AHL Bridgeport Islanders

Franchise Records Fall As Sound Tigers Go Unbeaten Through November

Published on December 1, 2003 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release


The Sound Tigers reset the all-time franchise records for longest unbeaten-in-regulation streak, 15 games at 13-0-1-1, and longest road unbeaten streak, eight games at 7-0-1, and also tied the all-time franchise record for longest winning streak with their ninth straight win with the last of three victories in as many nights last week. They beat the Binghamton Senators 5-4 on the road Thursday, the Hartford Wolf Pack 3-0 at home Friday and the Lowell Lock Monsters 4-3 in overtime on the road Saturday. The Sound Tigers are tied for second place in the overall AHL standings just one point behind their East Division rivals, the Hershey Bears, with 30 points and a 13-3-3-1 record, including 6-2-1-1 at home and 7-1-2 on the road. The Sound Tigers were unbeaten in the month of November at 10-0-1.

THU NOV 27th at BIN, 5-4 W: In the League's only Thanksgiving game, GRAHAM BELAK scored his first-ever AHL goal; JEFF HAMILTON, KEVIN COLLEY and ROB COLLINS had a goal and an assist each; ERIC MANLOW had two assists; CAIL MacLEAN scored the game-winning goal with 2:41 left to play; and DIETER KOCHAN made 30 saves. The Sound Tigers were 1 for 5 on the power play, 3 for 3 on the penalty kill and won despite being outshot 34-18, including a season-high 16 shots against in the first period.

FRI NOV 28th vs. HAR, 3-0 W: WADE DUBIELEWICZ made 19 saves for the first shutout of his professional career. JEFF HAMILTON, MATTIAS WEINHANDL and BRANDON SMITH scored goals. Smith also added two assists. The Sound Tigers were 1 for 7 on the power play, 5 for 5 on the penalty kill and outshot Hartford 20-19.

SAT NOV 29th at LOW, 4-3 OTW: MATTIAS WEINHANDL and BEN GUITE scored once, Guite and BRANDON SMITH had two assists each, DIETER KOCHAN made a team-season-high 40 saves, and JEFF HAMILTON scored two power-play goals, including the game-winner with 29 seconds left in overtime. The Sound Tigers were 2 for 5 on the power play, 4 for 4 on the penalty kill and won despite being outshot 43-25. The 43 shots were the most allowed by the Sound Tigers in any game this season. They are now 4-1-3 in the extra session this season, including 2-0-2 on the road.

JEFF HAMILTON NAMED AHL SHER-WOOD PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Hamilton padded his AHL-leading stats with goals in all three games last week. He scored a total of four goals and assisted on one in three games. Hamilton leads the Sound Tigers with 23 points and leads the League with 17 goals, 11 power-play goals, six first goals and five game-winning goals. The former Yale Bulldog has 17 goals, six assists and 23 points and is a +6 in 20 games this season. Sher-Wood will donate five travel bags to Bridgeport-area youth hockey organizations in Hamilton's name.

THIS WEEK – Three Game Weekend Includes First Place Showdown The Sound Tigers will open the month of December with their second three-game weekend in a row. They will visit the Albany River Rats Friday and host the Hershey Bears Saturday and the Hartford Wolf Pack Sunday.

FRI DEC 5th at ALB, 7 p.m.: This will be the first of eight meetings of the teams, the first of four in Albany, this regular season. The Sound Tigers are 12-3-2 all-time, including 5-2-1 last season, versus the River Rats who begin this week in seventh place in the East Division with 16 points and a 6-9-3-1 record, including 1-6-1 at home. Albany will host the Providence Bruins Wednesday. After this Friday, the Sound Tigers will not play the River Rats again until they meet at the Continental Airlines Arena; home of Albany's NHL affiliate, the New Jersey Devils; on Thursday, January 22nd.

SAT DEC 6th vs. HER, 7:05 p.m.: This will be the second of eight meetings of the teams, the first of four in Bridgeport, this regular season. The Sound Tigers are 0-5-2 all-time, 0-1 this season, versus the Bears who begin this week in first place in the overall AHL standings with 31 points and a 13-5-3-2 record, including 8-2-1 on the road. Hershey is one of just two teams, along with the Manitoba Moose, the Sound Tigers have played but never beaten during the regular season, although the Sound Tigers swept Manitoba four games to none in the 2002 Calder Cup Playoffs. The Sound Tigers last loss in regulation came at the hands of the Bears, 3-1 in Hershey on October 18th. The Bears will host the Philadelphia Phantoms this Wednesday.

SUN DEC 7th vs. HAR, 4:05 p.m.: This will be the fourth of ten meetings of the teams, the third of five in Bridgeport, this regular season. The Sound Tigers are 13-8-2 all-time, 1-1-1 with an overtime loss this season, versus the Wolf Pack who begin this week in first place in the Atlantic Division with 27 points and a record of 11-4-4-1 record, including 4-3-0-1 on the road. Hartford will visit the Manchester Monarchs Wednesday and the Portland Pirates Friday and host Lowell Saturday. This will be the third straight game in the season series in Bridgeport. The Wolf Pack will host the next three.

SOUND TIGERS TEAM LEADERS (active roster)

Goals – ROB COLLINS & DEREK BEKAR, 6 Penalty Minutes – GRAHAM BELAK, 55

Assists – BRANDON SMITH, 12 Wins – DIETER KOCHAN, 7

Points – BRANDON SMITH, 15 Goals Against Average – WADE DUBIELEWICZ, 1.50

Plus / Minus – BRANDON SMITH & ALAIN NASREDDINE, +8 Save Percentage – WADE DUBIELEWICZ, .941

SOUND TIGERS SPECIAL TEAMS; AHL RANK (League leaders in italics)

Power Play – 20 for 108, 18.5%; 3rd Shorthanded Goals Against – 3

Penalty Kill – 74 for 81, 91.4%; 1st Shorthanded Goal For – 3

SOUND TIGERS STREAKS

The Sound Tigers have won nine games in a row and are unbeaten-in-regulation in eight straight home games (6-0-1-1), eight straight road games (7-0-1) and 15 games in a row overall (13-0-1-1). • They have scored on the power play in nine straight games going 11 for 48 (22.9%) and are on a five-game penalty-killing streak going 20 for 20. • G DIETER KOCHAN is on a five-game winning streak and is unbeaten-in-regulation (7-0-2-1) in his last ten games. • G WADE DUBIELEWICZ is on a six-game winning streak. • RW/C JEFF HAMILTON (6g,1a) was on a five-game goal and point streak when recalled today. • C ERIC MANLOW (5a) is on a four-game assist streak. • RW MATTIAS WEINHANDL (2g,2a) was on a two-game goal streak and four-game point streak when recalled today. • C BEN GUITE (1g,4a) is on a three-game assist and point streak. • D BRANDON SMITH (1g,4a) is on a two-game point streak including back-to-back two-assist games.

SOUND TIGERS TRANSACTIONS

RW MATTIAS WEINHANDL and RW/C JEFF HAMILTON were recalled by the Islanders today. • D MATTIAS TIMANDER returned from recall to the Islanders last Wednesday.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR & PROMOTIONAL NEWS

The Sound Tigers Team Shop will be open for extended holiday hours starting this Thursday, December 4th and running through Christmas Eve. Holiday hours will be 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. Thursday, 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Sunday. Additional information is available by calling 203-334-GOAL. Merchandise can also be ordered on-line at http://www.soundtigerscentral.com. • This Saturday will by "Polish Pride Night". • The Sound Tigers will host a charity hockey game between the Bridgeport and Hartford Fire Departments this Sunday at 1 p.m. Proceeds will benefit "Swim Across The Sound". • Fans will have the opportunity to shoot to win a Subaru Outback courtesy of Crabtree Automall and a Thule car rack this Sunday. • This Sunday will also be "Police & Firefighter Appreciation Night" and "New Haven County Appreciation Night". Specially-priced tickets will be available for Police Officers, Firefighters and New Haven County residents by calling 203-334-GOAL. Fans who wear New Haven sports jerseys will also receive specially-discounted tickets. And, former New Haven hockey players, including Nighthawk legend TOM COLLEY whose son Kevin is a current Sound Tiger, will be recognized. • The first two-thousand fans who enter the Wednesday, December 10th game versus the Utah Grizzlies will receive the second of five Sound Tiger player card sets courtesy of The Team Shop. The second card set will feature DIETER KOCHAN, MARTIN KARIYA, ERIC MANLOW and GRAHAM BELAK. • The second of this season's "Family Four Pack Nights" will be Friday, December 13th when the Sound Tigers host Manchester. Family Four Packs include four tickets, four hot dogs and four sodas for $55 and can be ordered by calling 203-334-GOAL. • The Sound Tigers will also host their annual "Teddy Bear Toss" on December 13th. • Weekly Reader will present "Cool Fun 101" when the Sound Tigers host the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Wednesday, December 17th at 11:05 a.m. in an educationally-themed matinee.

THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE

The Sound Tigers will practice at Bridgeport's Wonderland of Ice Wednesday at 10 a.m., Thursday at 11 a.m. and Friday at 10 a.m. and at Bridgeport's Arena at Harbor Yard at 10 a.m. Please call 203-334-4625 to confirm practice times and locations or with any special media requests.

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American Hockey League Stories from December 1, 2003


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