PLAYOFFS GAME RECAPS 4/19/25

PLAYOFF EDITION

COLUMBUS RIVER DRAGONS at ATHENS ROCK LOBSTERS

Athens Historic Season Comes to a Close

by Matteen Zibanejadrad

Athens, GA - The Columbus River Dragons eliminated the Athens Rock Lobsters from the Commissioner’s Cup playoffs with a 4-2 scoreline Saturday night in Akins Ford Arena.

The night started in Athens’ favor with two unanswered goals in the first period. 

First, Orca Wiesblatt batted in a rebound from a Garrett Milan shot just 1:06 into the matchup.

Later on in the frame, Milan stunned with a magical one-handed push through Trevor Babin’s five-hole.

The second period was a mirrored reflection of the first with Cody Wickline and Scott Docherty leveling the scoreline with goals at opposite ends of the 20 minutes.

After the third period was walked on a tight rope by both teams, a crucial power play opportunity arose for the visitors; Alex Storjohann scored his fourth goal of the playoffs with a one-timer.

The Rock Lobsters rolled the dice and emptied the net; however, Cody Wickline’s shot from the left side secured Columbus’ spot in the Commissioner’s Cup semifinals.

The Rock Lobsters thank the fans that made this season possible and look forward to seeing them again for next season at Akins Ford Arena.

RIVER DRAGONS SCORE FOUR UNANSWERED GOALS TO ELIMINATE ROCK LOBSTERS

Wickline Scores Twice, Storjohann Nets Game Winner

by Tom Callahan

Athens, GA - The Columbus River Dragons scored four unanswered goals to turn a 2-0 deficit into a 4-2 series-clinching victory over the Athens Rock Lobsters on Saturday night.

Trailing 2-0 after the first period, Columbus began to claw its way back in just 1:08 into the second period as Cody Wickline put a rebound past William Lavalliere (28 saves) to get the River Dragons on the board from Nathan Balkwill and Austin Daae. Then at the end of the period Scott Docherty cashed in on his own rebound from the low slot to tie the game at 18:31 heading into the third period.

A cautious start to the period yielded few scoring chances, but late in the period with Columbus on the power play Alex Storjohann scored at 15:52 from Ryan Hunter and Kirk Underwood to put the River Dragons ahead for the first time in five-plus periods of play on the road.

With time winding down and Lavalliere out for the extra attacker Wickline scored into the empty net at 19:02 to cement the game and the series for Columbus.

Trevor Babin notched the win with 30 saves on 32 shots.

The River Dragons will now advance to face the Carolina Thunderbirds starting Wednesday night at the Columbus Civic Center. Tickets are on sale now through the Civic Center Box Office and online at TicketMaster.com

PORT HURON PROWLERS at DANBURY HAT TRICKS

Hat Tricks, Vasilyev Force Game 3, Defeat Prowlers 4-2 in Danbury

by Wyatt Kopelman

Danbury, CT - Aleksandr Vasilyev scored the game-winning goal in the third period and the Hat Tricks defeated the Port Huron Prowlers, 4-2, in Game 2 of the Empire Division Semifinals at the Danbury Ice Arena on Saturday.

Vasilyev buried his first goal of the playoffs at 5:27, seconds after Port Huron’s Adam Heinzl’s holding minor expired. The Hat Tricks rallied from a first-period deficit to tie the series and force a winner-take-all elimination game in Danbury.

Port Huron’s Tucker Scantlebury scored off an offensive-zone faceoff to give the Prowlers a 1-0 lead at 5:45 of the first. 

The Hat Tricks countered with back-to-back power play goals in the second period. Josh Labelle potted his second goal of the playoffs from the high slot at 5:02 to tie the game at one and Noah Robinson tipped home a loose puck in front 1:17 later for Danbury’s first lead. Four of the seven Hat Tricks’ goals in the series’ first two games were via the power play.

Gleb Bandurkin sat for hooking at 9:45 and Port Huron’s Austin Fetterly, at 4-on-3 leveled the contest at three with 9:16 to go in the middle frame. 

Port Huron’s Alex Johnson abused an official and was assessed a 10-minute game misconduct with about 3 ½ minutes remaining and Matt Graham was assessed a holding penalty 1:19 later. Bandurkin scored an empty-net goal with nine seconds remaining.

Conor McCollum stopped 26 of 28 shots to earn third-star honors.

Up next, the Hat Tricks battle the Prowlers in a win-or-go-home contest on Easter Sunday. Puck drop is scheduled for 5 p.m.

Prowlers Can't Finish Hat Tricks

by Will Wiegelman

Danbury, CT - The Danbury Hat Tricks staved off elimination as they defeated the Port Huron Prowlers 4-2 in a back-and-forth Game 2 at Danbury Ice Arena. It sets up a winner-take-all Game 3 on Easter Sunday in Danbury.

The Prowlers got the only goal of the first period as Jamie Bucell won a faceoff clean back that Tucker Scantlebury was able to rip home. 

That held up until the second when Port Huron got into penalty trouble. Josh Labelle converted a five-on-three goal 1:17 before Noah Robinson gave the Hat Tricks the lead with a five-on-four man advantage marker.

"Definitely some things to address with the penalty kill," said Prowlers assistant coach Chris Paulin. "You have to have guys sell out to block shots this time of year. Like [head coach Matt Graham] said [in the locker room], shot lanes are the most important thing. The guys who sell out and block shots are the guys who are going to be in thaty situation."

Midway through the frame, Austin Fetterly floated a shot to the net that Matt Graham deflected in. The goal is currently listed as Fetterly’s, his first career playoff goal. 

"They're leaving the front on the power play and Graham has been tipping pucks in all year," Fetterly said. "Just tried to play to his strengths and floated one in."

A few minutes later, a four-on-three opportunity for Port Huron saw Fetterly hit the back of the net again. This time though, the goal was called back for goaltender interference and the Prowlers wouldn’t score again.

"The referee at center ice saw contact with the goalie," Fetterly, the Prowlers captain, said. "They reviewed it to make sucre [Connor] McCollum was in his crease and he was. Even though he was the one that initiated contact, it's up to the ref's discretion so we have to bounce back and keep going after that."

The 2-2 tie was broken early in the third one second after a Danbury power play ended. Aleksandr Vasilyev found a lane and ripped a long-range shot through to make it 3-2. His linemate, Gleb Bandurkin, sealed the deal with the empty netter.

Valtteri Nousiainen made 29 saves in his first start in over a month for the Prowlers.

Bandurkin had a goal and an assist while Kyle Gonzalez dished out a pair of helpers. McCollum bounced back with 26 saves.

The winner-take-all Game 3 is set for 5 P.M. on Easter Sunday, April 20 and will be available live on the PHP Network YouTube channel. The winner will advance to take on the Binghamton Black Bears in round two.

WATERTOWN WOLVES at BINGHAMTON BLACK BEARS

C-Mac Shuts the Wolves Out

by Brooks Hill

Binghamton, NY -The Binghamton Black Bears defeated the Watertown Wolves 4-0 on Saturday night. Binghamton sweeps the opening round against Watertown for the second-straight season. Connor McAnanama earned his first postseason shutout, making all 15 saves. 

As the series shifted to Binghamton, both teams came to play early in the first. The first 10 shots were split evenly 5-5 and both teams failed to convert on their first power plays. After a hard fought first, the game was still scoreless. 

Binghamton was able to strike first in the middle period. CJ Stubbs scored his second of the playoffs on the power play, igniting the building. From the 2:20 mark on, Binghamton had the lead in the must-win game for Watertown. Blake Tosto was able to grab an insurance tally at even strength at 7:59 and the Black Bears would carry a 2-0 into the locker room at the second break. 

The third period progressed; the physicality ramped up. Bodies flew on both ends as the Wolves were searching for life, but could not break through. Tyson Kirkby was able to grab his first of the playoffs off a beautiful passing play from Austin Thompson and Stubbs. Don Olivieri put the game away with the vacated net goal, and that was all she wrote for the series. 

Binghamton wins 4-0 over Watertown. The Black Bears win the series 2-0. Connor McAnanama becomes the first goaltender in franchise history to record a shutout and now has won his ninth straight postseason game. 

BLUE RIDGE BOBCATS at CAROLINA THUNDERBIRDS

Carolina Sweeps Blue Ridge, Win Game Two, 4-1

Four first period goals blasts Thunderbirds to Continental Division Finals

by Brendan Reilly

Winston-Salem, NC -Behind four 1st period goals, the Carolina Thunderbirds flew past the Blue Ridge Bobcats, 4-1, in Game Two of the Commissioners Cup Quarterfinals to sweep Blue Ridge in two games. 

After putting up three goals in the 1st period on Friday night in Game One, Carolina jumped out quickly in the 1st. Nate Keeley slotted home a shot from the goal line just 94 seconds into the 1st period, putting the Thunderbirds ahead, 1-0. Just over the midway mark in the frame, Jon Buttitta found a breakaway and beat Blue Ridge netminder, Greg Hussey, on the back hand to double the Thunderbirds lead. 

Coming out of the final media timeout in the 1st period, Jordan Gagnon jammed home his first playoff goal putting the Thunderbirds ahead by three, and 18 seconds later, Petr Panacek wired home his second goal in as many nights to give Carolina a 4-0 lead after 20 minutes. 

In the 2nd, Blue Ridge scored on the power play to cut the Carolina lead to three, but Thunderbirds goalie Boris Babik was terrific all night, only allowing the lone goal. Babik saved 13 shots in the 1st period, 14 in the 2nd, and all 16 he saw in the 3rd to finish off a 43 save performance and help send the Thunderbirds to the Continental Division Final for the third straight year in the 4-1 win. 

The sweep for Carolina is its first sweep of a series since the 2023 Commissioners Cup Quarterfinals when the Thunderbirds swept the Port Huron Prowlers. 

The Thunderbirds now move on to the Continental Division final for the third straight season and will see the Columbus River Dragons again. Game One is set for Wednesday in Columbus, Georgia. Puck drop is slated for 7:30 p.m. from the Columbus Civic Center on Wednesday night.