PORT HURON, MI – The Port Huron Icehawks beat the expansion Dayton Gems and Quad City Mallards last week to remain in second place in the IHL with 57 points and an overall record of 27-9-0-3. The Icehawks will look to keep that momentum alive this week as they head into four games in six days.
The Icehawks’ busy week begins Tuesday when the third place Fort Wayne Komets come to town. The two teams have not met since December 12, when goalies Tim Haun and Larry Sterling squared off with just 30 seconds remaining in Port Huron’s 2-0 shutout.
On Wednesday night, the Icehawks travel to Muskegon with a chance to reclaim first place in the standings. The Icehawks currently trail the first place Lumberjacks by two points, but have one game in hand. The Icehawks left Muskegon with a 1-0 victory the last time they traveled to Muskegon on December 13. The Lumberjacks lead the season series 5-2-0-1.
The weekend brings a pair of home games against the Flint Generals on Saturday and a rematch with the Komets on Sunday. The Icehawks have been very successful when the Komets and Generals have come to town this season, with a perfect 5-0-0-0 record at McMorran Arena, outscoring the visitors 21-8 in the process. Port Huron has not faced either team in more than a month. The Icehawks are 3-1-0-0 versus the Komets overall and 6-1-0-0 in the season series with the Generals.
Sterling Named IHL Goaltender of the Week: Goalie Larry Sterling stopped 34 of 35 shots in his start in Dayton on Wednesday, improving his unbeaten in regulation streak to 12 games. Sterling shut down the Gems to get back on track after playing just the first period of his last two starts. He finished the week with a 1.00 goals against average and a .971 save percentage. The honor is his fourth this season. He was also named Goaltender of the Week in Week Nine and Goaltender of the Month in both October and December.
A Look Back: Wednesday night in Dayton, the Icehawks’ special teams took center stage in a 4-1 victory, scoring two shorthanded goals while holding the Gems to 1-4 on the power play. Their success continued in a 4-1 win over the Quad City Mallards Saturday. Quad City was unable to score in seven power play opportunities, while the Icehawks converted in two of three chances.
Injured Reserve: Defenseman Kevin Hansen was placed on the 30-Day Injured Reserve list today. The Icehawks captain is expected to miss three months with a back fracture. In good news, forward Cory Stillman has been activated from IR and is slated to make his return to the ice tomorrow. Center Kris Vernarsky and left wing Mike Kinnie remain on IR.
Powerful Play: For the second time this season, the league’s best penalty killing unit outscored opposing power play squads over a week’s worth of games. The Icehawks scored two shorthanded goals while holding the Gems and Mallards to 1-11 on the power play. Port Huron has allowed 11 fewer power play goals than any other team, and is also the only team to score more than 40 power play goals of their own.
Offensive Defensemen: Icehawks defensemen played very well at the offensive end last week, scoring three goals and four assists. Daniel Tetrault, Mike Gershon and Jamie Lovell have at least 20 points each this season, and they represent three of the top six scorers among IHL defensemen. Tetrault has led IHL defensemen most of the season and he currently sits on top with 30 points on seven goals and 13 assists.
Upcoming Promotions:
Tuesday, January 26 vs. Fort Wayne, 7 p.m. – Alex Delvecchio Night. The former Detroit Red Wing and three-time Stanley Cup winner will drop the first puck and sign autographs immediately following. Autographs are $5 or free with the purchase of Icehawks merchandise. All proceeds benefit Kinney Charities.
Saturday, January 30 vs. Flint, 7:30 p.m. – Star Wars Night. Characters from the popular films will descend on McMorran Arena. The players will also wear specialty jerseys that will be auctioned off. The jerseys of Adam Russo, Larry Sterling, Tab Lardner and Mickael Bedard will be sold in live auction after the game. The rest will be sold in a silent auction throughout the game. There are a very limited number of tickets for this game available.
Sunday, January 31 vs. Fort Wayne, 5 p.m. – Princess Night. Bring your camera to get your picture taken with Snow White and Cinderella.
Ticket Packages: The Icehawks are offering two great discount packages for home games during the 2009-10 season. Family Four Packs are available now for all home games, while Deuces Wild Packages are on sale for all weekday games.
Family Four Packs include four tickets, four hot dogs, and four small fountain drinks for just $44. For just $22, the Deuces Wild Package includes two tickets in the Attack Zone and two beers or soft drinks. The Deuces Wild Package must be purchased at the Icehawks office during normal business hours, while the Family Four Pack is available in advance or at the gate.
Single Game Tickets: Single game tickets for all Icehawks home games are on sale now at the McMorran Arena Box Office, any Ticket Master location or by phone. For more information, visit www.porthuronicehawks.com or call 810-966-3800.
