Game Preview: Hat Tricks vs. Port Huron Prowlers | Oct. 10

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SEASON OPENER

The Danbury Hat Tricks open the 2025–26 season tonight against the Port Huron Prowlers at the Danbury Ice Arena in a highly anticipated playoff rematch. The Hat Tricks begin the year at home for the fifth time in six seasons and face Port Huron in the opener for just the second time. In their inaugural campaign in 2019, Danbury dropped two overtime decisions to the Prowlers, 5–4 and 4–3, before earning revenge the following season with back-to-back wins by scores of 7–5 and 5–4 in overtime. The rivalry has since developed into one of the Federal Prospects Hockey League’s most spirited matchups, and tonight’s meeting comes with added intensity after last season’s playoff ending.

LAST TIME OUT

Port Huron eliminated Danbury in the 2025 Empire Division semifinals, a series capped by defenseman Ben Brockway’s controversial “flag plant” celebration at center ice — an incident that was not disciplined by the league but became one of the offseason’s biggest talking points. The Hat Tricks have made it clear they remember the slight, and the energy inside Danbury Ice Arena should reflect that.

In that playoff series, Danbury opened Game 1 on the road with a 2–0 lead before the Prowlers scored six straight goals to win 6–3. Back in Danbury for Game 2, the Hat Tricks responded with two power-play goals — one each from Josh Labelle and Noah Robinson — to force a decisive Game 3. Once again, Danbury jumped ahead 2–0, but Port Huron stormed back with five unanswered goals to clinch the series and end the Hat Tricks’ season.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

The two sides met seven times during the 2024–25 regular season, with Danbury winning the series 5–2 (3–1–1–2). Jonny Ruiz led the Hat Tricks with 13 points (5g, 8a), while Matt Graham paced Port Huron with eight (4g, 4a).

The season series opened in Port Huron on Nov. 29–30, where Danbury swept both games (5–4, 5–2). Gleb Bandurkin scored the Game 1 winner early in the third period, and the Hat Tricks followed with a dominant Game 2, jumping out to a 5–0 lead through two periods behind multi-point efforts from Aleksandr Vasilyev (1g, 1a) and Ruiz (1g, 3a).

In their February rematch (Feb. 14–15), Danbury erupted for five unanswered third-period goals to win the opener 7–2, highlighted by Vadim Frolov’s first career hat trick. The Prowlers responded the next night with a 4–2 win in a bruising contest that featured 82 combined penalty minutes.

The final three games shifted to Danbury and produced more fireworks. On Feb. 22, the Hat Tricks rallied from a 3–1 deficit to earn a 6–5 shootout win. Noah Robinson and Dylan Hullaby scored back-to-back power-play goals, Ruiz tied the game early in the third, and Hullaby forced overtime before Danbury prevailed in a seven-round shootout. The Prowlers took the next matchup on Feb. 28, 3–2 in overtime, before the Hat Tricks closed the series with a 4–3 overtime win on March 1. Ruiz scored twice, and co-head coach and alternate captain Kyle Gonzalez buried the winner at 4:24 of overtime — his second of the season, both against Port Huron.

Historically, Danbury has dominated the matchup with a 16–4–4–4 all-time record, including a 14–1–4 mark at home. The Hat Tricks have lost only once in regulation to the Prowlers on home ice — the deciding Game 3 of last year’s playoff series.

ABOUT THE PROWLERS

The Prowlers enter their 11th season in the FPHL and are the league’s second-longest-tenured franchise behind the Watertown Wolves. Last season, they advanced past the first round for the first time in four years before being swept by the eventual Commissioner’s Cup champion Binghamton Black Bears.

Port Huron returns 13 players from last year’s roster, including Brockway, who figures to be public enemy No. 1 in Danbury tonight. The franchise also underwent its first ownership change this summer after a decade under Barry Soskin, signaling a new era for the organization.

ABOUT THE HAT TRICKS

Danbury begins a new chapter of its own. After back-to-back first-round playoff exits — to Motor City in 2024 and Port Huron in 2025 — the Hat Tricks retooled their roster under first-year head coach John Bierchen. The 37-year-old Clearwater, Florida, native brings a decade of coaching experience across North America and Europe, including recent stints with the Nordic Hockey Academy in Austria and Kärpät’s U18 program in Finland. Bierchen previously coached in the SPHL, ECHL, and NCAA ranks and is known for developing structured, high-tempo, and disciplined teams. His hiring represents a fresh direction for a franchise known for its blue-collar, no-nonsense identity.

The Hat Tricks return 10 players from last year’s team but will miss the leadership and production of several longtime contributors. Defenseman and former co-head coach Kyle Gonzalez retired after anchoring the blue line for multiple seasons. Forward Connor Woolley also retired, while forward Cory Anderson — the second-leading scorer in franchise history — moved on after ranking in the top three in team goals and points. Danbury also lost forward Jacob Ratcliffe, who ranks fifth all-time in games played, fourth in points, and second in assists, along with forward Chase Harwell, who sits in the top 10 in goals, power-play goals, and short-handed goals. The Hat Tricks must also replace their high-scoring “Russian line” of Gleb Bandurkin, Vadim Frolov, and Aleksandr Vasilyev. Bandurkin, the team’s 2024 Rookie and Offensive Player of the Year, was traded to the Athens Rock Lobsters; Vasilyev returned overseas; and Frolov is currently on loan with the ECHL’s Tulsa Oilers.

OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW

Among the newcomers, forward Alexander Legkov headlines the group after an explosive season with the New Jersey 87’s (EHL), where he tallied 97 points (31g, 66a) in 38 games, earning league Forward of the Year, First Team All-Star honors, and Frozen Finals MVP. He’s joined by forwards Denis Zaychik and Austan Bellefeuille and defenseman Connor Craig — all key pieces expected to make an immediate impact. They’ll slot alongside returning core players, including alternate captain and Defensive Player of the Year Josh Labelle, two-way forward Josh Newberg, and physical winger Zach Pamaylaon.

LIFE WITHOUT MC

Danbury will also need to find consistency in goal following the departure of co-MVP and franchise wins leader Conor McCollum, who led the FPHL in wins as a rookie (24) in 2023–24 and leaves as the all-time Hat Tricks leader in victories (46). Three goaltenders — veteran Frankie McClendon, Andrew LoRusso, and Kyle Penton — are battling for the starting job entering the season.

MR. DANBURY Returns

Captain Jonny Ruiz returns for his sixth season in Hat City and remains the face of the franchise. The 31-year-old holds every major offensive record in team history, including games played (247), points (329), goals (176), assists (153), power-play goals (51), and short-handed goals (17). A four-time team MVP and three-time Offensive Player of the Year, Ruiz led Danbury to the 2023 Commissioner’s Cup championship and continues to define the franchise’s standard for leadership and production. He owns the two highest single-season point totals in team history (85 in 2021–22 and 74 in 2023–24) and the top three goal-scoring seasons (49, 38, and 35). Ruiz became the first player in franchise history to surpass 300 points on Feb. 22, 2025, against Port Huron — fittingly, the opponent in tonight’s opener.

BIG BRUISER ADDED

New general manager AJ Galante has also added toughness to the roster, signing 6-foot-8 forward Jesse Swanson to a professional tryout contract. The Saskatchewan native logged 121 penalty minutes across multiple leagues last season and brings an immediate physical presence to complement Danbury’s gritty style of play.

The Danbury Hat Tricks open their sixth season in the Federal Prospects Hockey League on Friday, Oct. 10, with a playoff rematch against the Port Huron Prowlers at the Danbury Ice Arena. Single-game tickets and season ticket packages are on sale now 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.

ABOUT DANBURY HAT TRICKS:

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.

Off the ice, the Hat Tricks are committed to fostering connections within the local community through outreach programs with schools, businesses and charities. By developing top-tier hockey talent and growing the sport in the region, the Hat Tricks aim to bring the community together and deliver entertainment that leaves a lasting impact.