Prowlers Take Control of 2nd After Shootout Win

The Port Huron Prowlers went to a shootout for the second-straight game and came through to beat the Topeka Scarecrows 3-2 at Landon Arena in Topeka, Kansas. Bobby Price and Alex Johnson scored in the skills competition while Bailey Huber stopped two of three Topeka shooters.

Port Huron got the scoring going in the first. After a long shift of cycling in the offensive zone, Arttu Heikkilä found Luke James in the slot for the ice breaker. Later in the period, that same line struck again. Heikkilä wheeled to the top of the zone and threw the puck on net. It deflected off of Alex Ray in front. It was Ray’s first professional goal and it made the score 2-0 heading into the second. 

“It was good,” Ray said. “I was just getting in front of the net, it got greasy and it got in. I was happy with that.”

The Scarecrows struck back in the middle frame. They had a strong offensive zone shift and in a scramble, the puck popped out to Scott Coash who buried his team-leading 19th goal of the season. Then, Cory Checco’s shot was stopped but the rebound caromed in off of Boston Bird. The Prowlers challenged for a kicking motion but the goal stood.

“I saw a kicking motion,” said Prowlers associate head coach Chris Paulin. “I think it’s one of the most subjective things in hockey right now; what a kick is. I still don’t know, it looked like a kick to me. Definitely worth a challenge.”

The 2-2 tie also stood through the rest of the second period, the entire third and overtime which led to the first shootout in Scarecrows history.

 Price scored on the first shot. Connor Lind tied it in the second round before Johnson gave Port Huron the lead back in the top of the third. Huber denied Alex Norwinski to end it.

“We changed the shootout order a little bit [from last Saturday],” Paulin said. “I wanted Bobby number one, he did a great job, great goal. I love Reggie’s move too, but we saw something. I actually had somebody else going third and then called an audible last second to get Johnny in there.”

Ray added his first pro assist to his goal. Heikkilä assisted on both Prowlers tallies while Huber made 32 saves to go along with two shootout saves.

Sammy Bernard stopped 33 shots and went 1-3 in the shootout.

Port Huron now sits one point ahead of Topeka for second in the Empire Division and these teams have two more meetings this week. Their next one is scheduled for 8:05 P.M. eastern on Feb. 20 and can be seen on the PHP Network YouTube channel.