Game Recap: Hat Tricks Eke Out One-Goal Win Over Prowlers, 4-3 Final

DANBURY — The Hat Tricks held on in the third period to nudge out Port Huron 4-3 Saturday night to secure their sixth win in the last seven games and fourth straight against the Prowlers this season. Defenseman Josh Labelle’s game-winning goal at 13:37 of the final frame proved to be the difference.

7:16 into the first period, Labelle received an entry pass from Woolley up the left wing and sniped the puck to the top corner to improve his point streak to eight. Danbury outshot Port Huron 11-4 in the first period.

In the second period, captain Jonny Ruiz fired a frozen rope to the top shelf beating Prowler’s netminder Makar Sokolov 58 seconds into the period, marking his team-high 30th goal of the season. Ruiz now has eight goals in the last five games.

The Prowlers responded just minutes later when forward and former Danbury Titan Dalton Jay tipped one past Hat Tricks Connor McCollum at 5:25 to cut the Danbury lead to one. With the goal, Jay became just the third player in FPHL history to reach the 500-point mark. With less than a minute remaining, Port Huron’s Liam Freeborn evened the score at two when he slipped the puck through the five-hole of McCollum.

The Hat Tricks regained the lead midway through the third when Jacob Ratcliffe, the hero from Friday night, shoveled the puck inside the left post at 8:50. The goal marked Ratcliffe’s eleventh goal of the season, second since returning from injury, and fourth versus the Prowlers this season. At 13:37, Labelle navigated the blueline and snapped home his second goal of the night to regain Danbury’s two-goal advantage and secure his second career multi-goal performance.

Shortly after at 14:45, Port Huron got back within one after forward Evan Foley pitched the puck over the outstretched blocker of McCollum. Despite a late empty-net push, the Hat Tricks neutralized the Prowlers and finished off a one-goal win.

The Hat Tricks go for the weekend and season sweep of the Prowlers on Sunday, March 3 at 3 p.m.

The Hat Tricks are more than midway through their regular season Cup defense and we still want you to be a part of it! Season and single-game tickets are still available for purchase. Partial season packages can save fans up to 30% and include benefits such as FREE parking and season passes to the Danbury NAHL/NA3HL Hat Tricks games. Call Herm Sorcher at (973) 713-7547 to secure yours today or press here to learn more. To buy single-game tickets press here.

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