Series Preview: Prowlers Look To Get Back on Track vs Elmira

For the final time this season, the Port Huron Prowlers and Elmira River Sharks meet for a two-game set on March 22 and 23. It’s the third series of the year between these teams and the second at McMorran Place.

The Prowlers faced the Motor City Rockers last weekend and both teams defended home ice with Motor City taking two of three. On Friday, the Rockers took a 2-0 lead in the first but Port Huron scored four unanswered in the second and third to win 4-2 at McMorran. The next night at Big Boy Arena, Motor City again took a first period lead, this time 3-0. The Prowlers tied things up in the second but the Rockers stayed a step ahead and won 6-4. On Sunday afternoon, it was Port Huron that took a 2-0 lead after one but Motor City took over from there and scored the game’s final five goals to win 5-2. The Prowlers are firmly in third place in the Continental at 22-19-6 with 68 points and can clinch a playoff spot if the Blue Ridge Bobcats’ game with the Carolina Thunderbirds on Wednesday results in anything but a Bobcats regulation win.

The River Sharks didn’t pick up a point in two games against Danbury or their Sunday meeting with Binghamton last weekend and were outscored 19-4 overall. On Friday in Danbury, Dustin Jesseau ended Connor McCollum’s shutout bid with 5:30 to go but that was the only highlight for Elmira as the score was already 8-0 before that goal. The Hat Tricks won 8-1. They got a rematch at home the next night and Steven Klink scored the first goal but Danbury potted three unanswered in the second and held on for a 3-2 win. The Sharks’ final opportunity of the weekend was in Binghamton on Sunday and followed the same script as the Friday game with Jesseau spoiling Connor McAnanama’s shutout with under four to play and his team already down 8-0. The Black Bears took the victory 8-1. Despite the three losses, Elmira still sits in the final playoff spot in the Empire at 18-30-0 with 52 points, four points ahead of Watertown and the Wolves have two games in hand. 

SEASON SERIES (PORT HURON LEADS 3-1)

Jan. 25 @ Elmira: Prowlers 3, River Sharks 2

Jan. 26 @ Elmira: Prowlers 5, River Sharks 1

Feb. 2 @ Port Huron: River Sharks 5, Prowlers 1

Feb. 3 @ Port Huron: Prowlers 5, River Sharks 4

LAST MEETING

After falling behind 1-0, Austin Fetterly scored twice to give the Prowlers the lead early in the second. Elmira kept finding the tying tally but Port Huron kept answering the stay ahead and Liam Freeborn’s go-ahead goal with 90 seconds left capped things off.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Prowlers - Mitch Jones (D) - Jones’ one-timer has been automatic this season especially since coming off of the IR. He’s riding a 6-game goal streak that dates back to the first time these teams played in late January. 

River Sharks - Frankie McClendon (G) - McClendon is 4-0 against the Prowlers this season but all four of those starts came as a member of the Carolina Thunderbirds. He’s had a rough start to his River Sharks career having been pulled in each of his first two starts with the team.

STAT CENTRAL

Liam Freeborn (PHP) has a point in 21 of his last 22 games and became the first Prowler to 50 points this season on Friday…Tucker Tynan’s (PHP) goals-against average (2.79) and save percentage (.925) both rank as the second best in a season in Prowlers history behind Michael Santaguida’s 2017-18 campaign…The River Sharks are the only team in the FPHL this season without an overtime/shootout loss. They’ve also gone beyond regulation a league-low twice…The four-point gap between the River Sharks and Wolves is the smallest between any two teams in the FPHL. One of those two will miss the playoffs

SERIES SCHEDULE

Mar. 22, 7:05 P.M. at McMorran Place (Port Huron, MI)

Mar. 23, 6:05 P.M. at McMorran Place (Port Huron, MI)

Tickets to both games can be found on phprowlers.com/tickets or by calling the McMorran box office at 810-985-6166.