Babin, Coash, and Delaney Propel Rockers In Series Finale
Fraser, MI — The Motor City Rockers’ season will continue.
After dropping Game 2 on Saturday night to Danbury, the Rockers needed to bounce back in a must win scenario for both teams and were buoyed by its top goalscorer who had yet to find the back of the net in the series.
Scott Coash stepped up and earned two goals and goaltender Trevor Babin made 41-of-42 saves to lead Motor City to a 4-1 win over the defending FPHL Champions on Sunday evening.
The Rockers will host the Empire Division regular season champion Binghamton Black Bears on Friday night at Big Boy Arena at 7:35pm before traveling out to New York for Games 2 and 3 on Saturday and Sunday.
Special teams played a huge factor early for the Rockers in the first period.
Thanks to a delay of game call on Danbury goaltender Connor McCollum 1:42 into the opening frame, the Rockers cashed in with 20-seconds left in the man advantage.
After a face-off draw in the offensive zone, the puck found the stick of Josh Colten. Colten swung it to the near side to Lane King who then offered a cross-ice center to Coash who buried the puck for a 1-0 lead and his 28th of the year.
Five minutes later, the Rockers earned a short-handed goal, after giving up a shorty last night to Danbury in the third period.
Jonathan Juliano helped break up the play at the blueline and TJ Delaney got open for a breakaway that was initially saved and pushed to the corner. Mike Winn came in and picked up the puck and crashed the net, firing a back-hand of his own for his second short-handed goal of the season and an early 2-0 lead.
Motor City’s penalty kill has been dominant down the stretch of the regular season, but was nothing short of elite in Round One vs Danbury. The Rockers killed all 12 power plays it faced on the weekend.
Delaney and Coash teamed up for the lone goal in the second period when Delaney picked up a fumbled puck in the neutral zone. He chipped it ahead to Coash creating the 2-on-1 when the two played give-and-go in the offensive zone with Coash finishing a one-timer on the nearside for his second goal of the night and a 3-0 lead.
Trevor Babin’s shutout was foiled with 6:32 left in the third period. Danbury played with an extra attacker in the final nine minutes of the game and it helped spring Billy Berry. Berry roofed a shot on the near side that cut into the lead 3-1.
Still fighting a 6-on-5, Motor City repeatedly iced the puck to help stem the tide. But finally the Rockers were able to get the puck out of the zone for a line change. Delany was able to poke the puck free on an entry attempt that he finished a few moments later with an empty net goal and a 4-1 lead.