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FPHL Ice Chips - Game Recaps

April 21, 2024 - Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL) News Release


PORT HURON PROWLERS at CAROLINA THUNDERBIRDS

Tucker Firth Sends Carolina to Semifinals in Overtime

Carolina outlasts Port Huron in Game Three

by Brendan Reilly

Winston-Salem, NC - Following a 4-2 victory in Game Two on Saturday night, the Carolina Thunderbirds needed overtime against the Port Huron Prowlers in Game Three to clinch the series and advance to the Commissioners Cup Semifinals.

For the first 40 minutes Sunday night, both netminders stood tall. Carolina goalie Cody Karpinski and Port Huron netminder Makar Sokolov went shot for shot across the first 50 minutes. A tense Fairgrounds Arena crowd was waiting for a breakthrough and with 8:21 remaining in the 3rd period, the Thunderbirds found the opener.

Josh Koepplinger, who scored two goals in Game Two, settled down a puck at the top of the zone and snapped a shot through traffic that beat Sokolov send the crowd into a frenzy and giving Carolina the 1-0 lead.

The lone goal from Koepplinger seemed like the decider until Jeromey Rancourt settled down a bouncing puck and slid a backhand shot through the five-hole of Karpinski tying the game at one with 4:04 remaining in regulation.

Neither side found a winner in regulation and the two sides went to overtime. In the 1st overtime, Port Huron hit the post early on and Jacob Schnapp had two-point blank opportunites that Sokolov saved to keep the game alive.

With nearly eight minutes gone in overtime, a puck bounced to Tucker Firth walking into the attacking zone and he snapped a shot past Sokolov to send Carolina to the Commissioners Cup Semifinals with a 2-1 victory.

The goal from Firth was the second of his postseason career and sends Carolina to the Semifinals next weekend against the Columbus River Dragons.

Game One of the best-of-three series is set for 7:30 p.m. on Friday evening in Winston-Salem with Game Two on Saturday in Columbus at 7:30 p.m. The if necessary, Game Three will be on Sunday at 6 p.m. in Columbus.

DANBURY HAT TRICKS at MOTOR CITY ROCKERS

Babin, Coash, and Delaney Propel Rockers In Series Finale

by Ben Szilagy

Fraser, MI - The Motor City Rockers' season will continue.

After dropping Game 2 on Saturday night to Danbury, the Rockers needed to bounce back in a must win scenario for both teams and were buoyed by its top goalscorer who had yet to find the back of the net in the series.

Scott Coash stepped up and earned two goals and goaltender Trevor Babin made 41-of-42 saves to lead Motor City to a 4-1 win over the defending FPHL Champions on Sunday evening.

The Rockers will host the Empire Division regular season champion Binghamton Black Bears on Friday night at Big Boy Arena at 7:35pm before traveling out to New York for Games 2 and 3 on Saturday and Sunday.

Special teams played a huge factor early for the Rockers in the first period.

Thanks to a delay of game call on Danbury goaltender Connor McCollum 1:42 into the opening frame, the Rockers cashed in with 20-seconds left in the man advantage.

After a face-off draw in the offensive zone, the puck found the stick of Josh Colten. Colten swung it to the near side to Lane King who then offered a cross-ice center to Coash who buried the puck for a 1-0 lead and his 28th of the year.

Five minutes later, the Rockers earned a short-handed goal, after giving up a shorty last night to Danbury in the third period.

Jonathan Juliano helped break up the play at the blueline and TJ Delaney got open for a breakaway that was initially saved and pushed to the corner. Mike Winn came in and picked up the puck and crashed the net, firing a back-hand of his own for his second short-handed goal of the season and an early 2-0 lead.

Motor City's penalty kill has been dominant down the stretch of the regular season, but was nothing short of elite in Round One vs Danbury. The Rockers killed all 12 power plays it faced on the weekend.

Delaney and Coash teamed up for the lone goal in the second period when Delaney picked up a fumbled puck in the neutral zone. He chipped it ahead to Coash creating the 2-on-1 when the two played give-and-go in the offensive zone with Coash finishing a one-timer on the nearside for his second goal of the night and a 3-0 lead.

Trevor Babin's shutout was foiled with 6:32 left in the third period. Danbury played with an extra attacker in the final nine minutes of the game and it helped spring Billy Berry. Berry roofed a shot on the near side that cut into the lead 3-1.

Still fighting a 6-on-5, Motor City repeatedly iced the puck to help stem the tide. But finally the Rockers were able to get the puck out of the zone for a line change. Delany was able to poke the puck free on an entry attempt that he finished a few moments later with an empty net goal and a 4-1 lead.

HAT TRICKS ELIMINATED IN 4-1 LOSS TO MOTOR CITY

by Doug Lattuca

Fraser, MI - The Hat Tricks were eliminated from the 2024 Commissioner's Cup Playoffs on Sunday night in a 4-1 loss to Motor City. The Rockers snatched a three-goal lead late in the second period and Motor City netminder Trevor Babin stole the show, especially down the stretch, stopping 42 of 43 shots on goal. Scott Coash, Motor City's leading goal scorer in the regular season, buried two for the Rockers.

With the Rockers on the power play, 3:22 into the first, Coash received a cross-slot pass from Lane King and one-timed it in from the top of the right circle to put the Rockers on the board early. The goal marked the first time the Rockers scored in the opening period of the series.

At 8:28, Mike Winn settled the puck in the near corner, charged to the goal, and went bar down over the shoulder of McCollum to push the lead to 2-0.

With just 46 seconds remaining in the second period, Coash wristed the puck from the top of the right circle past McCollum for his second of the night and a 3-0 lead.

In the third period, the Hat Tricks showed some desperation pulling the goalie with around eight minutes to go. 13:28 in the final frame, rookie Billy Berry gave the Hat Tricks some life, lifting the puck under the bar to beat Babin for Danbury's only goal.

With the net empty and the Hat Tricks pressing for another goal, TJ Delaney added the empty netter ultimately ending Danbury's season.

With the win, Motor City advances to the second round of playoffs and will face the Empire Division Regular Season Champion Binghamton Black Bears in the Divisional Final.

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