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AHL Bridgeport Islanders

First Place Sound Tigers Drop Three Games

March 3, 2003 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release


The Sound Tigers lost three games in three nights falling 5-4 at home to the Hershey Bears Friday, 5-3 at home to the Albany River Rats Saturday and 5-3 on the road to Albany Sunday. The Sound Tigers finished the week in first place in the East Division and third place in the Eastern Conference with 74 points and a 31-21-9-3 record including 17-8-3-2 at home, 14-13-6-1 on the road and 6-3-0-1 in their last ten games.

FRI FEB 28th vs. HER, 5-4 L: RAFFI TORRES, JUSTIN MAPLETOFT, JEFF HAMILTON and MARTIN CHABADA scored goals, TRENT HUNTER added two assists, and STEPHEN VALIQUETTE made 28 saves for the Sound Tigers who were 1 for 5 on the power play. Hershey was 1 for 4 on the advantage and had a 33-26 shots on goal advantage. The Bears are one of three AHL teams, along with the Manitoba Moose and Norfolk Admirals, the Sound Tigers have played but never beaten during the regular season.

SAT MAR 1st vs. ALB, 5-3 L: MARTIN CHABADA, TRENT HUNTER and BLAINE DOWN scored as the Sound Tigers built leads of 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2. SCOTT STIRLING also made 16 saves. However, STEPHEN GUOLLA scored two goals and assisted on two others, and CHRISTIAN BERGLUND had three assists as Albany rallied for the win. The Sound Tigers were 0 for 2 on the power play snapping a five-game scoring streak on the advantage. They also had a 32-21 shots on goal advantage. The River Rats were 3 for 5 on the power play.

SUN MAR 2nd at ALB, 5-3 L: MARTIN CHABADA, JEFF HAMILTON and DANIEL TKACZUK scored, and STEPHEN VALIQUETTE made 17 saves for the Sound Tigers. However, STEVE KARIYA notched a three-goal hat trick, former Sound Tigers KEN SUTTON and DAVE ROCHE scored on the power play, and CRAIG DARBY assisted on all five Albany goals as the River Rats rallied from 1-0 and 2-0 deficits. The Sound Tigers had a 29-22 shots on goal advantage and were 1 for 6 on the power play while Albany was 3 for 4 on the advantage to go 6 for 9 on the weekend.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK – RW MARTIN CHABADA

Chabada scored one goal in each of the three games last week and added an assist Saturday for a four-point week. He was also a +4 and now has 11 goals, 12 assists, 23 points, a +6 and 40 penalty minutes in 54 games this season

THIS WEEK – Four Games In Five Nights Including Third Of Four Straight Three Game Weekends The Sound Tigers will play four games in five days including a three-game homestand and their third of four straight three-game weekends. They will host the Manitoba Moose Wednesday, the Manchester Monarchs Friday and the Binghamton Senators Saturday. The Sound Tigers will also visit the Springfield Falcons Sunday.

WED MAR 5th vs. MTB, 7:05 p.m.: This will be the fourth and final meeting, the second of two in Bridgeport, between the teams this regular season. The Sound Tigers are 0-3 this season and all-time versus Manitoba who begins this week in second place in the Canadian Division and ninth place in the Eastern Conference with 63 points and a 28-29-7-0 record including 9-17-4-0 on the road. The Moose, Hershey and Norfolk Admirals are the only three AHL teams the Sound Tigers have played but never beaten during the regular season. However, the Sound Tigers did eliminate Manitoba three games to one in last spring's Eastern Conference quarterfinals. Wednesday's game will be the middle contest of a five straight on the road for the Moose who are the only AHL team without an overtime loss this season.

FRI MAR 7th vs. MCH, 7:35 p.m.: This will be the third of four meetings, the second of two in Bridgeport, between the teams this regular season. The Sound Tigers are 2-2-2 all-time, including 1-0-1 this season, versus Manchester who begins this week in third place in the North Division and fifth place in the Eastern Conference with 72 points and a 30-19-9-3 record including 13-9-5-3 on the road. The Monarchs, who will visit the Portland Pirates Wednesday in the sixth game of ten straight on the road, also enter this week winless, 0-6-2-0, in their last eight games.

SAT MAR 8th vs. BNG, 7:05 p.m.: This will be the fifth of six meetings, the second of three in Bridgeport, between the teams this regular season. The Sound Tigers are 2-1-0-1 versus expansion Binghamton who begins this week in second place in the East Division and sixth place in the Eastern Conference with 70 points and a 31-23-7-1 record including 13-13-4-0 on the road. The Senators will host the Rochester Americans Wednesday and Albany Friday.

SUN MAR 9th at SPR, 4 p.m.: This will be the sixth of eight meetings, the fourth and final in Springfield, between the teams this regular season. The Sound Tigers are 9-3-1 all-time, including 5-0 this season, versus the Falcons who begin this week in fourth place in the East Division and tenth place in the Eastern Conference, the final playoff spot, with 59 points and a 26-30-6-1 record including 18-11-3-1 at home and 3-4-2-1 in the last ten games. Springfield will visit the Hartford Wolf Pack Friday and host Manchester Saturday.

SOUND TIGERS TEAM LEADERS (active roster)

Goals – TRENT HUNTER, 24

Penalty Minutes – ALAIN NASREDDINE, 81

Assists – ERIC MANLOW, 30 Wins – STEPHEN VALIQUETTE, 10

Points – TRENT HUNTER, 51

Goals Against Average – S. VALIQUETTE & S. STIRLING, 2.75

Plus / Minus – JUSTIN MAPLETOFT, +12

Save Percentage – STEPHEN VALIQUETTE, .909

SOUND TIGERS SPECIAL TEAMS

Power Play – 50 for 334, 15.0%; 21st

Shorthanded Goals Against – 11

Penalty Kill – 274 for 315, 87.0%; 3rd

Shorthanded Goal For – 7

SOUND TIGERS STREAKS

The Sound Tigers have lost three games in a row including two straight on the road. LW RAFFI TORRES is on a two-game assist streak (2a) and a six-game point streak (2g,4a). RW MARTIN CHABADA (3g,1a) is on a three-game goal and point streak. C ERIC MANLOW (2a) is on a two-game assist and point streak.

SOUND TIGERS TRANSACTIONS

G RICK DiPIETRO, D SVEN BUTENSCHON, D ALAN LETANG and RW ERIC GODARD were recalled by the Islanders last week. G STEPHEN VALIQUETTE was reassigned by the Islanders Thursday. D ALAIN NASREDDINE, C JUSTIN MAPLETOFT and RW MATTIAS WEINHANDL were reassigned by the Islanders Friday. The Sound Tigers recalled D DUSTIN WOOD from the East Coast Hockey League's Trenton Titans Saturday and reassigned him Monday.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR & PROMOTIONAL NEWS

Proceeds totaling $1884 from the "Holiday Candy Gram" and "Send A Valentine To Your Favorite Sound Tiger" fundraisers were presented to the Kennedy Center prior to last Friday's game. The fundraisers were run by wives, fiancées and girlfriends of the Sound Tigers led by FRANCESCA STIRLING, the wife of Head Coach STEVE STIRLING. The candy canes for the holiday fundraiser were donated by Shop Rite of Norwalk. Fans who show their Best of Bob's Card at the Harbor Yard box office will receive a free ticket for Wednesday and/or Friday's games when they purchase a ticket of equal or greater value. Fans who show their Shaw's Rewards Card at the Harbor Yard box office will receive a free ticket to Wednesday's game with the purchase of a ticket of equal or greater value. AAA members who show their membership card at the Harbor Yard box office will receive a free ticket to any weekday game this month with the purchase of a ticket of equal or greater value. AAA members who show their membership card at the Harbor Yard box office can also purchase specially-discounted $19.50 center-ice seats for any Saturday game this month. The Bob's, Shaw's and AAA offers are limited to four tickets per person. This Friday and Saturday will be "Scout Appreciation Weekend" with specially-discounted $12.50 tickets for all scouts and their families. Scouts who attend either game will also receive, while supplies last, the third in a series of three special Sound Tigers / Scout patches. Scouts will also help pick up following Friday's "Chuck-A-Puck". Saturday will be "Norwalk Appreciation Night" with discounted tickets, $19.50 center-ice and $12.50 all others, for Norwalk residents who show proof of residency at the Harbor Yard box office, a ceremonial face-off with Mayor ALEX KNOPP prior to the game and a ceremony honoring the Norwalk High School – Brien McMahon hockey team. There will also be intermission MasterCard mini-hockey games Friday and Saturday.

SOUND TIGERS ON THE AIR

All Sound Tigers' games are broadcast live on "The ZONE" FOX Sports Radio 1300 AM and at www.soundtigers.com. WSTC/WNLK 1400/1350 AM also broadcasts road games. "The Sound Tigers Report" is also broadcast Tuesdays at 7 p.m. on "The ZONE". LW JEREMY ADDUONO will be the special guest on this week's edition of the show. Fans can offer their questions and comments live on the air by calling the show at 203-230-1300.

THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE

The Sound Tigers will practice at Bridgeport's Wonderland of Ice at 11 a.m. Tuesday and 11:30 a.m. Thursday. They will practice at Harbor Yard Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at 10 a.m. Please call 203-334-GOAL to confirm practice times and locations or with any special media requests.

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