Series Preview: Westward Expedition

The Port Huron Prowlers will embark on a trip to the faraway land of Topeka, Kansas this weekend for neutral site games against the Dashers Hockey Club. During the two-game series, the Prowlers will rebrand as the Topeka Roadrunners and the Dashers will rebrand as the Topeka Scarecrows.


Last weekend, Port Huron faced its in-state rivals, the Motor City Rockers. On Friday at Big Boy Arena, neither team scored for the first 51 minutes of play. The Prowlers jumped out to a 2-0 lead late in the third, helped by Matt Graham’s 500th FPHL point, but the Rockers pushed back and tied the game with 18.7 seconds left. Nick Gullo was the overtime hero to snap Port Huron’s five-game win streak. The next night in Port Huron, Motor City held leads of 1-0 and 2-1 but the Prowlers scored four unanswered en route to a 5-3 victory to earn the split. The win pushed them back into second place in the Empire Division at 17-12-4 with 51 points. 


The Dashers were in Topeka last weekend taking on the Baton Rouge Zydeco. Friday night, the Zydeco, playing as the Roadrunners, took a 3-0 lead after the first period. The Dashers, playing as the Scarecrows, battled back to make it 3-2 going into the third but that’s how the game finished after a scoreless final 20 minutes. The next night, Baton Rouge again took a 3-0 but the Dashers couldn’t make it close. Narek Aleksanyan scored a hat trick and added an assist as the Zydeco won 5-1 to send the Dashers’ losing streak to 26 games. They sit a distant last in the Empire and, the entire FPHL, at 1-25-3 with six points.


SEASON SERIES (PROWLERS LEAD 2-0)

Jan. 10 @ Dashers: Prowlers 9, Dashers 1

Jan. 11 @ Dashers: Prowlers 7, Dashers 0


LAST MEETING

On the heels of their largest margin of victory in six years, Port Huron kept the foot on the gas. The line of Jamie Bucell, Austin Fetterly and Tucker Scantlebury combined for 10 points while Valtteri Nousiainen made 23 saves for the Prowlers’ first shutout since April 2023.


PLAYERS TO WATCH

Prowlers - Alex Johnson (D/F) - On Saturday, Johnson joined Reggie Millette as the only Prowlers with a double-digit point streak this season. He has 19 points over his last 10 games including a five-point outing against the Dashers on Jan. 10.

Dashers - Zac Horn (F) - After being selected off waivers from Mississippi, Horn had a point in each of his first three games as a Dasher. He’s up to seven points in 16 total games this season.


STAT CENTRAL

Tucker Scantlebury (PHP) is 2 points away from 100 in his FPHL career…Bohdan Zinchenko (DHC) has a point in 3 of his last 4 games…The Prowlers are on a 7-game point streak (6-0-1 in that span)…The Dashers have not earned a point in over a month (OTL on Dec. 14 vs BIN)


SERIES SCHEDULE

Jan. 31, 8:30 P.M. at Landon Arena (Topeka, KS)

Feb. 1, 8:30 P.M. at Lanson Arena (Topeka, KS)


Start times in eastern standard time. Both games will be available live on the PHP Network YouTube channel.