Prowlers Escape Watertown 4-3

The Port Huron Prowlers opened their weekend series against the Watertown Wolves with a 4-3 victory at McMorran Place on Feb. 9. Liam Freeborn’s power-play goal in the third was the difference.

“Wasn’t a perfect game but we pulled it out,” said Prowlers assistant coach Chris Paulin. “I thought we battled for each other, got some timely goaltending and were fortunate to come out on the right end.”

The Prowlers got the scoring started 59 seconds into the contest as Tristan Simm grabbed a loose puck behind the net and fed Vincent Dekumbis in the slot who put home his third of the year. Midway through the period, Carter Thornton got a back-door feed past Tucker Tynan to knot the game at one. 

Late in the first with the Wolves on a man advantage, Eloi Bouchard tried to fire a long pass but gave it right to Dan Chartrand. The Manitoba native stepped back over the Watertown blue line and ripped a wrister past Bouchard to give Port Huron back the lead.

The teams played four on four on multiple occasions during the game and in that situation in the second, Simm spun away from a defender in the corner, slipped to the front of the net and beat Bouchard to open up a 3-1 lead for the Prowlers.

The Wolves used their power play to come back though and after Michael Mercurio pulled them within one, Dakota Seaman slammed a loose puck in the crease for his first of the year to tie the score heading into the final period.

There, Port Huron got a man advantage of its own and Freeborn’s shot slipped through traffic and five-hole on Bouchard for the game winner.

Simm was the first star with a two-point night while Dalton Jay added two assists. Freeborn extended his point streak to 12, the longest by a Prowler this season. Tynan made 31 saves to get back in the win column.

Mercurio led all skaters with three points while Thornton added an assist to his goal and Chiwetin Blacksmith dished out a pair of helpers. Bouchard made 22 saves. All three Watertown goals came on the power play.

“I know we had a couple of retaliatory penalties, that can’t happen and we addressed that,” Paulin said. “It gave the kill an opportunity. I think there were some good things on the kill, obviously we made a couple of mistakes and it hurt us. It’s an area we have to be better at tomorrow; we will be.”

The Prowlers and Wolves reunite on Feb. 10 at 6:05 P.M. to close out their weekend series.

Photo courtesy of Delta Imaging