Series Preview: Silver Stick Weekend Rivalry

The red-hot Port Huron Prowlers get set to clash with the rival Motor City Rockers in another home-and-home weekend. If Port Huron wins both contests, they’ll at least split the 14-game season series.

The Prowlers are coming off of their second-straight weekend sweep against a division basement dweller as they welcomed in the Mississippi Sea Wolves for the second time this season. After giving up a goal on the first shot of the weekend, Valtteri Nousiainen stopped each of the 24 that followed and his team put up five unanswered to take Friday’s game 5-1. The next night, a bizarre circumstance led to the Sea Wolves causing their own game-tying goal to be taken off the board in the third. Port Huron scored on its ensuing power play to get some insurance en route to a 4-2 victory. The Prowlers have won five-straight games and snuck into second place in the Empire Division at 16-12-3 with 47 points.

The Rockers’ offense sputtered last weekend in Danbury, managing one goal in two games. Friday, they went down 5-0 late in the second before finally managing to score. It was too little too late as the Hat Tricks won 6-1 behind William Berry’s four-point effort. The next night was a goaltending duel between Ricky Gonzalez and Connor McCollum. Despite the former’s 56 saves, Dylan Hullaby scored the only goal of the game to get Danbury the sweep. McCollum stopped 65 of 66 Motor City shots over the two games. The Rockers are firmly in fifth in the Empire at 11-16-2 with 32 points.

SEASON SERIES (PROWLERS LEAD 5-1)

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

LAST MEETING

After giving up a shorthanded goal to open the scoring, Port Huron scored what was then a season-high seven goals as 12 players found the scoresheet. The game featured two separate runs of three-unanswered goals for the visitors as they dominated on New Year’s Eve. 

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Prowlers - Matt Graham (F) - The Port Huron head coach is charging toward 500 FPHL points as he rides a six-game point streak. Graham’s next point will make him the fourth member of the exclusive club.

Rockers - Mathias Tellström (F) - He didn’t play last weekend but Tellström is the only Rocker on any kind of hot streak offensively. He has six assists and seven points over his last five games.

STAT CENTRAL

Matt Graham (PHP) is 1 point away from becoming the 4th player in FPHL history to reach 500 points…Ricardo Gonzalez (MCR) has made 56+ saves in each of his last 3 starts…Of the Prowlers’ 5 shorthanded goals this season, 3 have been empty netters…The Rockers have scored two or fewer goals in four of their last five games

SERIES SCHEDULE

Jan. 24, 7:35 P.M. at Big Boy Arena (Fraser, MI)

Jan. 25, 8:05 P.M. at McMorran Place (Port Huron, MI)

The later start times are due to Silver Stick championship tournament games take place at both arenas. Tickets to Saturday’s game are available at phprowlers.com/tickets.