Series Preview: Another Battle of I-94

The Battle of I-94 is back for another edition as the red-hot Port Huron Prowlers take on the Motor City Rockers. Port Huron has already clinched the regular season series victory but the teams still have four meetings left this season.

Both the Prowlers and Rockers hosted the Mississippi Sea Wolves and HC Venom last weekend. Port Huron got the first shot at the Venom on Friday. Two first-period goals got the Prowlers a lead after 20 minutes and they stayed a step ahead the rest of the way in a 4-2 victory, their only win against the Venom this season. The Sea Wolves invaded McMorran Place the next night and Yoshihiro Kuroiwa shut them down. He pitched a 24-save shutout while his team put up six goals on the other end to sweep the regular-season series between the clubs. Port Huron has won seven-straight games and is firmly in the Empire Division’s third spot at 28-16-6 with 84 points.

Motor City, meanwhile, began with Mississippi on Friday. The Rockers offense exploded for a season-high eight goals in an 8-3 win, led by five points from captain Josh Colten. The next night against the Venom, Motor City trailed 2-1 after the first period. They bounced back to score the game’s final four goals and take it 5-2. Those teams rematched on Sunday to round out the weekend. Eli Rivers scored the game winner early in the third, just over two minutes after the Venom pulled even, and Brad Reitter provided an insurance marker to grab another three points from the team chasing the Rockers for the final play-in spot. In the midst of its second three-game win streak this season, Motor City sits more securely in fifth in the Empire at 17-29-3 with 49 points. 

SEASON SERIES (PROWLERS LEAD 8-2)

Nov. 1 @ Port Huron: Prowlers 5, Rockers 1

Nov. 2 @ Motor City: Prowlers 3, Rockers 1

Nov. 27 @ Port Huron: Prowlers 2, Rockers 1

Dec. 13 @ Port Huron: Rockers 4, Prowlers 0

Dec. 14 @ Motor City: Prowlers 2, Rockers 1 (SO)

Dec. 31 @ Motor City: Prowlers 7, Rockers 3

Jan. 24 @ Motor City: Rockers 3, Prowlers 2 (OT)

Jan. 25 @ Port Huron: Prowlers 5, Rockers 3

Mar. 14 @ Motor City: Prowlers 6, Rockers 2

Mar. 15 @ Port Huron: Prowlers 7, Rockers 3

LAST MEETING

Port Huron got all over Motor City from the opening puck drop to take a 4-0 lead in the first 9:35 of the game. The Rockers got back within two heading into the third, but a couple of goals by Lukas Lacny, including his hat trick tally, put it out of reach.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Prowlers - Alex Johnson (D) - Johnson scored a power play goal in each of Port Huron’s two games last weekend and is one tally shy of his third career 20-goal season. He’s also scheduled to play his 400th FPHL game on Saturday.

Rockers - Cory Checco (F) - It was a successful first pro weekend for Checco as he registered his first goal, assist and fight in his first three games. He’ll face two of his former Lawrence University teammates in Vincent Dekumbis and Dylan Marty this weekend.

STAT CENTRAL

The Prowlers have opened the scoring within the first two minutes of three of their last four games including the last two against Motor City…If the Rockers win both games in regulation this weekend AND HC Venom lose all three of their games in regulation, Motor City will clinch the playoffs…The Prowlers’ current 7-game win streak is the franchise’s longest since a 9-game win streak from Dec. 6, 2019-Jan. 3, 2020…The Rockers’ current 3-game win streak is tied for a season high

SERIES SCHEDULE

Mar. 28, 7:35 P.M. at Big Boy Arena (Fraser, MI)

Mar. 29, 6:05 P.M. at McMorran Place (Port Huron, MI)

Saturday’s game in Port Huron is a Casey’s Kid’s Zone night and fans will be able to meet the players after the game! Tickets to that one are available at phprowlers.com/tickets.