HAT TRICKS COMPLETE BIG COMEBACK, WIN IN SHOOTOUT

DANBURY, CT – The Danbury Hat Tricks (12-3-1, 34 pts) came back from a three-goal deficit at the start of the third period to beat the Port Huron Prowlers (6-8-2, 19 pts) 6-5 in a shootout.

The Hat Tricks opened the scoring in the first period with Dustin Jesseau’s seventh goal of the season, but fell behind for the first time on their homestand shortly after.

Two straight Port Huron goals gave the Prowlers their first lead of this series and Danbury’s first deficit in the fifth game of its homestand. Gordy Bonnel then scored his ninth with 19 seconds left in the period to level the score.

The second period featured three-straight goals for Port Huron to put the Prowlers up by three after 40 minutes.

“We didn’t play the way we wanted to for most of this game,” said head coach Dave MacIsaac. “But we found a way.”

The Hat Tricks leadership crew was a big reason why. In the first 12 minutes of the third, Cory Anderson scored twice and Jonny Ruiz added his 15^th goal of the season to tie the game.

Ruiz extended his point streak to 16 games, adding an assist on Friday as well. Ruiz now has 26 points on the season.

Jesseau recorded assists on Anderson’s first goal as well as Ruiz’s goal, capping off a three-point night.

In the shootout, goaltender Frankie McClendon stopped three of four Prowlers attempts to secure the victory for the Hat Tricks. Jesseau scored twice in the shootout, with Bonnel adding another successful attempt.

Danbury finishes off the three-game set with Port Huron on Saturday night at 7 p.m. in Danbury Arena.