AHL Bridgeport Islanders

Shorthanded Sound Tigers Beat Bears 5-2

Published on February 11, 2006 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release


HERSHEY, PA - The American Hockey League's Bridgeport Sound Tigers, top affiliate of the National Hockey League's New York Islanders, rode an early barrage of goals and a 43-save performance by goaltender Frederic Cloutier to a 5-2 road win over the Hershey Bears Saturday, their first in "Chocolatetown" this season. The Sound Tigers began the evening short one skater, with Evgeny Tunik out with the flu, and dropped to two men down when Ryan Caldwell left with an injury in the first period.

The Sound Tigers roared out of the gates with their second four-goal period in as many nights to take a 4-0 lead through the first 20 minutes of play. They also lit the lamp four times in the second period of Friday's 7-4 home win over the Lowell Lock Monsters.

Sean Bergenheim, who had two goals and three points in Friday's victory over Lowell, notched his team-leading 18th and 19th goals to open the scoring. Bergenheim made 1-0 with his second shorthanded marker in as many games off an assist from Jeremy Colliton at 6:03 and doubled the lead to 2-0 with a backhand swat of the rebound of a Jeff Hamilton shot at 12:06 with Colliton collecting his second helper on the play.

Just 43 seconds after Bergenheim's second tally, Steve Regier out muscled Hershey's Tomas Fleischmann to bang home the rebound of a Chris Thompson shot for his ninth goal of the year, with Rob Collins getting the other assist. Regier's goal made it 3-0 and chased starting goaltender Frederic Cassivi, who entered the game leading the AHL with 23 wins, from the Bears net in favor of Kirk Daubenspeck. Cassivi left with three saves on six shots through the first 12:49 of play.

Matt Koalska made it 4-0 with a power-play goal, his third marker in as many games and 15th of the season, off assists from David Masse and Allan Rourke with 2:04 left in the first period.

Regier is now on a three-game point streak, Collins and Hamilton are on four-game scoring streaks, Koalska is on a three-game goal streak and a four-game point streak and Rourke has helpers in each of the last three games.

Daubenspeck stopped four of five shots in 7:11 of relief work, but Hershey returned Cassivi to the net to start the second period. However, Colliton grabbed a loose puck and threw home his 12th goal of the season off an assist from Bergenheim just 28 seconds into the middle frame upping the lead to 5-0.

The Bears made it interesting with a pair of third-period goals. Martin Wilde blasted home his second of the season at the 1:52 mark off assists from Jonas Johansson and Deryk Engelland to make it 5-1. Johansson then added his fifth 3:07 later off assists from Jeff State and Louis Robitaille to cut the Sound Tigers' lead to 5-2.

Bergenheim was the first star, Cloutier the second and Colliton the third. Cloutier made 19 of his 43 saves in the final frame as Hershey outshot the Sound Tigers 21-8 in the third period en route to a 43-27 advantage. The Sound Tigers were 1 for 9 on the power play and 8 for 8 on the penalty kill. Cassivi finished the game with 18 stops.

The Sound Tigers are scheduled to return to Bridgeport's Arena at Harbor Yard to host the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins tomorrow, Sunday, February 12th, at 4:05 p.m. All Sound Tigers games are web-cast live at www.soundtigers.com. Fans can also watch all AHL games live on the B2 Networks.

Tomorrow will be "Diamond In The Rough Night" with one lucky couple winning a set of diamond-stud earrings courtesy of Marks of Design in Shelton. Information about Sound Tigers ticket packages and promotions is available by calling 203-334-GOAL or emailing info@soundtigers.com.

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American Hockey League Stories from February 11, 2006


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