Series Preview: No Love on Valentine's Weekend

There will be no love lost between the Port Huron Prowlers and Danbury Hat Tricks when they meet up on Valentine’s Day weekend in Port Huron. The two-game series begins a stretch where the Prowlers face the Hat Tricks in five of their next six games.

The Prowlers are coming off of a home weekend against the Continental Division leading Carolina Thunderbirds. On Friday, Port Huron took a 2-0 lead in the second period but Carolina scored five unanswered, including two empty netters, to come back and win 5-3. The next night, the Prowlers again scored first but the Thunderbirds came back to take a tight 2-1 game. It was the first time the Prowlers lost back-to-back games since December and the first weekend series they’ve been swept since November 29 and 30 against the Hat Tricks. Port Huron dropped to third in the Empire Division at 19-14-4 with 57 points.

Danbury was also home facing the lowly Dashers last weekend. Friday was tight and the score was tied late into the third. Jacob Ratcliffe put the Hat Tricks in the lead just over a minute before Gleb Bandurkin added some insurance. Danbury escaped 5-2. The next night wasn’t so close as the Hat Tricks scored six unanswered goals in less than 20 minutes of game time between the first and second periods to blow things open in what was an eventual 7-2 triumph. Danbury jumped over Port Huron into second in the Empire at 19-10-6 with 61 points.

SEASON SERIES (HAT TRICKS LEAD 2-0)

Nov. 29 @ Port Huron: Hat Tricks 5, Prowlers 4

Nov. 30 @ Port Huron: Hat Tricks 5, Prowlers 2

LAST MEETING

Danbury scored seven seconds into the game and was up 2-0 before six minutes passed. Port Huron got back within one goal a couple of times but the hole was too deep to dig out of. Jonny Ruiz’s goal in the final minute of the second period seemed to be the dagger as his team took it 5-2. Ruiz led the way with four points.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Prowlers - Alex Johnson (D/F) - The Prowlers’ points leader did not find the scoresheet last weekend but is still on pace for the best offensive season of his career. With multiple big offensive pieces out of the lineup, he’ll be relied upon even more to create goals.

Hat Tricks - Gleb Bandurkin (F) - Danbury’s goals and points leader is averaging over two points per game over his current seven-game point streak. He reached the 20 goal plateau on Saturday against the Dashers and has scored in five of his last six games including his team’s only hat trick of the season.

STAT CENTRAL

Matt Graham (PHP) has recorded a point in 11 of his last 12 games…Vadim Frolov (DHT) has points in five of his last six games and all five have been multi-point efforts…The Hat Tricks are scoring nearly a goal per game more than the Prowlers (4.26-3.43) but are also giving up nearly a goal against more per game than the Prowlers (3.63-2.86)

SERIES SCHEDULE

Feb. 14, 7:05 P.M. at McMorran Place (Port Huron, MI)

Feb. 15, 6:05 P.M. at McMorran Place (Port Huron, MI)

Tickets to both games are available at phprowlers.com/tickets.