Series Preview: Prowlers Open Season With Motor City

The Prowlers return to the ice this weekend to open the 2022-23 season with a three-game slate against their new in-state rivals, the Motor City Rockers. The first game will be at Big Boy Arena in Fraser, Michigan while the other two will happen at McMorran Place.

The Prowlers are coming off a season where they finished 18-32-4 for 56 points, sixth in the then seven-team FPHL. They still made the playoffs but were swept in a first-round best-of-three series by the Carolina Thunderbirds. Dalton Jay led the team in all scoring categories with 34 goals, 37 assists and 71 points. Alex Johnson was the lone Prowler to receive league honors as a Second Team All-Star after leading FPHL defensemen in goals with 20.

The Rockers were slated to join the FPHL for the 2020-21 season but the COVID-19 pandemic created complications that ended those hopes. A new ownership group revived the team for 2022-23. Motor City will be the Prowlers’ second in-state rival after the Battle Creek Rumble Bees during the 2019-20 campaign. The Rockers’ roster includes former Prowlers Ross Bartlett, Cade Lambdin and Dante Suffredini along with last year’s FPHL saves leader Trevor Babin, who played in Delaware. The Michigan rivals will clash 16 times throughout the 56-game regular season.

Players to Watch

Port Huron - Austin Fetterly (F) - After suiting up mostly as a defenseman the past couple of seasons, Fetterly moves back to his natural forward position.

Motor City - Trevor Babin (G) - Babin is going to be the rock for this Motor City team as head coach Gordie Brown figures out chemistry and line combinations with a brand new roster.

Stat Central

Dalton Jay (PHP) sits eight goals shy of becoming the fourth player in FPHL history to score 200 goals…Trevor Babin (MCR) led the FPHL in both saves and losses last year…The Prowlers were a perfect 7-0 against their last in-state rival, the Battle Creek Rumble Bees…the last time the FPHL expanded (2019-20), the four new teams combined to go 0-3-1 in their first game (Port Huron defeated the Danbury Hat Tricks 5-4 in OT in Danbury’s first game that year)

Series Schedule

Oct. 13, 7:30 PM at Big Boy Arena (Fraser, MI)

Oct. 14, 7:05 PM at McMorran Place (Port Huron, MI)

Oct. 15, 7:05 PM at McMorran Place (Port Huron, MI)