AHL's Top Two Teams Go Head-To-Head this Weekend
December 21, 2018 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The top two teams in the American Hockey League go head-to-head this weekend as the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (17-8-4-1), proud AHL affiliate of the New York Islanders, fly south to the Queen City for a double dose of the Charlotte Checkers (22-6-2-0) at Bojangles Coliseum. Charlotte (46 points) enters the weekend seven points ahead of Bridgeport (39 points). Last time out, the Sound Tigers suffered a 4-3 overtime loss to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza on Wednesday, despite leading by two goals on two different occasions. Michael Dal Colle, Travis St. Denis and Mitch Vande Sompel all scored for Bridgeport, while Christopher Gibson made 28 saves on 32 shots and extended his unbeaten in regulation streak to 10 games (6-0-4).
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TIGERS VS. CHECKERS
Tonight's game marks the second of eight matchups between the Sound Tigers and Checkers this season, and the first of four in North Carolina. Bridgeport leads the series 1-0-0-0 following a 4-2 victory at Webster Bank Arena on Nov. 11, in which Ryan Bourque led the way with two assists and Connor Jones potted the game-winner early in the third period. The Sound Tigers went 1-3-0-0 at Bojangles Coliseum in 2017-18 and 3-5-0-0 against the Checkers overall last season.
VIEW FROM CHARLOTTE
The Checkers carry a league-best seven-game point streak (6-0-1-0) into tonight's action and currently lead the AHL with 46 points. Last time out, Charlotte suffered its first loss since Dec. 1 in a 4-3 overtime setback to the Utica Comets at home on Tuesday. Defenseman Jake Bean scored once and added two assists, while Morgan Geekie and Aleksi Saarela also found the back of the cage. Alex Nedeljkovic took the loss with 27 saves, but continues to lead the AHL in wins (14). Janne Kuokkanen and Andrew Poturalski pace the Checkers offense with 27 points, which is tied for 13th among all AHL players.
TOEWS EARNS THE CALL
Third-year defenseman Devon Toews earned his first NHL call-up on Wednesday when he was recalled by the Islanders during their four-game road trip out west. Toews joined the team in Las Vegas for Thursday's meeting against the Golden Knights, but did not make his debut. The 2017 AHL All-Star recorded 19 points (five goals, 14 assists) in 24 games with the Sound Tigers this season, which ranked second among team defensemen and fourth overall. He was also tied for ninth among all AHL defensemen in scoring and 11 of his 19 points came on the power play, which led the Sound Tigers and was tied for third-most among AHL blue-liners.
DAL COLLE NAMED PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Michael Dal Colle scored five goals on five shots last weekend, including his first hat trick at Providence, earning him CCM/AHL Player of the Week honors for the first time in his career. Dal Colle, the New York Islanders' fifth overall pick in 2014, scored again on Wednesday - his sixth goal on six straight shots - and now leads the Sound Tigers in goals (15) and points (24), and is second in plus-minus (+10). He was the first Sound Tiger to win Player of the Week since Ryan Pulock (Feb. 12, 2017).
SOARING SEBASTIAN
Swedish defenseman Sebastian Aho has six points (1g, 5a) in his last six games and currently leads all active Sound Tigers in scoring (20 points). The Islanders' fifth-round pick (#139 overall) in 2017, who made his NHL debut last December, led all Sound Tigers defensemen in goals last season (9) and co-led team blue-liners in points (29). He is tied for fifth among all AHL blue-liners in scoring entering tonight's tilt.
GIBSON'S GROOVE
Christopher Gibson notched Bridgeport's first shutout since Feb. 25, 2018 with a 33-save effort last Sunday afternoon against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. It was his seventh shutout with the Sound Tigers and the ninth of his pro career. The 25-year-old hasn't lost in regulation since Oct. 28 at Providence and boasts a 2.09 goals-against-average and .929 save percentage over his last seven starts. He is tied with Dieter Kochan for fourth place on the Sound Tigers' all-time shutouts list behind Wade Dubielewicz (15), Rick DiPietro (8) and Kevin Poulin (8).
QUICK HITS
Sebastian Aho is tied for fourth among AHL defensemen in assists (17)... The Sound Tigers have outscored opponents by 13 goals at five-on-five this season... Steve Bernier is tied for third in the AHL with seven power-play goals... Bridgeport is 12-0-0-0 when scoring at least four goals in a game... The Sound Tigers have scored first in seven straight games and are 14-2-1-1 when doing so this season... Bridgeport is 3-1-0-1 in Friday night games... The Sound Tigers have been outshot in five consecutive contests... Ryan Bourque is one game shy of his 500th pro appearance.
AFFILIATE REPORT
NHL: New York Islanders (17-13-4): Next: Sunday at Dallas (8 p.m. ET)
ECHL: Worcester Railers (12-12-3-1): Next: Tonight vs. Adirondack (7:05 p.m. ET)
Packed Promotional Lineup: The Sound Tigers will boast one of their most extensive and wide-ranging promotional schedules ever for the 2018-19 season. The fan-friendly calendar includes the return of popular themes like Hockey and Hops (Mar. 17), Military Appreciation (Jan. 12), Star Wars Night (Jan. 19) and Princess Night (Mar. 30). Regional hockey fans will be elated for the addition of Hockey Weekend in Connecticut (Feb. 23-24). View the full 2018-19 promotional schedule.
For additional details or to reserve a group outing for any giveaway or theme night, please call the Sound Tigers' front office at (203) 345-2300 ext 7.
American Hockey League Stories from December 21, 2018
- Bridgeport rolls to biggest win of the season against first-place Charlotte on Friday - Bridgeport Islanders
- Wolf Pack Double Americans, 4-2 - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Devils Score Four Unanswered in 6-3 Comeback Win over Bruins - Binghamton Devils
- Penguins Lose Close One to Bears, 3-2 - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Broadhurst Nets Hat Trick as Monsters Throttle Senators, 6-3 - Cleveland Monsters
- Checkers Fall to Sound Tigers 6-1 - Charlotte Checkers
- Crunch Defeat Phantoms, 3-2, in Shootout - Syracuse Crunch
- Late Charge Not Enough to Get T-Birds Past Comets - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Power Play Thrives, Bears Edge Penguins - Hershey Bears
- Sens Fall to Cleveland in First Ever Meeting - Belleville Senators
- Gignac's Hat-Trick Powers Devils over P-Bruins - Providence Bruins
- Bachman, Demko Slam Door on T-Birds - Utica Comets
- Hogs to Host Blood Drive at the BMO Thursday, December 27 - Rockford IceHogs
- Devils Sign Forward Conor Riley to PTO - Binghamton Devils
- Senators Announce Boxing Day Sale - Belleville Senators
- Coyotes Recall Bunting from Tucson - Tucson Roadrunners
- Game #27 Preview: Tucson at San Jose - Tucson Roadrunners
- Amadio, Wagner, Walker Recalled by Kings - Ontario Reign
- Flames Assign Buddy Robinson to Stockton - Stockton Heat
- Marlies Set for Back-To-Back Games in Laval - Toronto Marlies
- Heat Open Road Swing with Wild - Stockton Heat
- Join the Griffins for a Bluetooth Speaker Giveaway and the 22nd Annual NYE Celebration - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Lindholm Called up to Avalanche, Eagles Recall Anderson - Colorado Eagles
- Bears Sign Defenseman Cliff Watson to Tryout Agreement - Hershey Bears
- Admirals Sign Pendenza, Carlson to PTOs - Milwaukee Admirals
- Game Day Build-Up: Senators at Monsters, December 21 - Belleville Senators
- AHL's Top Two Teams Go Head-To-Head this Weekend - Bridgeport Islanders
- Game Preview: Penguins at Bears, 7 p.m. - Hershey Bears
- Canes Reassign Bishop to Charlotte - Charlotte Checkers
- American Hockey League Announces Suspension - AHL
- T-Birds Look to Extend Home Point Streak to Eight against Utica - Springfield Thunderbirds
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