Shorthanded Prowlers Swept by Carolina

The Port Huron Prowlers dropped a 5-3 decision to the Carolina Thunderbirds on Dec. 3 at the Winston-Salem Fairgrounds Annex. Carolina sweeps the three-game series and has won seven straight.

“It was definitely our worst game of the weekend,” said Prowlers assistant coach Chris Paulin. “Not the start, middle or finish we were expecting so it was a tough night. There were some good things that happened in between, but we were outplayed tonight and I didn’t think we were close to be honest.”

Brandon Picard got the scoring started with a shot on the power play that picked the top corner late in the first. Tristan Simm doubled the advantage in the second with a wrist shot off the rush that beat Frankie McClendon clean to the blocker side.

Just 1:09 later, Dawson Baker responded with a power play one-timer but Picard restored the two goal lead later in the period, backhanding a shot that hit McClendon and just crossed the goal line.

Baker got another one-time goal on the power play with just under a minute to go in the frame to pull Carolina back within one, 3-2.

In the third, Schnapp stole an outlet pass in the Port Huron end and took a shot that left a rebound in the crease, which he cleaned up to tie the game. Jiri Pestuka put home the Thunderbirds’ third power play goal of the game a couple of minutes later to put them on top.

“I think the referees would like to have one or two of those [penalties] back,” Paulin said. “We can only control what we do and I thought it gave us a great opportunity on the penalty kill which I thought was really solid Friday and Saturday. Tonight, they made a little bit of an adjustment and we weren’t quite able to counter that.”

Baker completed the hat trick and put the icing on the cake with just over five minutes to go.

Picard was the third star of the game with two goals and an assist while Mathias Tellström contributed a pair of helpers. Ian Wallace made 30 saves in the loss. Port Huron was without Tucker Scantlebury who was serving a suspension and played a man short.

Baker was the first star with the hat trick and an assist while Petr Panacek received second star honors with three assists. Pestuka added a helper to his goal while Gus Ford dished out a pair of assists. McClendon stopped 23 shots in his first start for the Thunderbirds since signing back with the team in late November.

The Prowlers are back at it on Dec. 8 when they host the Motor City Rockers at McMorran Place with a 7:05 P.M. puck drop. Tickets are available at phprowlers.com/tickets or by calling the box office at 810-985-6166.

Photo courtesy of Delta Imaging