Sound Tigers Open December with Three Games this Weekend
December 2, 2016 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release
DATE OPPONENT TIME BROADCAST
Fri, Dec. 2 @ Springfield Thunderbirds 7:05 p.m. AHLlive.com
Sat, Dec. 3 vs. Binghamton Senators 7 p.m. AHLlive.com
Sun, Dec. 4 vs. Lehigh Valley Phantoms 3 p.m. AHLlive.com
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. - The Bridgeport Sound Tigers (13-6-0-0) open the month of December with their third three-game series of the season, beginning tonight with a 7:05 p.m. matchup against the Springfield Thunderbirds at MassMutual Center in Springfield, MA. Bridgeport has won five of its last six games, including a 5-4 shootout victory against the Albany Devils at home on Wednesday. Jon Landry scored the only goal in a three-round shootout, while Steve Bernier, Jesse Graham, Ben Holmstrom and Josh Winquist all found the back of the net in regulation. Between the pipes, Eamon McAdam made 24 saves for his fifth win in five starts this season.
STAR WARS NIGHT
The Sound Tigers are proud to present "Star Wars Night" at 7 p.m. this Saturday. The first 2,000 fans will receive a free light saber at the door and a special $25 ticket package is available that includes access to the game and a movie ticket to see the new Star Wars: Rouge One film with the Sound Tigers players on Dec. 27th. Packages must be purchased in advance by calling the team's front office at 203-345-2300, option 7, or online: ORDER ONLINE NOW (use promo code FORCE).
TIGERS VS. THUNDERBIRDS
Tonight's game marks the fourth of 12 meetings between the Sound Tigers and T-Birds this season, and the second of six matchups at MassMutual Center. Bridgeport currently trails the series 1-2-0-0, including a 2-0 setback in their last meeting on Oct. 30th, in which goaltender Reto Berra stopped all 28 shots he faced for one of his league-leading three shutouts. However, the Sound Tigers are 1-0-0-0 in Springfield, MA this season with a 5-1 win on Oct. 28th. Bracken Kearns leads Bridgeport against Springfield with three points (one goal, two assists).
VIEW FROM SPRINGFIELD
The Thunderbirds have lost six straight games (0-3-1-2) and fallen to sixth place in the Atlantic Division standings with 18 points (7-7-2-2). In their last outing on Saturday, Anthony Greco, Jared McCann and Shane Harper all scored, but Reto Berra lasted less than eight minutes after allowing two goals on four shots, and Springfield lost to Hershey 4-3 at the GIANT Center. The Thunderbirds are led in scoring by Paul Thompson with five goals and 13 points, while Berra is ninth among AHL goaltenders with a 2.25 goals-against-average.
TIGERS VS. SENATORS
Saturday's game will mark the second of four meetings between the Sound Tigers and Senators this season, and the final matchup at Webster Bank Arena. Bridgeport leads the series 1-0-0-0 after a 3-2 overtime victory less than two weeks ago on Nov. 20th. Kane Lafranchise sealed it with his first AHL overtime winner just 46 seconds in, while Tanner Fritz and Michael Dal Colle both scored in regulation. The Senators have not beaten the Sound Tigers since January 17, 2014.
VIEW FROM BINGHAMTON
The Senators (5-11-1-1) enter this weekend's action on a four-game winless streak (0-3-1-0), including a 4-2 setback to the Syracuse Crunch at home last Saturday. Kyle Flanagan and Buddy Robinson each found the back of the net, but Andrew Hammond allowed four goals on 29 shots in the loss. Phil Varone currently leads the B-Sens with eight assists and 13 points, while Penn State product Casey Bailey paces the club with six goals. Binghamton opens a four-game road trip in Providence, RI tonight before traveling to Bridgeport on Saturday.
TIGERS VS. PHANTOMS
Sunday's game will mark the fourth of eight meetings between the Sound Tigers and Phantoms this season, and the third of four matchups at Webster Bank Arena. Bridgeport leads the series 3-0-0-0 and is coming off a 5-2 win on Nov. 19th at home, which snapped Lehigh Valley's eight-game win streak. Michael Dal Colle and Josh Winquist each have three goals against the Phantoms this season, while both of Josh Ho-Sang's tallies have come against Lehigh Valley.
VIEW FROM ALLENTOWN
The Phantoms (13-5-1-0) have won eight of their last 10 games and currently rank second in the Atlantic Division standings with 27 points, one behind the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Lehigh Valley is led in goal scoring by Greg Carey (10), who is second in the AHL overall and first in power-play goals with eight. Meanwhile, Jordan Weal leads the team and is tied for fourth in the AHL with 19 points (seven goals, 12 assists). Lehigh Valley faces Hershey in a home-and-home series on Friday and Saturday before concluding the weekend in Bridgeport.
THE OTHER ONE
Unrelated to Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews, Sound Tigers defenseman Devon Toews is having a strong start to his rookie season. The Quinnipiac University product assisted on all four goals in Wednesday's win against Albany for a career-best four points. Toews now leads the Sound Tigers with 12 helpers this season, and is second on the team with 14 points. He was selected by the Islanders in the fourth round (108th overall) of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.
OVERTIME HEROICS
The Sound Tigers remained perfect beyond regulation on Wednesday with their 5-4 shootout win over Albany. Bridgeport continues to lead the league in overtime with a perfect winning percentage (100-percent; 6-for-6) - the only team to remain perfect in that category. Six of the Sound Tigers' last 11 contests have ended in overtime or a shootout, all in the month of November.
McADAM TURNING HEADS
First-year goaltender Eamon McAdam has been turning heads since he was reassigned from Missouri (ECHL) on Nov. 16th. The Penn State product has won each of his first five starts in the AHL this year, posting a 2.33 goals-against-average, .919 save percentage and a career-best 33 saves last Friday against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He collected his first professional win on Nov. 19th against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, a team located in Allentown, PA, just 22 miles from McAdam's hometown of Perkasie, PA.
QUICK HITS
Steve Bernier has scored in five of his last eight games (six goals overall during that span)... The Sound Tigers are second in the AHL with five shorthanded goals scored, one behind the Texas Stars... Stephon Williams is one game shy of his 50th professional appearance... Michael Dal Colle is tied for fourth among league rookies with seven goals... Kyle Burroughs is third in the AHL overall with 57 penalty minutes.
AFFILIATE REPORT
NHL: New York Islanders (9-10-4): Next vs. Detroit - Sunday, 6 p.m. ET
ECHL: Missouri Mavericks (8-9-0-1): Next at Fort Wayne - Tonight, 8 p.m. ET
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