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AHL Bridgeport Islanders

League Leading Sound Tigers Up Streaks With Four Win Week

December 15, 2003 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release


The Sound Tigers reset their all-time franchise records for longest unbeaten-in-regulation streak, 22 games at 18-0-3-1, and longest road-unbeaten streak, ten games at 8-0-2, and also improved their franchise-record overall unbeaten streak to 20 games at 17-0-3 with four wins last week. They shutout the Utah Grizzlies 4-0 at home Wednesday and 5-0 at home Sunday and also beat the Philadelphia Phantoms 4-1 on the road Friday and the Manchester Monarchs 2-1 at home Saturday. The Sound Tigers finished last week with the League's highest winning percentage, .778, and in first place in the overall standings with 42 points and a record of 18-3-5-1, including 10-2-2-1 at home and 8-1-3 on the road.

WED DEC 10th vs. UTA, 4-0 W: DEREK BEKAR notched the Sound Tigers' first hat trick of the season, and first since last February, and DIETER KOCHAN made 25 saves for his second shutout of the year. JEFF HAMILTON scored a goal and assisted on two others, and ERIC MANLOW had two assists. It was the Sound Tigers' fourth shutout of the season and second in as many games. They finished the game on a 130:39 shutout streak. The Sound Tigers were 1 for 3 on the power play while Utah was 0-5 and had a 25-21 shots on goal advantage.

FRI DEC 12th at PHI, 4-1 W: The Sound Tigers took a 3-0 lead into the first intermission on unassisted goals by CAIL MacLEAN and JEFF HAMILTON and a power-play goal by Hamilton. KEVIN COLLEY added an empty-net goal, and WADE DUBIELEWICZ made 20 saves. Philadelphia's only goal, by PATRICK SHARP 10:39 into the second period, ended the Sound Tigers' shutout streak at a franchise-record 161:18. The Sound Tigers were 1 for 3 on the power play and had a 23-21 shots on goal advantage. The Phantoms were 1 for 4 on the power play.

SAT DEC 13 vs. MCH, 2-1 W: Former Monarch DEREK BEKAR opened the scoring and assisted on the go-ahead goal, MATTIAS TIMANDER scored the game-winner with 4:49 left in the third period, JEFF HAMILTON assisted on both goals, and DIETER KOCHAN made 23 saves. Manchester was 1 for 7 on the power play while the Sound Tigers were 0 for 6 and had a 26-24 shots on goal advantage.

SUN DEC 14th vs. UTA, 5-0 W: JEFF HAMILTON scored two goals; CAIL MacLEAN and KEVIN COLLEY had a goal and an assist each; BEN GUITE scored once; ERIC MANLOW had two assists; and WADE DUBIELEWICZ made 16 saves for his third shutout of the season and of his professional career. It was also the third shutout in a 17-day span for Dubielewicz and the Sound Tigers' fifth of the year. The Sound Tigers were 0 for 3 on the power play, 4 for 4 on the penalty kill and outshot Utah 30-16 in their final game versus a Western Conference opponent this regular season.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK – RW/C JEFF HAMILTON

Hamilton had five goals, including three game-winners, two first goals, a power-play goal and an unassisted goal; four assists and nine points and was a +9 in four games last week. He also set a franchise record with 11 shots on goal Sunday. Hamilton finished the week leading all AHL scorers with 34 points, 22 goals, 12 power-play goals, eight game-winning goals and eight first goals and a +16. He also ended the week on a four-game scoring streak.

THIS WEEK – "Cool Fun 101" Marks Last Home Game Of Year

The Sound Tigers will play three games this week including their last home game of calendar 2003. They will host the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Wednesday at 11:05 a.m. in the educationally-themed "Cool Fun 101" matinee. The Sound Tigers will then play seven straight road games through New Year's Eve beginning with visits to the Worcester IceCats Friday at 7:05 p.m. and the Hershey Bears Saturday at 7 p.m.

WED DEC 17th vs. WIL, 11:05 p.m.: This will be the third of eight meetings of the teams, the second of four in Bridgeport, this regular season. The Sound Tigers are 4-0 all-time, 2-0 this season, versus Wilkes-Barre/Scranton who begins this week in fifth place in the East Division with 25 points and a 10-11-3-2 record, including 4-6-3-1 on the road.

FRI DEC 19th at WOR, 7:05 p.m.: This will be the first of two meetings of the teams, the only in Worcester, this regular season. The Sound Tigers are 4-1-1 all-time, 2-0 last season, versus the IceCats who begin this week in third place in the Atlantic Division with 32 points and a 13-9-6 record, including 5-6-2 at home. Worcester does not play until Friday.

SAT DEC 20th at HER, 7 p.m.: This will be the third of eight meetings of the teams, the second of four in Hershey, this regular season. The Sound Tigers are 0-5-3 all-time, 0-1-1 this season, versus the Bears who begin this week in second place in the East Division with 35 points, seven behind the Sound Tigers, and a 14-9-5-2 record, including 6-4-3-2 at home. Hershey, who will visit the Cleveland Barons Friday, is one of just two AHL teams, along with the Manitoba Moose, the Sound Tigers have played but never beaten during the regular season. The Bears also handed the Sound Tigers their last loss in regulation, 3-1 in Chocolatetown on October 18th.

SOUND TIGERS TEAM LEADERS (League leaders in Italics)

Goals – JEFF HAMILTON, 22
Penalty Minutes – GRAHAM BELAK, 62
Assists – ERIC MANLOW, 17
Wins – WADE DUBIELEWICZ & DIETER KOCHAN, 9
Points – JEFF HAMILTON, 34
Goals Against Average – WADE DUBIELEWICZ, 1.16
Plus / Minus – JEFF HAMILTON, +16
Save Percentage – WADE DUBIELEWICZ, .952

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

Power Play – 23 for 137, 16.8%; 5th Shorthanded Goals Against – 3

Penalty Kill – 100 for 111, 91.0%; 1st Shorthanded Goal For – 3

SOUND TIGERS STREAKS

The Sound Tigers are unbeaten-in-regulation in 13 straight home games (10-0-2-1) and 22 games in a row overall (18-0-3-1). • They are also unbeaten in any manner in their last 20 games overall (17-0-3) and ten straight road games (8-0-2). • G DIETER KOCHAN is unbeaten-in-regulation (9-0-3-1) in his last 13 games. • G WADE DUBIELEWICZ is unbeaten in his last ten games (9-0-1). • RW/C JEFF HAMILTON (5g,4a) and LW DEREK BEKAR (4g,3a) are on four-game point streaks. Bekar is also on a three-game assist streak (3a). • C ERIC MANLOW (3a) is on a two-game assist streak.

SOUND TIGERS TRANSACTIONS

RW MATTIAS WEINHANDL and C JUSTIN MAPLETOFT remain on recall to the Islanders. • C BEN GUITE was released from a professional tryout contract and signed to a standard AHL contract last Thursday.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR & PROMOTIONAL NEWS

The Sound Tigers Team Shop at Bridgeport's Arena at Harbor Yard will be open for extended holiday hours through Christmas Eve. Holiday hours are 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. • GRAHAM BELAK, ALAIN NASREDDINE, ALAN LETANG and ERIC MANLOW will join the Team Mascot STORM to distribute toys at Yale New Haven Children's Hospital this Tuesday, December 16th from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. • KEVIN COLLEY and DEREK BEKAR will visit the monthly meeting of the Sound Tigers Boosters Club at Murphy's Law Bar & Grill in downtown Bridgeport this Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. • Weekly Reader will present "Cool Fun 101" when the Sound Tigers host Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this Wednesday, December 17th at 11:05 a.m. Students who attend "Cool Fun 101" will receive a workbook relating educational lessons to the sport of hockey. There will also be an essay contest for a chance to become a special Weekly Reader reporter at a future Sound Tigers' game. Tickets for "Cool Fun 101" cost $6 per student with free tickets for chaperones. Schools can call 203-334-GOAL for more information or to arrange a trip to "Cool Fun 101". • BEN GUITE, ALAN LETANG and JEFF HAMILTON will take part in the "Toys From Wonderland" Christmas Toy Collection at Bridgeport's Wonderland of Ice this Sunday, December 21st from 2 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. Fans are asked to bring a new, unwrapped toy to Sunday's public skating session. The Bridgeport Skating Club will present an ice show at 4:15 p.m. and there will be special appearances by Rudolph and Santa Claus.

SOUND TIGERS ON THE AIR

This Wednesday's game will be web cast live at www.soundtigers.com. • Both of this weekend's road games will be broadcast live on 600 WICC-AM and at www.soundtigers.com. Fans can email questions and comments to Voice of the Sound Tigers BILL McLAUGHLIN who will respond live on the air during all broadcasts. • Head Coach GREG CRONIN is also interviewed live on WICC every Friday morning at 9:30 a.m. by News Director TIM QUINN.

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