Game Recap

Ice Prowlers away versus the Westerville Warcats
@ the Chiller North
Friday, December 3rd, 2004

Prowlers win to take a piece of 1st place.

Every season, there is one heated rivalry that carries over year after year despite the players names, or the coaches behind the benches. That rivalry is between the Ice Prowlers and the Warcats. This year is no different. Coming into this match, Westerville was up by two points in the standings on the Prowlers as the result of their 4-2 victory back on 11/07/2004. This game would either give the Warcats a 4 point cushion, or give the Prowlers a piece of 1st place in the standings.

The Prowlers came out of the gates on all cylinders. Junior Jesse Betts was in the Prowler net while Bill Sorokas was at the other end for the Warcats. In this penalty filled match, the Prowlers would get on the board first with an unassisted power play goal from sophomore Nick Hess at the halfway mark of the period. Hess would then score his second of the game just 20 seconds later coming from behind the net and beating Sorokas on the odd angle shot. Senior alternate captain Anthony Kantor got in on the action with a power play goal with 4:09 remaining in the period (assisted by senior alternate captain Mike Miller and sophomore Cody Berkebile) to give the Prowlers a three goal lead.

The Prowlers appeared to be all over the Warcats, then with 2:20 remaining in the period and the Prowlers on the power play, the puck hit off of the referee and onto the stick of Ryan Kreiger who put home a short handed breakaway to get Westerville on the board. That goal was followed up by the Warcats on the power play when Jack Staley scored while Betts appeared to be interfered with in the crease. This put the Warcats down by just one goal going into the second period.

With more of the same chippy play going on in the second, Aaron Archibald was able to score on the power play when freshman Zach Wiard pinched at the blue line with his team short handed. The game was then knotted at 3-3 until Hess completed his third hat trick of the season on the power play with 22.3 seconds remaining in the period to give the Prowlers a 4-3 lead that they would not let go of.

The Prowler defense did not allow a single shot on Betts in the third period and held on for the 4-3 victory in this heated contest. In a game that saw 25 penalties (66 minutes) handed out between the two teams, the Prowler power play went 3 for 7 while giving up one short handed goal.

The Prowlers now have the rest of the weekend off, but have a stacked schedule next weekend. They are on the road Thursday and Saturday travelling to Newark and Athens to face the Newark Generals on Thursday (12/09/2004) at 7:00 PM at the Newark Municipal Ice Rink, then Saturday (12/11/2004) at 6:30 PM at Ohio University Bird Arena (Athens) to face the Athens Bobcats. Then, Sunday (12/12/2004) at 5:30 at the CoreComm Ice Haus the Prowlers will be back at it with the Westerville Warcats for another intense battle.