GAME PREVIEW: DANBURY HAT TRICKS HOST PORT HURON PROWLERS | APRIL 4TH
LAST TIME OUT
Last night, the Danbury Hat Tricks (20-24-5-4) defeated the Watertown Wolves 7-5 at
Watertown Arena. The win came in their 17th and final meeting of the season, taking the season series 11-6 outright. Danbury is now 4-1 in their last five games.
Despite an early goal from Grady Friedman, Watertown jumped out to a 3-1 lead early in the second period after Roger Powers scored at even strength. The teams would trade goals throughout the period, with Eli Rivers’ goal narrowing it to 3-4 at the second intermission.
Danbury finally took control of the game thanks to back-to-back powerplay goals from former Watertown defenseman Konstantin Chernyuk. Milan Breczko added a shorthanded breakaway goal to make it 6-4, and despite a Dustin Henning goal with 2:11 left, the Hat Tricks hung on as Anton Rubtsov sealed the win with an empty netter.
FRIEDMAN CONTINUES TO PRODUCE
It was only the first of twelve total goals last night, but Grady Friedman’s first period goal continued his impressive production as a newly-signed rookie. The Curry College product now has 5 goals and 2 assists in 6 games, tallying over a point per game in the early sample.
Add last night’s goal to the game-winner he scored against Binghamton last Saturday, and Friedman will be looking for his third goal in as many games vs the Prowlers Saturday night. He was one of a handful of collegiate signees the team made in the last month, slotting in comfortably in the first weeks of his professional career.
TOPEKA WIN VS BATON ROUGE ENDS DANBURY’S PLAYOFF HOPES
Despite the Hat Tricks’ impressive play lately, going 4-1 in their last five, Topeka’s 6-0 win last night vs Baton Rouge clinched a playoff spot for the Kansans and dashed the playoff hopes of the Hat Tricks with three games remaining.
Entering Friday night, the “magic number” for the Scarecrows was 3 points. The win vs Baton Rouge got them to 83 points on the season. Even if Danbury wins their final three games, the most they could finish with is 82 points.
Despite the elimination, a big challenge awaits in the season series finale vs a bitter rival in the Port Huron Prowlers.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
This will be the 7th and final game between the Hat Tricks and Prowlers this season. Port Huron leads the season series 5-1. At the Danbury Ice Arena, Port Huron is 4-0 this season.
In the teams’ last game on January 17th, Danbury fell 1-3 to Port Huron. The night before, the Hat Tricks had picked up their only win in the season series, winning that one 3-2.
The last time Danbury defeated Port Huron at the D.I.A. was on April 19th in the first round of the 2025 FPHL Playoffs, a 4-2 win to force a game three. The Prowlers went on to win game three 5-3, ending the Hat Tricks season. This is one of the most bitter rivalries in the empire division, no matter the circumstances.
ABOUT THE PROWLERS
The Port Huron Prowlers (29-17-1-6) enter tonight having already clinched 2nd place in the empire division. At 100 points with three games remaining, they cannot be caught by the 3rd place Blue Ridge Bobcats.
7-3 in their last ten games, the team is coming off a 5-1 loss last night in Binghamton vs the Black Bears. As noted above, the team has had success vs Danbury this season, leading the series 5-1.
On the stat sheet, forward Bobby Price leads the Prowlers in both goals and points (27 goals, 22 assists, 49 points). Defenseman Alex Johnson leads the team with 34 assists. Between the pipes, Cooper Reid is 22-9-1 with a .929 save percentage (2nd in FPHL) alongside a 2.26 GAA (2nd in FPHL).
HAT TRICKS HEADLINES
ALUMNI NIGHT IS TONIGHT!
On Saturday night, the Danbury Hat Tricks will be hosting the 6th annual Alumni Night. Former players, staff, and contributors from Danbury professional hockey teams past and present will be in attendance for another reunion and celebration of Danbury hockey. We hope to see you there!
The Danbury Hat Tricks continue their sixth season in the Federal Prospects Hockey League on Friday, April 10th (7:30 p.m.) at the Danbury Ice Arena, to take on the Binghamton Black Bears. Single-game tickets and partial season ticket packages are on sale and can be purchased in person at the Hat Tricks office located inside the Danbury Ice Arena at 1 Independence Way in Danbury, by calling (973-713-7547) or emailing (herm@danburyhattricks.com) the office, or online through Tixr. For the latest Hat Tricks news, visit www.danburyhattricks.com, follow the team on Facebook (www.facebook.com/danburyhattricks), Instagram (@danburyhattricks), X (@DanburyHatTrick), TikTok (@danburyhattricks), and YouTube (@DanburyHatTricks), and subscribe to the Hat Tricks' newsletter.
The Danbury Hat Tricks are a professional hockey team based in Danbury, CT, and compete in the Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL). Since their founding in 2019, the 2023 Commissioner's Cup Champions have brought thrilling, fast-paced, and hard-hitting hockey to the Danbury Ice Arena, earning a reputation for their competitive spirit, electric atmosphere, and strong community ties. The team is dedicated to providing an unforgettable game-day experience for fans of all ages while proudly representing the city of Danbury.