Weekend Preview: Prowlers Head Back to NY

For the second time in three weeks, the Port Huron Prowlers will make the trip to New York to face the Hudson Valley Venom and Binghamton Black Bears. Port Huron went 0-1-1 on its last road trip to those teams in October.

The Prowlers turned in their best weekend of the young season to begin November with a home-and-home series sweep of the rival Motor City Rockers. They dominated the first game at home, outshooting Motor City 56-27 and winning 5-1 behind a four-point effort from Lukas Lacny. The next night was a much closer game in Fraser. Port Huron scored in the final minute of each period, including a shorthanded empty netter, to get a come-from-behind 3-1 victory. Valtteri Nousiainen played both games for the Prowlers and made 57 saves during the series. Port Huron jumped past the Rockers and into fourth in the Empire Division standings at 3-2-1 with nine points.

The Venom had a lighter workload last weekend than they were expecting. They hosted the Black Bears on Friday in a back-and-forth contest that saw three lead changes in regulation. Cameron Clark tied the score at four with less than two minutes to play and then scored the only goal of the skills competition in round one to help Binghamton grab two points. Hudson Valley was scheduled to welcome in the Watertown Wolves on Saturday but the game was postponed with the FPHL citing bus issues for the Wolves. That leaves the Venom tied with the Dashers for last in the Empire at 1-3-1 with four points.

The Black Bears saw both of their games last weekend go the distance as they beat Hudson Valley on Friday and fell to Danbury on Saturday. The aforementioned Friday game in Newburgh was a 5-4 shootout win. The next night, the Bears visited the Hat Tricks where they made a two-goal comeback in the third period to force overtime and then, another shootout. This one went seven rounds without a goal until Josh Labelle scored in the eighth to give the Hat Tricks the extra point. With Watertown’s game at Hudson Valley on Sunday postponed, the Black Bears have sole possession of the Empire Division lead for the first time this season with a 6-1-1 record and 16 points.

SEASON SERIES

VENOM LEAD 1-0

Oct. 25 @ Hudson Valley: Venom 4, Prowlers 3

BLACK BEARS LEAD 1-0

Oct. 26 @ Binghamton: Venom 5, Prowlers 4 (OT)

LAST MEETINGS

Port Huron fell behind 3-1 early in the second period on the road at Hudson Valley but tied the score before five minutes were gone in the third. Quinn Chevers delivered the dagger, though, with 2:03 remaining in regulation to help the Venom take all three points.

A tug-of-war in Binghamton saw both teams hold the lead at some point in the game. Daniel Chartrand tied the score with a tick under two minutes to play in regulation but Kyle Stephan won it for the Black Bears in overtime.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Prowlers - Reggie Millette (F) - An attention-grabbing signing this week, the forward joins Port Huron after a strong start on the ice for the SPHL’s Fayetteville Marksmen this season. He’ll look to fit in with a Port Huron forward group that lost Isiah Parris to injury last weekend.

Venom - Davide Gaeta (F) - The 22-year-old turned in a three-point effort two weeks ago against the Prowlers in Hudson Valley’s only win this season. He leads his team with six assists and seven points.

Black Bears - Cameron Clark (F) - Clark has been clutch this season for Binghamton, scoring the game-winning goal in three of his team’s six wins this season. Four of his five goals so far have either tied the score or given the Black Bears a lead.

STAT CENTRAL

The Prowlers have a positive goal differential (+1) for the first time this season…The Venom are the only team in the FPHL with a penalty kill below 70%…The Black Bears went beyond regulation in each of their last four games and won three of them…Matt Graham (PHP) is three points away from 400 as a Prowler. He is second to Dalton Jay in franchise history in that category.

WEEKEND SCHEDULE

Nov. 8, 7:00 P.M. at Ice Time Sports Complex (Newburgh, NY)

Nov. 9, 7:00 P.M. at Visions Veterans Memorial Arena (Binghamton, NY)

Both games will be streamed live on the PHP Network YouTube channel and can be watched at the Port Huron Buffalo Wild Wings.