Jonny Ruiz’ Record Game Paces Hat Tricks Win Over Prowlers

Danbury, CT- Jonny Ruiz joined the Danbury Hat Tricks in the 2019-2020 season and immediately became a fixture in the Hat Tricks lineup, rising to wearing a deserved captain’s “C” in Hat City during the 2021-22 season.

On Saturday night, he spearheaded a 7-3 victory for the Hat Tricks over the Port Huron Prowlers with a record setting four goal game. With the scoring binge, the Williamstown, NJ, native recorded the first ever four goal game in the history of the Hat Tricks organization. In the process, Ruiz also scored his 100th goal as a Hat Trick, the first player in franchise history to achieve that milestone.

Ruiz started the scoring with a shorthanded goal at the first period’s seven minute mark and added his second at the 17:23 point of the frame. Lucas DeBenedet and Dmitry Kuznetsov added first period goals to enter the first intermission at 4-0.

Danbury tacked on three more goals in the second period with the first two coming on a power play. Egor Borschev tipped in a Dmitry Kuznetsov shot at the 6:20 mark of the frame on a 5on3 advantage. 29 seconds later, on following 5on4 power play, Ruiz recorded his hat trick goal. With 1:59 left in the frame, Ruiz took a feed from Jacob Ratcliffe and potted the franchise record goal.

Port Huron scored three goals in the final minutes of the game, with Joseph Deveny, Jason Diamond, and Bryan Parsons doing the honors. Diamond’s goal was his first after being signed by the Prowlers from Western New England University.

Even with the late scoring, the Hat Tricks secured a convincing 7-3 win and a clean sweep on the weekend. Danbury improves to 30-6-5, becoming the second team in the FPHL to achieve that win milestone.

Port Huron falls to 21-17-3. With the Motor City Rockers’ win over the Elmira Mammoth, the Prowlers fall to fourth place in the FPHL’s Continental Division.

Wyatt Hoflin was chased after surrendering 6 goals on 16 shots. Danick Rodrigue entered in relief and stopped 21 of 22 shots in the Prowler net.

The Prowlers head to Harrington Delaware for their series next weekend.

Frankie McClendon took the net for the Hat Tricks and stopped 29 of 32 shots in the game, his 6th win in 8 decisions this season.