Game Recap

Ice Prowlers home versus the Newark Generals
@ the Chiller at Easton
Friday, February 10th, 2006

PROWLERS COME FROM BEHIND TO BEAT NEWARK

Freshman Brad Noskowiak (Reynoldsburg) netted two goals to lead the Prowlers to victory against the Newark Generals and win the season series 3-1.

The Prowlers had gone the first half of the season with only two times bringing home consecutive victories. Since the new year break though, they have only had one loss. That loss came 6-5 at the hands of the Newark Generals (1/19/2006) at the Newark Municipal Ice Rink. Since then, the team had one tie and then rattled off four straight wins.

The season series between the teams is 2-1 in the Prowlers favor after a 3-0 win at Newark (12/08/2005), a 4-2 win at home (12/16/2005), then the 6-5 see-saw loss at Newark just weeks ago (1/19/2006). With the win at Newark, the Generals gave themselves a chance at tying the season series in this game. A Prowler win would all but clinch second place in the GCHSCHL.

The Prowlers came out completely flat to start this contest. The Generals got on the board first with a quirky power play goal from Brent Wallace with 4:16 remaining in the first. The shot from the corner somehow found it's way through junior goaltender Justin Lohrman and straddled the goal line behind him before Wallace pounced on the loose puck for the goal. Wallace then scored another power play goal with 1:32 left in the second period to give the Generals a 2-0 lead that looked like it would hold into the third, but junior defenseman Cody Berkebile took the game into his own hands and scored unassisted just 9 seconds later to get the Prowlers on the board and to give his team a newfound life.

The third period saw the Prowlers come back with a vengeance. Freshman Adam McGrath scored 1:23 into the period on a nice cycling play down deep in the Generals end to beat goaltender Andrew Clark and tie the game up at 2-2 (assisted by junior Nick Hess and Berkebile). Freshman Brad Noskowiak then scored a pair of his own for the Prowlers starting with a slap shot from the slot with 9:01 left (unassisted) and then the back breaker just under three minutes later. Senior alternate captain Taylor Walcutt added a power play goal with 1:36 remaining (assisted by Berkebile) to add to his league leading goals total and to put the game away.

With the win, the Prowlers took a stronghold on second place going into the final game of the regular season, when the visit Westerville on Sunday (2/12/2006) at 5:40 PM at the Chiller at Easton. That series is tied at 1-1-1 going into the final match. After that, it is on to the Blue Jackets Cup GCHSCHL Championship Tournament Thursday (2/16/2006) and their quest to bring back the Blue Jackets Cup.