Motor City Rockers Top Columbus 4-2, Snaps MacDonald's Point Streak

Fraser, MI — The Motor City Rockers looked to rebound after a dismal performance in last weekend’s series in Columbus where the Rockers were swept in three games. 

Fast Forward to Friday in Hockeytown, the Rockers earned a big 4-2 win breaking a seven win streak for the RiverDragons.

The Rockers ended the first period with the lead thanks to Pavel Svintsov’s first goal since March 2nd.

Rocker Forward Jonthan Juliano cut the puck off at the half wall in the Motor City offensive zone. After he passed it to TJ Delaney, the 6-foot-6 forward from St. Louis, MO centered it to Svintsov in the slot. After a quick move to his back-hand, the Russian put the puck away for a 1-0 lead with 10:36 to play in the opening frame.

Last weekend against Columbus, Motor City struggled in the second period being held to some of its lowest shot totals of the season. That wasn’t the case on Friday night when the Rockers acquired 14 and two goals.

The first goal of the middle frame came from an aggressive forecheck that kept the puck in the offensive end. Juliano fed the puck to the end line where Svintsov feathered a pass to the slot and Danny Vanderwiel. The captain walked into a well aimed shot for his seventh of the year and a 2-0 lead. 

The RiverDragons were able to get one back, however, on its first power play of the night. 

Carter Shinkaruk carried the puck at the point and fed it to the nearside wall to Nolan Slachetka. The forward from Joliet, IL fired a shot that was turned away by Trevor Babin, but the rebound came out to the low circle to Alexander Jmaeff for a 2-1 game.

Forty seconds later, Motor City built the lead back up to two, 3-1 when Nick Magill-Diaz rifled a shot from the high slot past Brendan Colgan for his eighth of the year. 

Columbus brought the lead back to one, 3-2, when Cody Wickline deflected a shot from Parker Layton, who recorded his first professional point early in the third period at the 1:11 mark. 

The Rockers built the lead back up thanks to a pure effort play from TJ Delaney who forced a turnover deep in the RiverDragon end. After a Columbus player misplayed the puck in the nearside circle, Delaney gathered the biscuit and fired it past Colgan for a 4-2 lead.

This is the first loss Colgan has suffered since December 23rd against the Carolina Thunderbirds breaking a 15-game win streak from the Wynnewood, PA native. Justin MacDonald’s history setting 38-game point streak also came to a halt as the Hamilton, ON native failed to get on the scoresheet in the contest. 

The Rockers will not have time to rest as it will host the Empire Division leading Binghamton Black Bears on Saturday at 6:05pm at Big Boy Arena before the Easter Break.