Thunderbirds End Prowlers Point Streak

Five unanswered goals helped the Carolina Thunderbirds to a 5-3 comeback victory over the Port Huron Prowlers at McMorran Place on February 7. Port Huron saw its nine-game point streak come to an end.

After a scoreless opening period that was largely controlled by Carolina, the Prowlers got the scoring started in the second. Reggie Millette’s pass to Alex Johnson on a two-on-one hit backchecking Jan Salak’s stick and rainbowed over Mario Cavaliere’s blocker to break the ice.

Later in the frame, Millette kept in a clearing attempt during a Port Huron power play and fired a pass to Lukas Lacny in tight to the net. He took a look and fired a shot to the top corner to double the lead.

In the final minute of the frame, The Thunderbirds got a man advantage. Jiri Pestuka’s point shot was deflected home by Nate Keeley. The score was tied in the first minute of the third when Salak got his stick in the way of a Prowler pass and Pestuka fired the turnover home.

“We have to take better care of the puck,” said Prowlers head coach Matt Graham. “We have to go back and get the puck and then move it when the opportunity is there. I think we hold onto it a little too much and the forwards aren’t coming back to support the puck. I think we can do a better job of working off the puck.”

Later in the period, Carolina got another power play and Roman Kraemer ripped in his team-high seventh man-advantage tally of the season. Kraemer and Jon Buttitta each hit the empty net before Ludwig Thellström got one back in the final seconds.

The Prowlers finished with 15 shots on net, their first time with fewer than 20 shots since November 24, 2018. 

“We didn’t possess the puck in the [offensive] zone enough; I think we took the first opportunity we had too much,” Graham said. “A lot of their shots were from the perimeter so if you look at quality, it’s a lot closer than that. We talked about possessing the puck in the o-zone and working it around but I don’t think we did that successfully tonight.” 

Millette ended up with a goal and an assist while Valtteri Nousiainen kept his team in the game with 35 shots.

All four Thunderbirds goal scorers added an assist apiece while Gus Ford dished out a pair of helpers. Cavaliere wasn’t busy much of the night and stopped 12 shots.

The teams match up again on Feb. 8 at McMorran Place with puck drop scheduled for 7:05 P.M. Tickets are available at phprowlers.com/tickets.

Photo courtesy of Delta Imaging