Shootout Success Gives Flags Sixth Straight Win
Published on December 24, 2006 under International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Port Huron Flags News Release
Game Recaps
Friday, Dec. 22 Bloomington 3 vs. Port Huron 4 (SO)
In the teams' third meeting of the season, Bloomington got off to an early lead, scoring two goals in the first four minutes. The Flags battled back in the second period, tying up the score on goals from Bobby Kukulka and Colt King. Although two PrairieThunder players were ejected from the game in the third, a shorthanded goal by Alex Goupil gave the visitors a late lead. Less than a minute later, Garett Cameron evened the score, sending the Flags to their fifth shootout of the season. Having been unsuccessful in all previous shootouts, the Flags kept their winning streak alive when TJ Sakaluk and Greg Bullock scored in the fourth and fifth rounds, respectively. Dustin Traylen stopped all but one of Bloomington's shots to seal the deal. All honors went to Port Huron, as King, Traylen and Cameron were named First, Second and Third Stars of the Game.
Saturday, Dec. 23 Port Huron 4 vs. Kalamazoo 3 (SO)
The Flags' reversed the order of things on Saturday night when they scored twice in the first period, once by Garett Cameron and another from Greg Bullock. The Wings played catch-up in the second, netting their own pair of goals to equalize the match. Early in the third, another Kalamazoo score put the Wings up 3-2, but Bobby Kukulka changed the game when he tied it with less than 2 minutes on the clock. Kukulka and Shayne Tomlinson's shootout scores were matched by Nick Bootland and Glenn Detulleo, sending the game to further rounds. Mike Olynyk and Justin Cross both missed in the sixth set, and Colt King faked out Ryan Nie to secure the game-winner for the Flags, followed by Dustin Traylen's textbook stop on Adam Elzinga.
Player of the Week: Colt King
DATE Vs. G A PTS PIM +/-
12/22 Bloomington 1 2 3 2 -1
12/23 Kalamazoo 0 0 0 2 -1
TOTALS 2 1 2 3 4 -2
Colt's outstanding performance lifted the Flags to their fifth and sixth consecutive victories, moving them into a tie for 3rd in the Eastern Conference and a 3-way tie for fourth overall in the league. King snagged the second of the Flags' three goals on Friday, and assisted on the other two, sending the team to a shootout, where they would lock up the win.
On Saturday, he didn't score in regulations, but made a beautiful play in the 7th round of the shootout, netting the game-winner for the Flags, which ended a near 3-year draught against the Wings in Kalamazoo. In both games, he was named 1st Star of the Game.
Colt has collected 16 points in 19 games and is the Flags third leading score, even after missing a month of the season due to injury. This is his second time earning these honors in 3 weeks.
Goaltender of the Week: Dustin Traylen
DATE Vs. W/L/SOL MIN GA SAVES SPCT.
12/22 Bloomington 1/0/0 60:00 3 26 .897
12/23 Kalamazoo 1/0/0 00:01 0 0 N/A
TOTALS 2 2/0/0 60:01 3 26 .897
Dustin has now recorded 4 straight wins, a personal career best. On Friday he stopped 26 shots from Bloomington, and then allowed just one goal from 5 shooters for the victory. He was awarded 2nd Star of the Game in the contest.
While he did not play in regulation on Saturday, he was put in goal for the shootout against seven Kalamazoo scorers that have a combined 134 points on the season. In the initial round, he came up with 3 huge saves against Scott Dobben, Kory Karlander and Lucas Drake. With the game on the line in the sixth set of shooters, he stopped Justin Cross to keep the Flags alive. After Colt King scored on Kalamazoo, Traylen effortlessly stopped Adam Elzinga's shot, improving Port Huron's winning streak to 6 consecutive games and giving the Flags their first win in Wings Stadium since February 2004.
Team Notes
- The Flags have now won a franchise record 6 in a row, and is second in the league in current streaks.
- Their 4 straight wins at McMorran leads the league in current home winning streaks
- Bobby Kukulka is on a 6-game scoring streak, recording at least one goal in each of the team's past victories, since Dec. 13. It is the league leading current streak and is tied for season streak with Muskegon's Todd Robinson, who scored 7 points in 6 games from Oct. 14-Oct. 28.
- The win in Wings Stadium was the first for the team since February 2004.
- The Flags had lost all previous shootouts before Friday night. They are now 2-4 in overtime competition and lead the league in number of shootout matches played.
- Dustin Traylen has recorded his best career streak with the Flags, winning 4 in a row for Port Huron.
- The Flags remain perfect at home against Bloomington
- After multiple weeks at 5th place in the Eastern Conference, the Flags now move ahead of Flint and are tied for 3rd with Elmira, with 28 points each. They share a 3-way tie with Elmira and Rockford for 4th place in the league
- Kukulka, King & Bullock all have 11 points in the month of December. Every Flag who has played in 3 or more games in December has recorded a point in regulation.
- Traylen and Ruden share the #4 spot in the league, with a SPCT of .913
- Traylen's 2 shootout wins are tied for second best in the league with Clayton Pool and Kevin St. Pierre
- Traylen's 5 shootout saves against Kalamazoo are a league high (tie)
- Markham continues to lead the league in shorthanded rookie goals (4)
International Hockey League 2 Stories from December 24, 2006
- Shootout Success Gives Flags Sixth Straight Win - Port Huron Flags
- Muskegon Fury notes - Muskegon Lumberjacks
- Two-game split sends Hogs to brief holiday break - Rockford IceHogs
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