Series Preview: Prowlers Back on the Road

The Port Huron Prowlers continue to alternate home and road weekends early on in 2024-25 as they make their third visit to Visions Veterans Memorial Arena to take on the Binghamton Black Bears. The Prowlers just finished a six-games-in-10-nights stretch in which they went 1-4-1.

After a win Wednesday, Port Huron wrapped up Thanksgiving week with a pair of home games against the Danbury Hat Tricks. The first meeting was a back-and-forth high-scoring affair. Gleb Bandurkin’s third-period goal turned out to be the game-winner in a 5-4 Hat Tricks victory. The next night, Danbury again scored five goals, starting seven seconds into the contest. The Prowlers offense couldn’t keep up as they fell 5-2. The sweep vaulted the Hat Tricks past now fourth-place Port Huron who is 6-8-2 with 18 points.

In the most anticipated series of the weekend, Binghamton tamed the Watertown Wolves. Things were tight on Friday in Watertown as it was 1-0 Black Bears late into the third. Chiwetin Blacksmith tied it with under six to play, but Austin Thompson scored shorthanded within the final three minutes to give Binghamton all three points. The next night at Visions Veterans Memorial Arena wasn’t nearly as close. The Black Bears scored the game’s first six goals and then three of the last five for good measure in a 9-2 drubbing of the second-place Wolves. CJ Stubbs led the way with a goal and four assists. Binghamton is showing no signs of a championship hangover leading the entire FPHL with a 13-2-1 record and 37 points. The Black Bears extended their lead over Watertown atop the Empire from two points to eight after the sweep.

SEASON SERIES (BLACK BEARS LEAD 2-0)

Oct. 26 @ Binghamton: Black Bears 5, Prowlers 4 (OT)

Nov. 9 @ Binghamton: Black Bears 2, Prowlers 0

LAST MEETING

Connor McAnanama made 21 saves to pitch his second shutout of the season while the Prowlers failed to score in a game for the second time in 2024-25. Zac Sirota’s first-period tally stood up as the game winner. Valtteri Nousiainen stopped 38 shots in a losing effort.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Prowlers - Joel Frazee (F) - Frazee and the second power play unit for Port Huron have been hot as he’s recorded a man-advantage goal in three-straight games. Ludwig Thellström assisted on all three of those goals, twice picking up the primary helper.

Black Bears - Josh Fletcher (F) - Fletcher signed back this week and will likely play his first game of the season this weekend. His return comes in the wake of Cameron Clark and Blake Tosto being placed inactive over the last few weeks.

STAT CENTRAL

Valtteri Nousiainen (PHP) has accounted for every one of his team’s six wins this season…Dakota Bohn (BIN) has 14 assists this season, the most by any FPHL player who hasn’t scored a goal…The Prowlers have not won a game outside of Michigan this season (0-5-2)…The Black Bears have given up two or fewer goals in nine of 16 games this season including three shutouts

SERIES SCHEDULE

Dec. 6, 7 P.M. at Visions Veterans Memorial Arena (Binghamton, NY)

Dec. 7, 7 P.M. at Visions Veterans Memorial Arena (Binghamton, NY)

Both games can be seen live or on demand on the PHP Network YouTube channel.