Game Preview: Hat Tricks at Port Huron Prowlers | Feb. 14, 2025

LAST TIME OUT

Six unanswered goals powered the Hat Tricks to a 7-2 home win over the Dashers and a weekend sweep on Saturday, continuing their season-best nine-game point streak (8-0-1) and six-game win streak.

Noah Robinson (1-1-2), Dylan Hullaby (2g), and Jacob Ratcliffe (1-3-4) each scored with less than six minutes left in the first period, rallying the Hat Tricks out of a 1-0 deficit.

Gleb Bandurkin scored Danbury’s final goal of the night for his team-high 20th this season. 

Hullaby potted two goals for the first time in his Hat Tricks tenure, also scoring Danbury’s sixth goal of the game in the second.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

The Hat Tricks face off with the Prowlers in the third of seven meetings this season on Friday. The two teams met for a two-game series in Port Huron, Mich., on Nov. 29–30.

Danbury won the first game, 5-4, on Gleb Bandurkin’s game-winning goal in the third period (5:00). The series’ second contest also went to the Hat Tricks, 5-2, thanks to co-head coach Jonny Ruiz’s four points (1g, 3a) and Aleksandr Vasilyev’s first game-winner of the season on the power play.

Ruiz leads the Hat Tricks in the season series with five points (1g, 4a). Connor Woolley also has three goals.

Tucker Scantlebury has two goals in the first two games to pace the Prowlers but was loaned to the Knoxville Ice Bears (SPHL) on Feb. 13.

The Hat Tricks and Prowlers battle again on Saturday before Danbury hosts the final three games of the season series on Feb. 22, Feb. 28, and March 1. 

ABOUT THE PROWLERS

Port Huron enters tonight’s matchup in third place in the Empire Division. With 57 points, the Prowlers (15-14-4-1-3) are four points behind Danbury for second place and trail Binghamton by 35 for the top spot in the division. They are only one point ahead of Watertown (56) for the third spot. 

The Prowlers were swept last weekend by Carolina at home with their three-game win streak ending on Friday (5-3L). Port Huron won four of its previous seven contests, scoring 3.3 goals per game. Before falling 3-2 to Motor City on the road on Jan. 24, the Prowlers won a season-high five straight games. 

Port Huron’s special teams has logged 33 power play goals, tied with Carolina for the sixth most in the FPHL. The Prowlers’ penalty kill is eighth (80.6%) and has allowed the league’s fifth-most goals (32). Center Joel Frazee leads Port Huron in power play goals with six and is tied with Chase Harwell for the fifth-most in the league.

Alex Johnson leads Port Huron in points (43), goals (14), and assists (29). The defenseman last tallied an assist three games ago (Feb. 1) in a 6-1 road win over the Dashers. Tucker Scantlebury, who was loaned to the SPHL on Thursday, was the Prowlers’ leading goal scorer (17) and paced the group with five game-winning goals.

HAT TRICKS HEADLINES

The Hat Tricks have won six games in a row for the first time since March 29 of last season and carry a nine-game point streak (8-0-1) into this weekend. With two wins against the Dashers Hockey Club, Danbury swept its fifth weekend series of the season.

Danbury’s chance at nine straight wins comes with a three-game road trip to Port Huron for a pair with the Prowlers, followed by one game at Watertown on Feb. 21. It is the first three-game road trip for the Hat Tricks since playing five straight away from home from Nov. 27 to Dec. 7 (3-1-1).

Despite standing in fourth place in the Empire Division on Jan. 31, Danbury has surpassed both Port Huron and Watertown for second with the help of its season-long nine-game point streak.

Entering their second series with the Prowlers, the Hat Tricks are 11-4-0 in contests decided by three or more goals with five of their past six wins being decided by three or more goals.

The Hat Tricks power play is 13-for-25 (52%) during its six-game win streak and ranks second in the FPHL (25.5%) with 38 goals. Their penalty kill has allowed the fourth-most goals (36) but is 11 for its last 12 (91.7%) and 47 for its past 56 (83.9%) over a 10-game stretch.

With Chase Harwell on the 15-day injured reserve (38 points), Gleb Bandurkin leads the team with 37 points and 20 goals while Josh Labelle has a team-high 27 assists and a +20.

COMEBACK CREW STRIKES

Saturday’s 7-2 win over the Dashers marked Danbury’s ninth come-from-behind victory of the season. Trailing 1-0 at 3:40 of the first period, the Hat Tricks netted three goals for a 3-1 lead before the frame ended. Noah Robinson and Dylan Hullaby scored Danbury’s first two goals for a comeback that took 13:29 in the fourth straight game the Hat Tricks rebounded from an early deficit to win. Unlike Friday’s 5-2 victory, the Hat Tricks would never squander the lead.

DYNAMIC HULLABY-ANDO-ROBO LINE

Dylan Hullaby and Noah Robinson combined to score three Hat Tricks goals in Saturday’s win. Hullaby, 23, posted his first two-goal outing since arriving via trade on Jan. 13, while Robinson has 13 points (5g, 8a) across his last nine outings. Anderson tallied two assists for the first time this season on Saturday, extending his point streak (3g, 4a) to a season-best four games.

RATCLIFFE’S ROLLING

Jacob Ratcliffe scored the game-winning goal for the second straight game on Saturday, stretching his goal streak to a season-high three games. The native of Canterbury, New Zealand, last scored in three straight contests from May 6–13 in 2023, burying four combined goals in the Commissioner’s Cup Finals against Carolina. Ratcliffe has seven game-winners in three seasons with Danbury.

VADIM THE DREAM

Vadim Frolov scored in the second period of Saturday’s win, marking the fourth time this season the rookie winger has buried goals in back-to-back games. It was the second multi-point performance in as many games for Frolov, who has 11 points (5g, 6a) in his last six outings. Frolov has 13 goals and 12 assists through 33 games played this season.

BANDURKIN’S BRILLIANCE

Gleb Bandurkin scored for the second straight game on Saturday, expanding his season-best point streak (8-7-15) to seven games. The Moscow, Russia, native, 24, has two multi-goal performances in his last four outings, including his first career hat trick on Feb. 1. Bandurkin holds three total multi-goal outings as part of a team-high 20 goals this season.

ABOUT DANBURY HAT TRICKS:

The Danbury Hat Tricks are a professional hockey team based in Danbury, CT and compete in the Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL). Since their founding in 2019, the 2023 Commissioner's Cup Champions have brought thrilling, fast-paced, and hard-hitting hockey to the Danbury Ice Arena, earning a reputation for their competitive spirit, electric atmosphere and strong community ties. The team is dedicated to providing an unforgettable game-day experience for fans of all ages while proudly representing the city of Danbury.

Off the ice, the Hat Tricks are committed to fostering connections within the local community through outreach programs with schools, businesses and charities. By developing top-tier hockey talent and growing the sport in the region, the Hat Tricks aim to bring the community together and deliver entertainment that leaves a lasting impact.

Danbury Hat Tricks single-game tickets and full/partial season membership plans are still available for purchase. If you are interested, email herm@danburyhattricks.com or go to Tixr.

To stay up to date on all things Danbury Hat Tricks hockey, go to danburyhattricks.com and follow the team on Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok (@DanburyHatTricks).