Series Preview: Prowlers Get Weekend in Watertown

The Port Huron Prowlers take their final road trip of the regular season when they travel to face the Watertown Wolves on April 7 and 8. It will be the second series between the teams in three weeks.

The Prowlers are coming off of a sweep at the hands of their in-state rivals, the Motor City Rockers, on March 31 and April 1. Alex Johnson and Sam Marit scored to help Port Huron come back from a 3-1 deficit in the third period but Scott Coash put home the overtime winner to give the Rockers the extra point in the first game. The next night, the series shifted to Fraser, and the Prowlers found themselves down 4-1 heading into the third. Three power-play goals in the final frame weren’t enough in the 5-4 regulation loss. Brian Tallieu started both games for Port Huron while Matt Stoia was named the third star of the game on both nights and finished with five points in the series. The Prowlers are firmly in fourth place in the Continental Division at 26-22-4 with 80 points.

The Wolves dropped three home games from March 31 to April 2. The first was a 4-1 loss to the Columbus River Dragons in which Watertown fell behind 3-0 in the first period and never recovered. The next night featured a 6-1 beatdown at the hands of the Delaware Thunder. Spencer Kozlowski made 50 saves for the Thunder, frustrating the Wolves’ offense. The weekend finale was a goaltending duel between Delaware’s Jacob Gnidziejko and Watertown’s Ismael Ralsten. Andrei Ivanov got the overtime winner for the Thunder as the Wolves dominated the shots on goal 60-42 in a 2-1 defeat. Watertown has dropped its last four games and is 1-8-1 in its last 10 but still sits third in the Empire Division with an 18-29-4 record and 53 points.

SEASON SERIES (TIED 1-1)

March 24 @ Port Huron: Wolves 4, Prowlers 3

March 25 @ Port Huron: Prowlers 3, Wolves 1

LAST MEETING

Frank Schumacher scored twice and Wyatt Hoflin made 28 as the Prowlers took a low-scoring affair to earn the series split at home. Sam Gagnon scored the game-winner in the second period while Kolton Maguire had the only Watertown tally. Owen Liskiewicz took the loss despite 37 stops.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Prowlers - Frank Schumacher (D) - Schumacher has been clicking offensively lately with five points in the last four games. Four of those points came against the Wolves when they visited Port Huron on March 24 and 25.

Wolves - Everett Thompson (F) - The former Rocker and Black Bear was picked up off waivers on April 1 and played two games with Watertown last weekend. He has 11 points in 11 contests against the Prowlers this season, all with Motor City.

STAT CENTRAL

Bryan Parsons (PHP) could potentially play in his 150th FPHL game on Friday…The Prowlers have outscored their opponents 8-4 in the third period over their last four games. They are 1-2-1 in those games…The Wolves are the only team in the FPHL with under 200 goals for AND against this season while the Prowlers are the only team with over 200 goals for AND against this season

SERIES SCHEDULE

April 7, 7:30 P.M. at Watertown Municipal Arena (Watertown, NY)

April 8, 7:30 P.M. at Watertown Municipal Arena (Watertown, NY)

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