Prowlers Return Home To Face Binghamton

The Port Huron Prowlers hit home ice for the only time this month with a weekend series against the Binghamton Black Bears. This will be the first inter-division matchup for Port Huron this season.


Last weekend, the Prowlers were swept in Columbus by the River Dragons with 5-2 and 5-3 losses. The score wasn’t indicative of how Port Huron played on Friday, Nov. 18. Columbus took advantage of some tricky bounces to take an early lead that became 5-0 at the end of the first period. The Prowlers got two goals back but it wasn’t enough. They did win the shots battle 43-28. Saturday, Nov. 19’s game was a little bit of deja vu with the River Dragons opening up a 4-0 lead early in the second period. Port Huron battled back again, this time getting within one with lots of time left in the third. Tucker Scantlebury hit the crossbar late in that frame and the Prowlers fell short again. They finish their five-game road stretch with a 2-2-1 record and sit fourth in the Continental Division with 17 points.


This series will conclude a three-games-in-four-nights stretch for the Black Bears. They saw their seven-game point streak snapped on Wednesday, Nov. 23 in a 6-2 loss to the Empire Division-leading Danbury Hat Tricks at Visions Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton. The FPHL’s leading goal scorer, Nikita Ivashkin, saw his seven-game goal streak snapped but he did pick up an assist. Four-time FPHL Forward of the Year Tyler Gjurich extended his season-opening point streak to 13 games. He’s the only Black Bear to play in every game so far. Riley McVeigh made 33 saves in the loss. Binghamton finds itself in second place in the Empire with 25 points.


LAST MEETING

These two teams met at McMorran for a three-in-three series that saw 37 goals between the two teams. The Prowlers took two of three including the series finale 7-6. Alex Johnson’s second goal of the game was the winner in the third. Port Huron held off multiple comeback efforts from Binghamton.


PLAYERS TO WATCH

Prowlers - Liam Freeborn (F) - Freeborn made his FPHL debut last weekend in Columbus but was already being trusted on the power play and in important late-game situations

Black Bears - Tyler Gjurich (F) - Gjurich is the only Black Bear to appear in all 13 games this season. He has produced at least a point in every one.


STAT CENTRAL

The Prowlers are the only team in the FPHL to score the same number of goals as they have given up (42)…Binghamton is tied for the most short-handed goals (4) and has given up the most short-handed goals against (5)…Alex Johnson (PHP) has the most shots on goal by an FPHL player without scoring (25)…Owen Liskiewicz (BIN) has been pulled in each of his last three starts


SERIES SCHEDULE

Friday, Nov. 25, 7:05 P.M. at McMorran Place (Port Huron, MI)

Saturday, Nov. 26, 6:05 P.M. at McMorran Place (Port Huron, MI)

Both games will be streamed live on the Port Huron Prowlers YouTube channel