Game Recap

Ice Prowlers away versus the Athens Bobcats
@ Ohio University Bird Arena in Athens, Ohio
Friday, December 2nd, 2005

PROWLERS DROP 2nd OF SEASON TO LEAGUE LEADING ATHENS

The Prowlers had a tough Thanksgiving break, dropping all 4 games in the 2005 Midwest Thanksgiving High School Hockey Classic hosted by St. Charles Preparatory School. In the tournament they lost 6-1 to a tough Strongsville team in the Friday game, then followed that up with a 4-2 loss to Archbishop Moeller and a 4-3 loss to Marian (Mishawaka) on Sunday before closing out the tournament with a 4-2 loss to Hudson in the Sunday game. The Prowlers were in each of the last three games, after starting the tournament out flat against Strongsville, but just could not find a victory in the tournament.

They hoped to turn their fortunes around once they returned to league play, but they were headed back to Athens to play the undefeated league leading Athens Bobcats. Their previous trip to Athens (11/11/2005) ended in a 3-3 tie when the Bobcat's Brian Carlson scored with seconds remaining to tie the game. They knew it would be tough heading into Athens and trying to give the Bobcats their first league loss of the season, but knew it was either that or travel back to Columbus with a five game losing streak.

The Bobcats got on the board first when Zach Brainard came out from behind the net and put a puck past junior Justin Lohrman halfway through the first period. They added to that lead just over a minute later when Stefan Lombard's shot slid slowly across the Prowler's goal line as the net was knocked off of its mourings. The goal stood, and the Bobcats found themselves up 2-0 after the first period scoring 2 goals on 8 shots.

Lohrman did his best to keep his team in this game tuning away 7 shots in the second period, while the Prowler's senior captain Ben French scored a power play goal at 12:15 of the period when he battled for the puck on the back wall, came out and snuck one past Alex Hubbard in the Athens goal (assisted by freshman Brad Noskowiak and sophomore Austin Zurbriggen).

Lohrman came up with another soliod save late in the second period after a defensive breakdown at the Prowler blue line, and remained perfect in the third period, but it wasn't enough as the Prowlers were kept off the board the rest of the way, despite hitting three goal posts in the game and pulling their goaltender for the extra attacker in the final minute. The Bobcats held on for the 2-1 victory and remain undefeated in the GCHSCHL at 8-0-1.

The Prowlers will have a chance to turn things around when they face the last place Northeast Storm who are still looking for their first win of the season. The two teams face off Sunday (12/04/2005) at 4:00 PM at the Chiller at Easton. The team then continue their four game road trip when they make their first trip of the season to the newly renovated Newark Municpal Ice Rink on Thursday (12/08/2005) at 7:30 PM to face the new look Newark Generals who are battling their way up the GCHSCHL standings. Then they play the final game in their four game season series against the Hilliard/Southwest Wildcats at 6:00 PM on Friday (12/09/2005) at the Chiller in Dublin. The Prowlers lead that series 2-games-to-1. The team then returns to Easton on Sunday (12/11/2005) to finish off the busy weekend with a home game against the Northeast Storm at 4:10 PM.