Photo courtesy of David Dell and Delta Imaging

Port Huron meet with Danbury for the first time ever in the postseason. Should be one of the closer series.

#3 Port Huron Prowlers (32-18-4-2)

Key Players:

Matt Graham (55GP, 24G, 42A)

Alex Johnson (56GP, 20G, 45A)

Reggie Millette (43GP, 19G, 35A)

Austin Fetterly (55GP, 15G, 38A)

Lukas Lacny (30GP, 20G, 27A)

G: Valtteri Nousiainen (1806MP, 2.66 GAA, 17-11-2, .912 SVPCT)

The Scoop: For the first time in six years, the Prowlers will not be playing the Carolina Thunderbirds in the first time. This team hasn’t made it out of the first round since 2018. It took a little bit of time for this team to come to fruition, but Matt Graham and Alex Johnson have built a really solid roster.

The big names have done their job, and the team will be getting back Stefan Diezi and he will bring a whole new element to their game against Danbury’s speed.

In goal, Valterri Nousianen will be back, but the question is, will Matt Graham go to him in goal, or go to Reid Cooper. This series could very well go down to goaltending.

#2 Danbury Hat Tricks (33-15-5-3)

Key Players:

Gleb Bandurkin (49 GP, 32G, 32A)

Jonny Ruiz (46GP, 29G, 32A)

Chase Harwell (42GP, 28G, 28A)

Jacob Ratcliffe (55GP, 15G, 39A)

Josh Labelle (56GP, 10G, 38A)

G: Connor McCollum (2479MP, 3.15GAA, 22-13-6, .913 SVPCT)

The Scoop: A Danbury team that got out to a slow start, they finally have found their core and have brought in a few young defensemen to help bolster the back end.

Josh Labelle has been playing the best he’s played since joining Danbury, Jonny Ruiz has been playing at a high level, and the Russian Line of Frolov, Bandurkin and Vasiliyev has been the team’s best line. Dylan Hullaby has brought a different element to this team as well.

Only seven members of the Hat Tricks championship team remains, which gives the team a big experience advantage. In goal, it will be Connor McCollum, who has been fantastic the last two years, and the team will lean on him in goal.

Head-to-Head

Danbury won season series 5-2.

Predictions:

Christian: This series will have two overtime games, Hat Tricks in 3, but it will be the best series of the first round.

Mat: Danbury in 3. Again this series is one that comes down to goaltending and I have to give Danbury the slightest edge. Connor McCollum is a bit of a money goalie, he comes up huge when needed and has the experience to draw from. Nous is a quality goalie but again McCollum can out battle him. The guy who can turn this series into a Prowlers win is Reggie Millette, if he can bring it and I mean BRING IT. Port Huron could decidedly take this in a winner takes all game three.