Rockers Power Play Propels Motor City In 5-3 Win Over Port Huron
Port Huron, MI — The Motor City Rockers earned a 5-3 win over the Port Huron Prowlers on Saturday night thanks to a two goal third period at McMorran Place.
Entering the third period the game was tied at 3-3, and the Rockers league leading power play gave them the cushion it’d need.
With 11:11 left in the third period, Mike Winn quarterbacked the power play from the point. After he received a pass from Jameson Milam, Winn fed the puck to TJ Sneath. Sneath, whose five game point streak was broken on Friday, fired a sharp wrister to the low glove side for his fourth power play goal of the season and a 4-3 lead. The insurance goal came off the stick of TJ Delaney with 5:00 to play in the final period. Declan Conway fed the puck to Milam on the nearside where the defensemen faked a shot, and fed the puck to the far side post to Delaney. Delaney finished the one-timer for his second goal of the night and a 5-3 lead. Ricky Gonzalez earned his first win over Port Huron after dropping the game on Dec 8th. Gonzalez stopped 33 shots on the night while improving to 4-3 on the season.
Motor City was chasing goals most of the contest while the Prowlers and Rockers traded goals the entire first period with each team getting on the board via even strength and power play goals. Port Huron took an early 1-0 lead when Dalton Jay broke through a battle along the wall and chipped the puck ahead to a wide open Liam Freeborn ahead of the play. Freeborn then walked into the slot on a breakaway and a goal.
Motor City was able to tie the score three minutes later.
Dante Suffredini gathered the puck deep in the defensive zone and passed it toward the neutral zone and on the stick of newly signed Adam Kuhn. Kuhn walked the puck into the far side circle and fired a quick wrister for his first professional goal since the 2011-12 season and a 1-1 tie.
The Prowlers regained the lead on the power play when Mitch Jones fired a shot from the point that was kick-saved to the far side circle where Freeborn was able to fire it back on net for his second of the night with 5:29 to play.
On a power play of its own, Motor City tied the score when it was looking for a deflection in front of Ian Wallace. Suffredini tried to get a deflection and missed, but was able to regain the puck on a cycle from Tristan Wells. On the second attempt from the near side circle, Suffredini fired for a deflection that Roman Gaudet tipped in for his power play goal of the season for a 2-2 tie with 1:57 to play in the first period.
The Prowlers took the lead back in the second period just 19-seconds in.
Off a face-off draw, Evan Foley’s win pushed the puck to Jones who ripped a blast for his second goal of the weekend and a 3-2 lead.
Motor City got a little puck luck to tie the score at 3-3 with 12:50 to play in the middle frame.
On a face-off draw, Jonathan Julian won the draw, and the puck bounced off the skate of Delaney. As it shot up in the air, Prowler Alex Johnson tipped it with his stick as he tried to settle it down, and put it in his own net for a 3-3 tie. Delaney was credited with the goal, good for his eighth on the season.
Motor City and Port Huron will wrap up its three game series tomorrow (Sunday) afternoon at Big Boy Arena in Fraser. Fans can skate with the players after the game, and are encouraged to bring their skates to the rink.