Prowlers End Drought with Game 3 Win

The Port Huron Prowlers won their first playoff series since 2018 after a 5-3 victory in a winner-take-all Game 3 at Danbury Ice Arena on Easter Sunday. Port Huron advances to take on the defending champion Binghamton Black Bears in the semifinals.

“I’m really proud of the guys in the room,” said Prowlers assistant coach Chris Paulin. “The leadership group has worked tremendously hard to improve the culture and change things from where it’s been. It’s been a long drought but a lot of guys have given up a lot of time and effort to rebuild this program and make it what it is today.”

The start went about as poorly as it could have for the Prowlers. 16 seconds in, Tucker Scantlebury received a match penalty and Jonny Ruiz scored on the ensuing power play. A few minutes later, Ruiz got another man advantage goal and it was 2-0 Danbury 7:04 into the game.

With under two to play in the opening frame, Reggie Millette sniped a huge goal to cut the lead in half.

Early in the second, the Hat Tricks struck on another power play to take a 3-1 lead. The Prowlers challenged for goaltender interference and, just as Port Huron had in Game 2, Danbury had the goal taken off the board. The Prowlers took advantage of the momentum shift and got two goals in 12 seconds to flip the game around and take a 3-2 advantage.

“I had some contact after the rebound,” said Prowlers goaltender Reid Cooper. “I wasn’t sure who it was but it made it tough to get over for that second shot. I wasn’t sure if it was our guy or their guy but I knew something happened.”

Later in the period, Bobby Price ripped a snipe to make it 4-2. Jacob Ratcliffe made it a one-goal game late in the frame to set up a tense third.

Danbury threw everything they could at the Port Huron net in the final frame with 24 of their 53 shots coming in the third. Cooper stopped all 24 and Price added an insurance marker late.

“I knew they were going to come out hard,” Cooper said. “I kept telling myself to watch the puck, find the puck and do everything I can to keep it out of the net. I knew the boys were going to get one for me there at the end.”

Alex Johnson and Lukas Lacny dished out a pair of helpers apiece to aid the Prowlers’ offense. Cooper finished with 50 saves in the game.

Ruiz had three points with an assist added to his two goals. Ratcliffe had a helper in addition to his tally and Chase Harwell got two assists. Connor McCollum stopped 25 shots.

Port Huron looks ahead to Binghamton with Game 1 at McMorran Place and the rest of the series at Visions Veterans Memorial Arena. Game dates and times are to be determined.

“We’re on to Binghamton,” Paulin said.