Motor City Rockers Sweep RiverSharks With 9-1 win

Fraser, MI — The Motor City Rockers earned its first home series win with a dominating 9-1 win over the depleted Elimra RiverSharks on Saturday night. 

The Rockers jumped out to an early three goal lead thanks to its efficient power play unit. 

2:08 into the first period Roman Gaudet fed the puck to Derek Makimaa. Makimaa then worked it around to the point and on the stick of Josh Colten who fired a blast for his second power play goal of the weekend and a 1-0 lead. 

Three minutes later another Elmira infraction put Motor City up an extra attacker and TJ Sneath took advantage of the opportunity. Jameson Milam fed the puck to Nick Magill-Diaz near the endline. Magill-Diaz found Sneath camped in between the hashes for his first power play goal of the season and a 2-0 lead. 

A similar play developed four minutes later as Motor City capitalized on another power play as Sneath finished a centering pass in the slot for his second of the night and a 3-0 lead. 

The RiverSharks offense didn’t stay dormant, however, as Larri Vartiainen earned his first goal of the season, when he finished a one timer from Brandon Contratto that cut into the Rocker lead 3-1 with 2:06 to play in the first.

Nick Magill-Diaz was able to add his name to the goal side of the scoresheet at the 11:31 mark of the second period when he followed up on a loose puck that lay in the far side circle after a flurry of saves by Sammy Bernard. Magill-Diaz fired the puck past Bernard for his second goal of the weekend and a 4-1 lead. 

The third period netted five more goals for Motor City as the Rockers slammed the door on any chance of an Elmira comeback. 

Mike Winn earned his second of the season when he put in a rebound for a 5-1 lead 2:38 into the final frame. A minute later, Cade Lambdin earned his first of the season on a deflection off a Magill-Diaz shot from the point for a 6-1 lead.

That chased starter Samm Bernard out of the net, as he was replaced by Joe Ackley.

Sneath finished off his first career hat-trick when he fired the puck from the high slot for a 7-1 lead, which corrected a disallowed goal in the first period where he would have earned his hat-trick. The goal was waved off due to it being kicked into the net.

Lambdin added his second of the night with 2:52 to play while Scott Coash added his second of the weekend with a goal a minute later. 

Ricky Gonzalez stopped 27-of-28 shots tonight as he was looking to rebuild lost confidence in which he allowed 14 goals in his last three appearances on 101 shots. 

The Rockers will now take a quick break for the Christmas holiday before regrouping to play Port Huron on Friday and Saturday at McMorran Place and Sunday at Big Boy Arena in the I-94 Rivalry before the new year.