GAME RECAP: Rockers at Watertown Wolves 11/22/23

Coming into Wednesday night's contest, the Motor City Rockers were the last team in the FPHL to have still not suffered a regulation time loss. They had been joined by Binghamton, but the Watertown Wolves took care of that Saturday in an impressive 5-1 win over the Black Bears. Now the Wolves looked to knock off the Rockers as well at Watertown Arena on Thanksgiving Eve. They didn't quite pull it off, needing overtime to get the victory, so the Rockers still come away with a point, but this was another regulation win that slipped through Motor City's fingers as Watertown came back from being down 2-0 to claim the 3-2 win in the extra period before an announced crowd of 752 fans.

It didn't take long for things to get feisty in the first. Motor City's Brad Reitter dropped the gloves with Watertown's Joshua Tomasi just 3:20 in. Tomasi ended up getting the last shot in so a slight advantage to him in the tussle. Then at 8:56, each team's resident tough guy flung their equipment away off a face-off as Rocker Elias Thompson battled Fed veteran tough guy Justin Schmit. There wasn't much to this fight to be honest, neither player really got a good shot in so we will call this one a draw. With the fisticuffs out of the way it was time for some pucks to fly into the net. The Rockers struck first at 13:54 when leading scorer Scott Coash picked up a bouncing puck at the blueline and went high over Wolves goalie Eloi Bouchard for his fifth goal of the season. Newly signed defenseman Erik Oganezov drew the only assist in his first game as a Rocker. Motor City then added one late in the period on the powerplay. Pavel Svintsov tried a wrap-around attempt that came to the front of the net where Danny Vanderwiel buried it past Bouchard for his fourth of the season at 18:26 for the 2-0 Motor City lead. Brad Reitter was credited with the only assist on the play. The Rockers fired 23 shots at Bouchard overall in the period, while Trevor Babin stopped all 17 shots he faced.     

The chippiness continued in the second period. Motor City's Jonathan Juliano was belted by Dakota Seaman which didn't sit well with TJ Delaney who went after Seaman for the night's third fight. Seaman got Delaney on the ice and got his shots in while he was down so give the decision to Seaman on this one, but credit to Delaney for sticking up for his teammate. Barely a minute after that bout, the Wolves got on the board. Babin made a great save on Tate Leeson but was down on his back on the ice leaving a gaping net for Trevor Lord who deposited the puck into the net for his seventh of the season at 8:39. Less than a minute later, Leeson was headed for the showers after picking up a major for spearing along with a game misconduct. Neither team could score after that, despite good chances on both ends, and Motor City carried a 2-1 lead into the second intermission. The Rockers again had a decisive advantage in shots on goal in the period, out-shooting Watertown 17-9.    

Things stayed 2-1 until late in the third when Chase DiBari beat Babin on a wrap-around goal for his second of the season at 15:52 from Trevor Lord and Marc Bottero. Watertown out-shot Motor City 18-13 in the third and came out of it with the equalizer to send things to overtime. And Lord would be the hero in the extra session. After Babin made a great save, the puck came out to Lord who blasted it past the Rockers netminder for his second of the night and eighth of the season at 4:12 from Bottero to give the Wolves the win. 

Motor City comes out of this one with a point and a 6-0-3 mark on the season, good for twenty points overall. Binghamton won Wednesday night however, putting them seven points ahead of the second place Rockers in the Empire Division. Motor City has played three less games though, so there are nine potential points sitting there for the Rockers to make up ground. I know it is early in the season, but Binghamton is damn good so Motor City needs to keep that gap in points manageable if they entertain hopes of a division title. 

Up next for the Rockers is a two game set in Elmira this weekend, with Friday and Saturday games against the River Sharks. Motor City holds a 1-0-1 record so far on the season against Elmira, losing in a shootout 3-2 on November 3rd, then rebounding the next night with a 4-1 victory in New York.