Feb. 22 @ Danbury: Hat Tricks 6, Prowlers 5 (SO)

Feb. 28 @ Danbury: Prowlers 3, Hat Tricks 2 (OT)

Mar. 1 @ Danbury: Hat Tricks 3, Prowlers 2 (OT)

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Prowlers - Matt Graham (F) - The Prowlers head coach missed last year’s playoffs due to a late-season injury but he’s healthy this time around and centering the team’s top line. He led Port Huron in goals (24) and points (66) this season.

Hat Tricks - Chase Harwell (F) - Harwell missed 14 games this season including all seven meetings with Port Huron. He is a huge scoring option finishing with 28 goals in 42 games and will be an x-factor in this series. 

STAT CENTRAL

The Hat Tricks have 7 players remaining from their 2023 Commissioner’s Cup championship team…No one on Port Huron’s current roster has won the Commissioner’s Cup…The Hat Tricks gave up the most goals of the six teams not involved in the play-in round but also scored the second-most of all playoff teams…This is the first time since 2018 that the Prowlers are facing someone other than the Carolina Thunderbirds in round one of the playoffs.

SERIES SCHEDULE

Apr. 18, 7:05 P.M. at McMorran Place (Port Huron, MI)

Apr. 19, 8:00 P.M. at Danbury Arena (Danbury, CT)

Apr. 20, 5:00 P.M. at Danbury Arena (Danbury, CT)*

*if necessary

Tickets to game one at McMorran Place are on sale now at phprowlers.com/playoffs.