AHL Bridgeport Islanders

First Place Sound Tigers Split Two Game Holiday Week

Published on December 31, 2002 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release


The Sound Tigers split a pair of games last week beating the Hartford Wolf Pack 3-1 at home Monday in the League's final game before the Christmas break and losing 4-0 to the Manitoba Moose on the road Saturday. The Sound Tigers finished the week in first place in the East Division with 44 points and an 18-10-7-1 record including 11-4-2-0 at home, 7-6-5-1 on the road and 4-4-2-0 in the last ten games.

MON DEC 23rd vs. HFD, 3-1 W: Playing their final pre-holiday game against Hartford for the second season in a row, the Sound Tigers never trailed. BLAINE DOWN, MATT HIGGINS and TRENT HUNTER, into an empty net, scored goals, JEFF HAMILTON and BRANDON SMITH notched two assists apiece, and STEVE VALIQUETTE made 19 saves improving his unbeaten streak to eight games at 7-0-1. The Sound Tigers were 1 for 6 on the power play, 8 for 8 on the penalty kill and outshot the Wolf Pack 37-20 including 14-1 in the first period.

SAT DEC 28th at MTB, 4-0 L: ALEX AULD made 23 saves to post his second 4-0 shutout of the month versus the Sound Tigers. It was also Manitoba's second shutout of the season. STEVE VALIQUETTE made 19 saves for the Sound Tigers who were 0 for 2 on the power play and 3 for 4 on the penalty kill. The shots on goal were tied at 23-23.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK - D BRANDON SMITH

Smith assisted on the game-winning goal and an empty-net goal to Monday posting his second straight two-helper game. He has four goals, 11 assists, 15 points and 16 penalty minutes in 25 games with the Sound Tigers this season.

THIS WEEK - Sound Tigers Say Good-bye To 2002 Then Host "Pride In America Weekend"

The Sound Tigers will visit Manitoba Tuesday in their final game of the calendar year then return home to host the Hershey Bears Friday and Hartford Saturday. This weekend will be the second-annual "Pride In America Weekend" at the Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport.

MON DEC 31st at MTB, 5 p.m.: This will be the third of four meetings, the second and final in Winnipeg, this regular season. The Sound Tigers are 0-2 all-time during the regular season versus Manitoba whom they eliminated in last year's Eastern Conference Quarterfinal. The Moose enter this week in second place in the Canadian Division with 35 points and a 16-15-3-0 record including 10-7-2-0 at home. The Moose are on a two-game winning streak.

FRI JAN 3rd vs. HER, 7:35 p.m.: This will be the second of four meetings, the first in Bridgeport, this regular season. The Sound Tigers are 0-2-1 all-time versus Hershey including a 3-3 road tie December 1st. The Bears enter this week in second place in the South Division with 39 points and a 16-10-6-1 record including 7-5-1-1 on the road and 3-5-2-0 in the last ten games. Hershey will visit the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins New Year's Eve.

SAT JAN 4th vs. HFD, 7:05 p.m.: This will be the fourth of ten meetings, the third in Bridgeport, this regular season. The Sound Tigers are 8-5 all-time versus Hartford including 2-1 this year. The Wolf Pack enter this week in third place in the East Division with 38 points and a 15-11-6-2 record including 6-8-3-1 on the road and 3-5-2-0 in the last ten games. Hartford will visit the Providence Bruins New Year's Eve and host the Lowell Lock Monsters Friday.

SOUND TIGERS TEAM LEADERS

Goals - TRENT HUNTER, 15 Penalty Minutes - ERIC GODARD, 119; Alain Nasreddine, 52
Assists - TRENT HUNTER, 17 Wins - RICK DiPIETRO, 10
Points - TRENT HUNTER, 32 Goals Against Average - RICK DiPIETRO, 2.18
Plus / Minus - TOMI PETTINEN, +7
Save Percentage - RICK DiPIETRO, .922

SOUND TIGERS SPECIAL TEAMS

Power Play - 30 for 202, 14.9%; 18th Shorthanded Goals Against - 8 Penalty Kill - 178 for 201, 88.6%; 2nd Shorthanded Goal For - 4

SOUND TIGERS STREAKS

The Sound Tigers have won two straight home games. They had a three-game unbeaten streak, 2-0-1, and a two-game winning streak snapped Saturday in Manitoba. G STEVE VALIQUETTE has his unbeaten streak snapped at eight games, 7-0-1, Saturday. Following this weekend's home games, the Sound Tigers will play seven straight road games.

CLAW MARKS

Manitoba, Hershey, the San Antonio Rampage and Norfolk Admirals are the only AHL teams the Sound Tigers have played but never beaten during the regular season. The Sound Tigers are in the middle of a stretch in which they play 15 of 19 games on the road, as well as 29 times in 61 days during November and December. The Sound Tigers are 15-5-4-1 against Eastern Conference teams, 3-4-2-0 against Canadian Division teams, 7-1-1-1 against East Division teams including 5-0-0-0 at home, 3-5-3-0 against Western Conference teams and 1-3-1-0 against South Division teams.

SOUND TIGERS TRANSACTIONS

D RADEK MARTINEK and RW MATTIAS WEINHANDL remain on recall to the Islanders. LW RAFFI TORRES was recalled by the Islanders Monday and reassigned Friday. D SVEN BUTENSCHON was reassigned by the Islanders Saturday. RW ERIC GODARD was recalled, and G RICK DiPIETRO was reassigned by the Islanders Monday.

SECOND ANNUAL "PRIDE IN AMERICA WEEKEND" THIS FRIDAY & SATURDAY

Friday and Saturday will be the second-annual "Pride In America Weekend" at the Arena at Harbor Yard. The Connecticut Army National Guard will display military vehicles in front of the Arena and have a recruiting table on the concourse Friday. Members of the National Guard will also present the colors and Boy Scouts will sing the national anthem Friday. The Sound Tigers will wear special, flag jerseys that will be auctioned for charity Saturday. Fans can also enter to win one of the flag jerseys Friday. The Bridgeport and Hartford Fire Departments will play a charity hockey game to benefit the Connecticut Burns Care Foundation Burn Camp Saturday at 4 p.m. with a double-header ticket price of $19.50 for the charity game and Sound Tigers' game. The colors will be presented by the Bridgeport Fire Department prior to Saturday's game.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR & PROMOTIONAL NEWS

Wives and girlfriends of Sound Tigers players raised $1356 for the Kennedy Center through the sale of Candy Grams at home games during the month of December. Candy canes for the fundraiser were donated by Grade A Shop Rite of Norwalk. In addition to being the second-annual "Pride In America Weekend", this Friday and Saturday will be the second of this season's three Scout Weekends at the Arena at Harbor Yard with commemorative Sound Tigers scout patches available to scouts who arrive in uniform. Saturday's game will also be presented by The Advocate and United States Surgical who will giveaway Thundersticks to the first five-thousand fans who enter the game. There will also be a post-game, on-ice autograph session with the players Saturday.

SOUND TIGERS ON THE AIR

All games are broadcast live on "The ZONE" FOX Sports Radio 1300 and at www.soundtigers.com. Road games are broadcast on WSTC/WNLK 1400/1350. Fans can also click on the "Ask The Broadcaster" link at www.soundtigers.com and email their questions and comments to Voice of the Sound Tigers BILL McLAUGHLIN who will answer them on air.

THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE

The Sound Tigers will travel home Wednesday and practice at the Arena at Harbor Yard Friday and Saturday at 10 a.m. Thursday's practice schedule is to be determined. Call 203-334-4625 to confirm times and locations.

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American Hockey League Stories from December 31, 2002


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