Prowlers Hang On For Big Win Over Wolves

The Port Huron Prowlers held on for a 3-2 win over the Watertown Wolves on March 7. Port Huron pulled within two points of Watertown for third in the Empire after winning the regular season series 1-0. 

After peppering Breandan Colgan with shots in the opening frame, the Prowlers broke through in the period’s final minute. Bryan Parsons floated a shot that Luke James deflected home to break the ice.

“It was a point of emphasis, being locked in,” said Prowlers assistant coach Chris Paulin. “I thought the guys came to the rink ready to go and they carried that into the first period. I thought we dominated the first period.”

Just over a minute into the second, Port Huron struck again. Reggie Millette sauced a backhander from the blue line into the slot and Lukas Lacny whacked it past Colgan’s glove to double the lead. A few minutes later, Jamie Bucell went five-hole with a long-range shot off a faceoff play and it was 3-0 Prowlers.

Late in the period, the Wolves started to battle back. Trevor Neumann found Carter Thornton on an odd-man rush to make it 3-1 heading into the third. In the third, Watertown had a four-on-three power play and Kyle Powell converted from the slot.

That’s as close as the Wolves got as Valtteri Nousiainen held things down the rest of the way and Port Huron escaped with three points.

“I thought we tapered off and got away from some things that made us successful in the second and third,” Paulin said. “Like we said after the game, good teams find a way. It wasn’t pretty in the third but we had great goaltending and gutty performances.”

Nousiainen stopped 27 shots and seven of his teammates recorded a point.

Colgan made 33 saves in the loss.

The Prowlers welcome in the Athens Rock Lobsters for the rest of the weekend on March 8 and 9. Tickets to both games are available at phprowlers.com/tickets.

Photo courtesy of Delta Imaging