Monarchs Beat Sound Tigers 3-2 in Overtime
March 6, 2013 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release
MANCHESTER, N.H. (Mar. 6, 2013) - For the second straight game, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers scored two third-period goals to force overtime, but Manchester's Jordan Weal scored 2:36 into the extra session to give the Monarchs a 3-2 win at the Verizon Wireless Arena on Wednesday night. With the win, the Monarchs improve to 27-24-3-3. The Sound Tigers have lost back-to-back games in overtime as their record moves to 23-24-5-4.
A relatively uneventful first period resulted in no goals for either side. The Monarchs edged the Sound Tigers in shots on goal by an 11-10 margin, but Sound Tigers goaltender Rick DiPietro and Monarchs goaltender Martin Jones combined to turn aside 21 shots over the first 20 minutes.
The Sound Tigers killed off a Brandon DeFazio penalty that carried into the second period, but the Monarchs broke the scoreless tie soon after. Ian O'Connor found a loose puck in the slot and sent a low backhand shot through traffic past DiPietro for his first AHL goal to give Manchester a 1-0 lead. The Sound Tigers outshot the Monarchs 14-9 in the second period, but Jones continued to stymie Bridgeport as Manchester carried its one-goal lead into the third period.
Mike Halmo tied the game 3:21 into the final stanza, deflecting Matt Donovan's drive off of the post and past Jones for his fourth goal of the season to even the score at one. Manchester reclaimed the lead at 12:49 when Colton Yellow Horn cut into the slot on a brief 2-on-1 and fired across his body past DiPietro's left pad to give the Monarchs a 2-1 advantage. However, Bridgeport worked hard on the ensuing forecheck and tied the game once again when Nino Niederreiter beat Jones from point-blank range for his team-leading 23rd goal of the season to knot the score at two.
Weal's game-winner came midway through overtime. The Monarchs' rookie snuck in behind the Sound Tigers defense along the right half-wall, cut above the crease after receiving a pass from Andy Andreoff and flipped the puck over DiPietro as he stacked the pads to give Manchester the extra point.
DiPietro made 24 saves in the overtime loss, while Jones stopped 32 shots to earn the win for Manchester.
The Sound Tigers return to action this Friday when they travel to the Times Union Center to face the Albany Devils at 7:00 p.m.
NOTES: The Sound Tigers have lost back-to-back games in overtime, and have lost their last three games that have gone past regulation ... Brock Nelson assisted on both Sound Tigers goals ... Matt Watkins dropped the gloves with Manchester's Andrew Bodnarchuk in the first period for his third fighting major of the season; two of them have come in Manchester ... The Sound Tigers wore their white jerseys on the road while the Monarchs donned commemorative jerseys with purple and gold trim, mimicking the old Los Angeles Kings sweaters ... The Sound Tigers went 0-for-3 on the power play, and are 0-for-40 on the man-advantage over the last 10 games; Manchester went 0-for-4 on the power play.
THREE STARS
1. MCH: Jordan Weal
2. MCH: Ian O'Connor
3. MCH: Colton Yellow Horn
• Discuss this story on the American Hockey League message board...
American Hockey League Stories from March 6, 2013
- Monarchs Big Weal Keeps on Turning - Manchester Monarchs
- Admirals Earn Point in Comeback against Charlotte - Norfolk Admirals
- Gragnani's Overtime Goal Sinks Norfolk - Charlotte Checkers
- Monarchs Beat Sound Tigers 3-2 in Overtime - Bridgeport Islanders
- Blackhawks Assign Bollig to Rockford - Rockford IceHogs
- "Purple Community Game" Kicks off Busy Weekend for Griffins - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Falcons 'irish Night' Jerseys Go On The Auction Block Wednesday Night - Springfield Falcons
- Amerks Ready for First Three-In-Three Stretch of the Season this Weekend - Rochester Americans
- Toronto Marlies Weekly - Toronto Marlies
- Coyotes Sign Defenseman Mathieu Brisebois to Entry-Level Contract - Portland Pirates
- Marlies Drop Crunch in Front of Sold out Crowd - Toronto Marlies
- Drazenovic, Dainton Rejoin Falcons - Springfield Falcons
- Crunch Fall to the Marlies 6-3 - Syracuse Crunch
- American Hockey League Announces Suspensions - AHL
- Bears Release Forward Evan Barlow - Hershey Bears
- Flames Reassign Danny Taylor and Activate Mikka Kiprusoff from Injured Reserve - Abbotsford Heat
- Rangers Claim Defenseman Roman Hamrlik off Waivers - Connecticut Whale
- Wellwood Returned to ADK - Adirondack Phantoms
- Blues Sign Prospects Edmundson and Veilleux - Peoria Rivermen
- Francis Wathier Called up to Dallas - Texas Stars
- B-Sens Announce Roster Moves - Binghamton Senators
- Bartley Recalled by Predators - Milwaukee Admirals
- Amerks Recall Shawn Szydlowski from Fort Worth - Rochester Americans
- Blues Recall Goaltender Jake Allen - Peoria Rivermen
- Phantoms Weekly - Weekend Homestand - Adirondack Phantoms
- Heat Defeated by Bulldogs to Open Road Trip - Abbotsford Heat
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
