Prowlers Tie up Battle of I-94 Series

The Rockers losing streak was extended on Saturday night to five games .Still looking for its first win of 2023, Motor City fell to the Port Huron Prowlers 4-3 at McMorran Ice Arena as the Prowlers have evened up the Battle of I-94 at 5-5 after sweeping the weekend series.

The Rockers (14-11-3) jumped out early on thanks to a goal in first and second period before the Prowlers were able to come back. On the face off draw immediately to start the power play, the Rockers took advantage. Scott Coash won the draw with a quick push to Declan Conway. Conway fed the puck to the point where Ian White one-touched the puck back to Coash. 

As Suffredini moved into position on the far side of the ice, Coash offered a rink wide pass to the defensemen atop the far side circle. Suffredini took a step and blasted a shot for a 1-0 lead with 10:48 into the first. 

In the second period, Coash broke his scoring drought that extended back to Dec 16 when he put away a one-timer from Conway. 3:38 into the period, Conway carried the puck along the far side boards as he entered the offensive zone. As he got to the circle he dropped the puck off for Coash who fired the puck into the net for a 2-0 lead. 

Port Huron (18-11-3) then led the rest of the way exploding with four unanswered goals two of which were created with a little puck luck. After a face-off draw, Sam Williams fired the puck into a crowd in front of Blake Scott. As the puck lay high in the crease, Evan Foley chipped the puck over Scott to cut into the lead, 2-1. 

Foley was again in the right place at the right time three minutes later when Larri Vartianen fired a puck that was deflected toward the glass. The puck appeared to hit the safety netting, which would have blown the play dead, but play continued as the puck fell near the goal. Foley put away the tying goal, 2-2,  moments later. 

After Sam Marit added his second power play goal of the weekend to make it 3-2, Vartiainen got a little puck luck of his own. As he was falling to his knee and away from the goal in the near circle, Vartiainen fired the puck towards the net and clipped the top shelf for a 4-2 lead. 

Motor City stopped the bleeding late in the second period on the power play when White found the puck in the slot and offered a pass to Coash for his second of the night. The Rockers ended up falling to the Prowlers, 4-3.

The Rockers and Port Huron will see one another again on Thursday Jan. 19th at Big Boy Arena at 7:30pm, where Motor City will look to end its losing streak.