Sound Tigers defeat Devils
April 11, 2009 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release
Bridgeport, Conn. - Mike Iggulden scored twice in the Sound Tigers' 3-1 victory over the Lowell Devils Saturday night, to clinch home-ice advantage for the team's first round match-up against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the Calder Cup Playoffs. Stephen Gionta would break the scoreless tie in the first period for the Devils but Ben Walter would knot the game at one, about seven minutes later. Peter Mannino started in goal for the Sound Tigers and stopped 22 of the 23 shots he faced to finish the regular season with 17 wins. The Sound Tigers complete the season with the best record in their eight-year history, 49-23-3-5, giving them a total of 106 points.
Lowell opened the scoring 4:55 into the opening period when Gionta redirected his second goal of the season past Mannino. Nicklas Bergfors collected a pass from Justin Pender at the top of the left circle and wristed a high shot on net. Gionta stationed in front was able to tip the puck down, past Mannino to give Lowell the 1-0 lead. Walter would tie the score about seven minutes later when he went to the front of the net and jammed the puck through Devils' starting goalie, Jeff Frazee. Jon Sim extended his point-scoring streak to seven games on the play, with an assist. Dustin Kohn had the second assist on Walter's 20th goal of the season. Iggulden would give the Sound Tigers their first lead of the game less than three minutes later with his 24th tally of the season. Trevor Smith set-up the Sound Tiger leading scorer for a shot in the left circle that he ripped past a screened Frazee to give the Sound Tigers a 2-1 lead. Kohn picked up his second helper on what would become the game-winning goal.
In the second period, Mannino turned aside all 10 shots he faced to keep the game knotted at 2-1 in favor the Sound Tigers.
Iggulden would give the Sound Tigers the insurance they needed with his 25th marker this year, 8:15 into the third period. Smith fed a pass behind the net to Rob Hennigar who came out from the left post and banked a pass of the side of the net to Iggulden in front. Wasting no time, Iggulden snapped a shot past Frazee's glove to close out the scoring at 3-1 in favor of the Sound Tigers.
Mannino finished the game with 22 saves to earn the victory, while Frazee stopped 18 shots in the defeat. The Sound Tigers went 0-for-1 on the power-play and 5-for-5 on the penalty-kill.
The Sound Tigers will play their first two home games of the Calder Cup Playoffs on Friday, April 17th and then the following night, Saturday, April 18th at 7 p.m. Both games will take place in Long Island, NY at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. For tickets or information about how you can reserve your seats for any of the upcoming Sound Tiger playoff games, contact the team's front office at (203) 334-GOAL or e-mail info@soundtigers.com.
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