Sound Tigers Lose 4-2 In Hershey
January 17, 2004 - 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, erased a 2-0, second-period deficit and tied the game at 2-2 mid-way through the third period for the second road game in as many nights but lost 4-2 to the Hershey Bears Sunday. The Sound Tigers also fell 3-2 in overtime on the road to the Providence Bruins last night after tying the game with a pair of third-period goals.
Referee Dan O'Rourke handed Sound Tigers All-Star Defenseman Brandon Smith a five-minute high-sticking penalty 3:32 into the game, and Hershey converted the major power play to take the first lead of the contest as Pascal Trepanier scored his sixth goal of the season at the 6:01 mark, 2:29 into the advantage, off assists from All-Star Eric Perrin and Brett Clark.
The Bears doubled their lead to 2-0 6:25 into the second period on Sheldon Keefe's tenth goal of the year off assists from Gavin Morgan and Mikhail Kuleshov. Keefe scored on a second rebound after Sound Tigers Goaltender Dieter Kochan robbed Kuleshov twice stopping a wrap-around shot then denying him on the initial rebound before surrendering the goal.
The Sound Tigers pulled to within 2-1 on a power-play goal by Captain Alan Letang, his first marker of the year, off assists from Mattias Timander and Kevin Colley with 7:30 left in the middle frame.
8:41 into the third period, it was the Sound Tigers' turn on a major power play when Smith was high-sticked by Keefe.
Derek Bekar tied last night's game in Providence at 2-2 mid-way through the third period and did the same again tonight scoring his 16th goal of the season at the 9:58 mark, 1:17 into the five-minute advantage, off assists from Martin Kariya and Timander. However, Hershey regained the lead on the back end of the major advantage when Shane Willis intercepted a pass at the Sound Tigers' blue line and beat Kochan high to the glove side for an unassisted, shorthanded goal, his 11th marker of the season, with 6:50 left in the game.
The Sound Tigers picked up another power play with just over four minutes to play but were unable to convert the advantage. They also struggled to pull Kochan in favor of an extra attacker, managing to do so only in the final half-minute of play, and Willis iced the win for the Bears with an empty-net goal, his second marker of the game, at the 19:58 mark off assists from Jeff Finger and Morgan.
Willis was the first star of the game, Hershey Goaltender Peter Budaj was the second with 24 saves, and Bekar was the third. The Sound Tigers finished the game 2 for 8 on the power play while the Bears were 1 for 3 and had a 32-26 shots on goal advantage. Kochan made 28 saves in a losing effort.
The Sound Tigers will finish a stretch of six straight road games when they visit the Albany River Rats; at the home of their NHL affiliate, the New Jersey Devils; next Thursday, January 22nd and the Philadelphia Phantoms next Friday, January 23rd.
The Sound Tigers' next home game will be next Saturday, January 24th when they host Albany at 7:05 p.m. Next Saturday will be "Shelton Family Night" at Bridgeport's Arena at Harbor Yard. NAPA Auto Parts of 3380 Fairfield Avenue in Bridgeport and 1860 Stratford Avenue in Stratford will also present the third of five Sound Tigers card set giveaways next Saturday.
All three of next week's games will be broadcast live on 600 WICC-AM and at www.soundtigers.com beginning at 6:45 p.m. each night.
Sound Tigers individual-game tickets are on sale at Bridgeport's Arena at Harbor Yard box office Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m., Saturday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and on all game days, as well as on-line at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling Ticketmaster at 203-368-1000.
Information regarding Sound Tigers season tickets, partial plans, flex packs, group discounts, birthday parties, suite packages and sponsorship opportunities is available by calling 203-334-GOAL or logging on to www.soundtigers.com.
Groups, organizations, companies, etc. that are interested in having a member of the Sound Tigers appear at an event are also invited to call 203-334-GOAL or email info@soundtigers.com.
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