Series Preview: Prowlers Meet Rockers on Silver Stick Weekend

The Port Huron Prowlers find themselves matched up with the Motor City Rockers in another home and home. This weekend kicks off the second half of the teams’ 18-game regular-season series.

The Prowlers took two of three from the Watertown Wolves last weekend at home. Makar Sokolov dominated the first game with 27 saves and a balanced offensive attack did the rest in a 5-1 win. The next night, the teams went back and forth with special teams goals before Port Huron rattled off four unanswered to take it 6-2. Six of the game’s eight goals came on special teams. Sunday afternoon, the Wolves bit back, going up 2-0 in the first and staying a step ahead the rest of the way to win 5-3 and come out of the weekend with three points. Port Huron is 12-12-4 with 38 points, fourth in the Continental and two points behind Mississippi for third with a game in hand.

The Rockers visited the Blue Ridge Bobcats for the very first time for a pair of games. Declan Conway opened the scoring in the first game, but it was all Blue Ridge from there as the Bobcats scored seven-straight to win 7-1. Motor City bounced back the next night as Trevor Babin returned to hold off Blue Ridge in the third and help his team to a 4-2 win despite being outshot 38-22. The Rockers are 15-7-4 with 46 points and sit five points ahead of Danbury for second in the Empire with two games in hand.

SEASON SERIES (MOTOR CITY LEADS 6-3)

Oct. 20 @ Port Huron: Rockers 3, Prowlers 2 (OT)

Oct. 21 @ Port Huron: Rockers 3, Prowlers 2

Nov. 10 @ Motor City: Rockers 7, Prowlers 1

Nov. 11 @ Port Huron: Rockers 3, Prowlers 2

Dec. 8 @ Port Huron: Prowlers 5, Rockers 3

Dec. 9 @ Motor City: Prowlers 5, Rockers 4

Dec. 29 @ Port Huron: Prowlers 3, Rockers 2 (OT)

Dec. 30 @ Port Huron: Rockers 5, Prowlers 3

Dec. 31 @ Motor City: Rockers 8, Prowlers 4

LAST MEETING

The Rockers blew the game open with five unanswered goals late in the first and early in the second and then things broke loose on the penalty sheet. Multiple players hit the showers early and the game ended with a fight between Dan Chartrand and Motor City goaltender Trevor Babin. Babin was later suspended for his actions leading up to the fisticuffs. 

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Prowlers - Dan Chartrand (F) - Chartrand has dropped the mitts with Elias Thompson and Trevor Babin already this season. Plus, last season on Silver Stick weekend, he scored the shootout winner.

Rockers - Pavel Svintsov (F) - Svintsov was sidelined the last time these teams played but he has at least one assist in each of the four games Motor City has played since he returned to the lineup.

STAT CENTRAL

Dalton Jay (PHP), who played his 300th game as a Prowler last weekend, is 1 goal away from 200 as a Prowler and is the franchise’s all-time goals leader…Ricky Gonzalez (MCR) started all 3 games Trevor Babin was suspended for. It was the first time in his pro career he started three-consecutive games…Both the Prowlers (Brandon Picard) and Rockers (Scott Coash) have had they’re (at the time) leading scorer go inactive from signing in the SPHL this season

SERIES SCHEDULE

Jan. 19, 7:35 P.M. at Big Boy Arena (Fraser, MI)

Jan. 20, 8:00 P.M. at McMorran Place (Port Huron, MI)

Tickets to the second game are available at phprowlers.com/tickets or by calling the box office at 810-985-6166.