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MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com – PORT HURON, MICH. – Despite a 2-0 lead through the middle of the first, the Port Huron Flags collapsed under pressure from the Flint Generals on Saturday night, in the final meeting between the teams.
Two power play goals from the Flags opened up the scoring, early in the first period. Ben Gustavson at 5:19, followed by Chris Bogas at 7:57, gave Port Huron a two-goal margin. Scott Wray and Greg Bullock assisted on the first marker, and Bullock and Colt King earned the points on the second. Flint answered back at 11:34 when Shaun Snider’s shot leapt over Dustin Traylen’s shoulder, with assists credited to Jeff Zehr and Rick Smith. The home squad outshot the visitors in the first, by a margin of 17 – 8.
Preston Cicchine equalized the game at 11:33 in the second frame, after he scooped up a missed Flags pass and cornered Phil Angell in a 2-on-1. Instead of passing, he fired in a rifle from the middle of the right circle that escaped Traylen’s glove. Bogdan Rudenko gave the Generals their first lead of the night five minutes later, with a short-side snapper that somehow made it into the net. The power play tally came off assists from Snider and Zehr. Despite an even shot clock at the end of period, 9-9, Flint had the scoreboard advantage.
In the final frame, the Generals blew open the door, collecting points against both of Port Huron’s goaltenders. An unassisted goal from Rick Smith at 3:27 was the last shot that Traylen faced, as he was replaced by Noah Ruden. At 8:54, Rudenko found gold again, beating Ruden from Jordan Fox and Dave Frawley. Exactly a minute later, Jan Jas added to the Generals damage when Ruden lost control of the puck as it trickled in the net behind his arm. Bobby Reynolds and Zehr had the assists as Flint took a 6-2 lead and crushed any hopes of a last-minute rally. However, the night was not over for Rudenko, who picked up a hat trick during the only power play of the third, when King was called for cross-checking. At 12:03, Zehr and Miller set up the shot that earned Rudenko his first three-goal game of the season.
Traylen stopped 15 of 19 in the loss, while Ruden made three saves on six shots in a no-decision. Muzzatti turned away 30 of Port Huron ’s 32 attempts to earn the win. AT&T’s Three Stars of the Game were awarded to Rudenko, Zehr and Snider, respectively.