Bridgeport drops close game to open 2016
Published on January 1, 2016 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Jared Gomes scored and Parker Milner stopped all 16 shots he faced in relief, but the Bridgeport Sound Tigers fell to the Springfield Falcons 2-1 on Friday night at MassMutual Center.
Milner came in after the first period, relieving Stephon Williams who allowed two goals on nine shots.
Just four minutes into the game, the Falcons got on the board. On what looked like a harmless play, Michael Bunting threw a shot towards the Sound Tigers net and beat Williams five-hole to give Springfield a 1-0 lead. Corey Potter and Jordan Szwarz got the assists on the first goal of the game.
With just over four minutes left in the period, Springfield doubled its lead on another harmless looking play. Dakota Mermis flung a shot from the blue line that sailed through a maze of bodies and beat Williams over the glove hand. The first professional goal for Mermis gave Springfield a 2-0 lead going into the second period.
Sound Tigers Head Coach Brent Thompson decided to make a goaltending change after the first, pulling Williams for Milner. Making his first appearance of the season for Bridgeport, Milner was spectacular in the second period, stopping all 11 shots he faced, including a sparkling glove save on former Sound Tiger Dustin Jeffrey to keep the game at 2-0.
With few chances either way in the third period, Bridgeport was finally able to get one through Marek Langhamer. It was Gomes with a wonderful individual effort, beating Langhamer on a second try to make it a 2-1 game. Kyle Burroughs picked up the only assist on the goal, his first career AHL point.
That was all the scoring for the rest of the game. The Sound Tigers managed just seven shots in the last period and 24 shots total, never testing Langhamer too often.
Bridgeport's power play went 0-for-2 while the penalty kill went 1-for-1.
The Sound Tigers return home for a pair of games, starting with the Rochester Americans tomorrow night at 7:00 p.m.
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