Fighting Falcons Look for Division Title in Wenatchee
March 21, 2014 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Port Huron Fighting Falcons News Release
WENATCHEE, WA -The Port Huron Fighting Falcons, proud members of the North American Hockey League, traveled further from home than ever before as they've flown out to Washington, for a weekend series tonight and tomorrow against the Wenatchee Wild, who play their home games roughly two and a half hours from Seattle. Both games begin at 7:05 PST, and will be available on www.fasthockey.com. There will be no radio broadcast of this weekend's games.
The Fighting Falcons (33-14-8) can clinch the North Division title this weekend, as they are just two points shy of securing the division crown heading into tonight's action. A Michigan Warriors loss would give the Fighting Falcons the title before they even hit the ice for tonight's game.
The Wild (28-22-6) are in the midst of an extremely tough battle for a playoff spot in the Midwest Division, as the Wild, the Coulee Region Chill and the Kenai River Brown Bears fight for the third and fourth playoff spots in the division. The Wild and the Chill have 62 points apiece, with the Brown Bears just one point back in fifth place.
The weekend series marks the last of 20 games against North Division opponents for the Wild, who have gone 9-7-2 against North foes so far. The Fighting Falcons swept the Wild when they traveled to McMorran Arena October 12 and 13. Wenatchee has found more success against travel-weary North Division opponents at home, where they are 5-2-1.
Logan Lambdin led the Fighting Falcons with three points on two goals and an assist during Port Huron's sweep of Wenatchee in October. Lambdin was one of seven Fighting Falcons with at least two points in the Fighting Falcons' first weekend series at McMorran Arena of the 2013-14 season.
Alex Blankenburg stopped 19 of 20 Wild shots in a 2-1 win October 12, and Max Milosek made a season-high 44 saves the following night in a 5-3 Fighting Falcons victory. Wenatchee fired more shots on net in the third period of Milosek's start than the entirety of Blankenburg's game against the Wild the previous night.
Troy Loggins (G, 2A) and Parker Tuomie (3A) had three points apiece during the Wild's trip to Port Huron. Chase Perry took both losses, despite allowing just two of Port Huron's five goals in a relief appearance October 13. That game's starter is no longer with the Wild.
No players on either team enter tonight's game on a point streak of more than two games, but Fighting Falcons goalie Alex Blankenburg will put his five-game winning streak on the line.
In other North Division action this weekend, the second-place Michigan Warriors host the third-place Janesville Jets for a weekend series that will technically include three games as the teams will conclude a postponed game from January 11. If the Warriors go 2-1-0 or better, they would clinch home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs. If Janesville goes 3-0-0, they would overtake Michigan for second place in the North Division.
The sixth-place Soo Eagles have a chance to get back into the North Division playoff picture with a three-game road series against the third-place Johnstown Tomahawks this weekend. The North Division standings are so tight, that the Eagles could find themselves anywhere from alone in fourth place to eliminated from playoff contention completely. By one scenario, even a four-way tie for third place is possible heading into this weekend's action.
The Fighting Falcons will take on the Michigan Warriors three times next week to conclude the2013-14 regular season. The Warriors host the Fighting Falcons next Wednesday, March 26 and next Friday, March 28, with another matchup at McMorran Arena Friday, March 28.
Tickets to the final Fighting Falcons home game of the 2013-14 regular season are available at the McMorran Arena Box Office, starting at just $7 for seniors, students and military. For more information, call the team's front office at (810) 966-3800.
Tickets for the first round of the 2014 Robertson Cup Playoffs are also on sale now at the McMorran Arena Box Office. Dates and opponents are still yet to be determined, but tickets for game one and two of the first round are available at the box office, starting at just $8 for seniors, students and military.
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