Prowlers Swept in Danbury

The Port Huron Prowlers left Danbury with no points after falling to the Hat Tricks 7-3 on Feb. 25. Jonny Ruiz scored four times and became the first player in Hat Tricks history to do so.

The Prowlers got an early opportunity with a five-minute power play after Zachary Pamaylaon was given a spearing major. The only goal during those five minutes came off the stick of Ruiz to give Danbury a 1-0 lead.

That score held until there were under five minutes to play in the first period when the Hat Tricks poured it on. Lucas DeBenedet, Ruiz and Dmitry Kuznetsov scored in a span of 2:38 to balloon the lead to 4-0.

Egor Borschev scored a five-on-three goal just over six minutes into the second and Ruiz completed the hat trick with a power play goal of his own 49 seconds later.

Later in the frame, fans were treated to a fight between Dustin Henning and Daniel Amesbury. Both players got in their fair share of punches before going to the ground with Henning landing on top. That scrap contributed 10 of the 111 combined penalty minutes on the night.

Ruiz scored once more before the second period was out, his 100th as a Hat Trick, and the Danbury lead was 7-0 heading into the third.

Frankie McClendon held the Prowlers off the board until a Joe Deveny power-play goal broke the goose egg with under four minutes to go. Jason Diamond scored his first professional goal in the final minute of his second career game. Bryan Parsons beat the buzzer for his second goal in three games.

Matt Stoia added two assists for Port Huron in the loss. Dylan Thackeray picked up his first professional point with an assist on Diamond’s goal. Wyatt Hoflin took the loss after giving up six goals on 16 shots in just under 33 minutes of work. Danick Rodrigue stopped 21 of 22 in relief. The Prowlers have lost four of their last five and dropped to fourth in the Continental Division.

Ruiz led the way for Danbury with his four-goal night. Kuznetsov and Michael Falanga added two points apiece. McClendon made 29 saves on 32 shots in the win.

The Prowlers finish their five-game stretch away from McMorran Place on March 3 and 4 when they visit the Delaware Thunder. Both games will be available on the Port Huron Prowlers YouTube channel.

Photo courtesy of Delta Imaging