Motor City Rockers Earn Weekend Split With 4-3 Win Over Bobcats

Fraser, MI — The Motor City Rockers earned a split weekend series at Big Boy Arena against the Blue Ridge Bobcats with a 4-3 win on Saturday night. 

The Bobcats jumped out to an early lead, 1-0, in the first period thanks to a goal by former Rocker Cody Oakes, who beat Trevor Babin through the five-hole for his third goal of the season 6:33 into the first.

The Rockers Captain Danny Vanderwiel knotted the score at 1-1 two and a half minutes later with his first of the season when he followed up a blocked shot and beat Christian Pavlas over his shoulder on the stick side.

The back and forth continued when Kolton Maguire fired a hard shot from the point with 6:20 left in the open frame that was deflected in front by Hunter Hall for his third of the season for a 2-1 lead before the Rockers answered late in the first period. 

With 13.1 left in the opening frame, Declan Conway earned his first point of the year when he feathered the puck across the slot to Derek Makimaa who fired his first of the season to tie the score back up at 2-2. 

Blue Ridge earned a controversial goal in the second period when Chris Ciolek ran into Babin causing him to not be able to play the puck and scored while the net was off its mooring for a 3-2 lead. 

The Rockers were held scoreless for over 25 minutes of play between the first and third periods before Motor City tied the score off the stick of Dante Suffredini. 

With 12:31 left in the third period, Pavel Svintsov slid the puck from the far side to the point to Suffredini. From there, the defenseman from Shelby Township, MI fired a shot through a crowd that found the back of the net for a 3-3 tie. 

Vanderwiel later earned the game-winner when he picked up a rebound from behind the net and took a chance at a wrap-around as Pavlas was rising to his feet. As he did, the goaltender knocked the net off the moorings as Vanderwiel put the puck in for his second of the night and a 4-3 lead with 1:31 to play. 

The Rockers have earned a point in every game they played this season and will travel to Elmira, NY to face the River Sharks next weekend on Nov 3rd and 4th before coming home for a home-and-home series with Port Huron the weekend of the 10th and 11th.