Prowlers Rock Motor City on New Year's Eve

The Port Huron Prowlers wrapped up the calendar year 2024 with a dominant 7-3 victory over the Motor City Rockers at Big Boy Arena. The seven goals are a season high for Port Huron.

Avery Smith started the scoring, taking advantage of a miscue and converting on a breakaway for his second shorthanded tally of the season. The game was tied 1:11 later when Ludwig Thellström sent a seeing-eye wrister to the top shelf.

In the opening period’s final minute, Ryan Rotondi overskated the puck in front of his own net and Tucker Scantlebury made him pay. Port Huron took a 2-1 lead into the break. 

Less than two minutes into the second, Joel Frazee made it 3-1 as he picked the short-side corner on a shorthanded rush. It was his fifth goal as a Prowler, all of which had come on special teams.

Eli Rivers got his team-leading 12th of the year to pull Motor City back within one but a few minutes later, Scantlebury netted his second as a shot along the ice found the back of the net.

That 4-2 score held over seven minutes into the third. Then, the puck pinballed around in the Rockers’ crease and Frazee pounced on it for his second of the night and first even-strength goal with Port Huron. 1:24 later, Brett Lockhart found Daniel Chartrand on the back door for the Prowlers’ second power play goal of the night.

Josh Colten scored a man-advantage goal of his own to make it 6-3 but less than two minutes later, Stefan Diezi set up Jamie Bucell who scored for the second time in as many games.

As is typical in these meetings, a couple of fights came before the final buzzer.

Diezi, Lockhart and Reggie Millette all dished out two assists while Valtteri Nousiainen made 30 saves in net. The Prowlers lead the Battle of I-94 season series 5-1.

Ricky Gonzalez stopped 39 shots in the loss for Motor City.

Port Huron returns home for matchups with the Binghamton Black Bears on January 3 and 4. Both games are scheduled for 7:05 P.M. and tickets are available at phprowlers.com/tickets.

Photo courtesy of Lakewind Photography