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AHL Bridgeport Islanders

Come Back Wins Highlight 4-0 Week & Move Into First Place Overall

November 17, 2003 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release


The Sound Tigers swept a four-game week and moved into a tie with the Hershey Bears and Hartford Wolf Pack for first place in the overall AHL standings with 22 points and a 9-3-3-1 record including 4-2-1-1 at home and 5-1-2. The Sound Tigers are unbeaten-in-regulation in 11 straight games overall, six straight home games and six straight road games.

TUE NOV 11th vs. NOR, 2-1 OTW: DEREK BEKAR tied the game at 1-1 early in the third period, and BRANDON SMITH scored the game-winning goal 34 seconds into overtime on a major power play. DIETER KOCHAN made 20 saves to earn the win. The Sound Tigers were 1 for 6 on the power play and outshot Norfolk 24-21. The Admirals were 1 for 3 on the advantage. The Sound Tigers improved to 2-1-3 in the extra session this season erasing a 1-0, third-period deficit to win 2-1 in overtime for the second time, first doing it November 1st on the road versus the Utah Grizzlies.

FRI NOV 14th at LOW, 6-1 W: The Sound Tigers equaled their season-high for goals in a game with six and set their season mark for margin of victory, five. JEFF HAMILTON scored twice and had an assist; MATTIAS WEINHANDL, BEN GUITE and BRANDON SMITH all had a goal and an assist; RYAN KRAFT assisted on two goals; MARTIN KARIYA scored once, and WADE DUBIELEWICZ made 29 saves. The Sound Tigers were 1 for 4 on the power play, 2 for 2 on the penalty kill and outshot Lowell 33-30.

SAT NOV 15th vs. PHI, 3-2 W: Philadelphia built a 2-0 lead with a pair of goals 36 seconds apart mid-way through the second period, but the Sound Tigers rallied with three unanswered goals. ROB COLLINS notched their first goal on the power play late in the middle frame then assisted on the tying goal by BLAINE DOWN early in the third period. DEREK BEKAR scored the game-winner with 5:55 left to play. DIETER KOCHAN made 25 saves including ten in the first period when the Phantoms had a 10-1 shots on goal advantage. Philadelphia outshot the Sound Tigers 27-16 and was 1 for 2 on the power play. The Sound Tigers were 1 for 4 on the advantage.

SUN NOV 16th vs. WIL, 3-2 OTW: The Sound Tigers erased a 2-0, second-period deficit with a late, second-period, power-play goal and an early-third-period tying goal for the second night in a row. JEFF HAMILTON scored his AHL-leading seventh power-play goal, also his League-leading 12th goal overall, and DEREK BEKAR scored twice. Hamilton also finished the week leading the AHL with 75 shots on goal. Bekar tied the game 1:38 into the third period and scored the game-winning goal 1:38 into the extra session. The Sound Tigers are 3-1-3 in overtime this season winning the last three times. WADE DUBIELEWICZ made 23 saves. The Sound Tigers were 1 for 3 on the power play and 3 for 3 on the penalty kill. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton had a 25-22 shots on goal advantage.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK – LW DEREK BEKAR

Bekar scored four goals, including two tying goals and two game-winners, and was a +5 in four games last week. The Burnaby, British Columbia native was named the first star of the game on both Saturday and Sunday after scoring the game-winning goal in each contest. Saturday, he broke at 2-2 tie with 5:55 left in regulation. Sunday, he scored 1:38 into overtime after tying the game 1:38 into the third period. Bekar, who signed as a free agent with the Islanders last summer, has six goals, three game-winning goals, one assist, seven points and 15 penalty minutes and is a +2 in 16 games with the Sound Tigers this season.

THIS WEEK – Binghamton Visits Sunday During Quietest Week Of The Season. The Sound Tigers will play just one game this week, their quietest week of the entire 2003-04 regular season. They will host the Binghamton Senators this Sunday, November the 23rd at 4:05 p.m. at Bridgeport's Arena at Harbor Yard.

SUN NOV 23rd vs. BIN, 4:05 p.m.: This will be the third of eight meetings, the third of four in Bridgeport, of the teams this season. The Sound Tigers are 4-3-1 all-time, 1-1 in a pair of home games this season, versus Binghamton who eliminated them from last spring's Calder Cup Playoffs four games to two in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. The Senators begin this week in third place in the East Division with 20 points and a record of 8-4-2-2 including 3-2-1 on the road. Binghamton will host the Manchester Monarchs Friday and visit the Albany River Rats Sunday. The Sound Tigers will also visit the Senators in the next game for both teams at 6:05 p.m. on Thanksgiving night.

SOUND TIGERS TEAM LEADERS (active roster, League leaders in italics)

Goals – JEFF HAMILTON, 12
Penalty Minutes – GRAHAM BELAK, 48
Assists – MARTIN KARIYA & BRANDON SMITH, 7
Wins – WADE DUBIELEWICZ, 5
Points – JEFF HAMILTON, 17
Goals Against Average – DIETER KOCHAN, 1.62
Plus / Minus – ALAIN NASREDDINE, +10
Save Percentage – DIETER KOCHAN, .936

SOUND TIGERS SPECIAL TEAMS; AHL RANK

Power Play – 15 for 86, 17.4%; 10th
Shorthanded Goals Against – 2
Penalty Kill – 57 for 64, 89.1%; 3rd
Shorthanded Goal For – 2

SOUND TIGERS STREAKS

The Sound Tigers have won five games in a row and are unbeaten-in-regulation in six straight home games (4-0-1-1), six straight road games (5-0-1) and 11 games in a row overall (9-0-1-1). • The Sound Tigers have scored on the power play in their last five games going 6 for 26 (23.1%) and posting a 5-0 record in that time. • G DIETER KOCHAN is unbeaten-in-regulation (4-0-2-1) in his last seven games. • G WADE DUBIELEWICZ is on a five-game winning streak. • RW/C MARTIN KARIYA is on a two-game assist streak (2a) and a five-game point streak (2g,4a). • D BRANDON SMITH is on a two-game assist streak (2a) and a four-game point streak (2g,3a). • C RYAN KRAFT (4a) is on a three-game assist streak. • LW DEREK BEKAR (2TG,GW,OT-GW) is on a two-game goal streak. • C KEVIN COLLEY (2a) is on a two-game assist streak.

SOUND TIGERS TRANSACTIONS

C JUSTIN MAPLETOFT remains on recall to the Islanders.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR & PROMOTIONAL NEWS

The Sound Tigers will hold their second-annual "Bowling For Babies" Bowl-A-Thon to benefit March of Dimes at Nutmeg Bowl in Fairfield this Saturday, November 22nd from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. Fans can bowl with their favorite players in teams of four. Additional information about "Bowling For Babies" is available by calling 203-849-9800. • The Sound Tigers Wives, Cablevision and WEBE 108 have also partnered with March of Dimes to present a "Blue Out" for this Sunday's 4:05 p.m. game versus Binghamton. Fans are encouraged to wear blue jeans in support of the "Blue Jeans For Babies" campaign, and the Sound Tigers will donate $1 for every ticket sold on the day of the game to March of Dimes. • Sunday will also be "Town of Orange Night" with $12.50 tickets for Orange residents who purchase their tickets in advance or show proof of residency at the box office. • D JODY ROBINSON will sign autographs after Sunday's game. • The Sound Tigers will hold a dinner event at Murphy's Law Bar & Grill following Sunday's game. All fans will receive their first drink free when they show their ticket stub from this Sunday's game and also receive 10% off their final bill this Sunday at Murphy's Law, which is located at the corner of Fairfield Avenue and Broad Street, behind the court house, in downtown Bridgeport. • Weekly Reader will present "Cool Fun 101" when the Sound Tigers host Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Wednesday, December 17th at 11:05 a.m. in a special, educationally-themed matinee.

SOUND TIGERS ON THE AIR

Sunday's game may be pre-empted on 600 WICC-AM by UCONN basketball but will be broadcast live at www.soundtigers.com. Head Coach GREG CRONIN is interviewed live on WICC every Friday morning at 9:30 a.m.

THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE

The Sound Tigers will practice at Bridgeport's Arena at Harbor Yard Wednesday through Saturday at 10 a.m.

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