Prowlers Fall to Thunder In Series Opener

The Port Huron Prowlers dropped the first game of a back-to-back in Delaware 5-2 on March 3. Spencer Kozlowski made 43 saves and was the game’s first star in his first professional start.

The first period seemed destined to finish scoreless but Denis Gafarov stepped into the Prowlers’ zone and picked the top corner with 0.8 seconds on the clock to give the Thunder the lead after the first 20 minutes.

TJ Delaney doubled the advantage in the second when he muscled home a loose puck in the slot. 36 seconds later, Dalton Jay pushed through Alex Basey and chipped a loose puck home to cut the lead in half. 

Gafarov answered back with his second power-play goal of the game a few minutes later to restore the two-goal advantage. Jay scored one short-handed to make the deficit one again with under three minutes to go in the frame. 16 seconds later, Rocco DiCostanzo responded on the same power play and the lead was 4-2 for Delaware heading into the third.

Port Huron peppered Kozlowski in the final period, outshooting the Thunder 20-9 in the frame, but couldn’t break through. DiCostanzo put home his second of the game past the midway point to put it out of reach.

Jay led the Prowlers with two goals. Sam Gagnon, Alex Johnson, Dan Chartrand and Matt Stoia each had an assist. Colten Lancaster made 27 saves in his first professional start.

Gafarov and DiCostanzo each scored twice for Delaware. Houston Wilson and Rasmus Asp added a pair of helpers apiece while TJ Delaney had a goal and an assist.

The Prowlers will try to snap their three-game losing skid on March 4 in a rematch with the Thunder. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 P.M. and the game will be available live on the Port Huron Prowlers YouTube channel.

Photo courtesy of Bill Wiegelman