McNeely's Heroics Give Sound Tigers 4-3 Win over Senators
Published on April 2, 2011 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (Apr. 2, 2011) - Tyler McNeely scored his first two professional goals including the game-winner with 1:23 left in regulation, and made the play of the night with a game-saving poke-check in the closing moments during a 6-on-3 penalty kill, as the Bridgeport Sound Tigers defeated the Binghamton Senators 4-3 on Saturday night. With the win the Sound Tigers improve to 27-38-4-7 overall. Binghamton falls to 40-29-3-4.
The Sound Tigers took a 1-0 lead midway through the first period. Art Bidlevskii fed the puck ahead to Justin DiBenedetto, who raced into the zone and found Robin Figren streaking towards the net. Figren faked a slap shot which drew Barry Brust out of his net, and Figren had his easiest goal of the season as he slid the puck into the open net for his 14th goal of the year. Mikko Koskinen stopped all nine shots he faced from Binghamton and the Sound Tigers held a 1-0 lead after the first period.
The score remained 1-0 until Binghamton had a 3-on-1 rush as a Sound Tigers power play expired. The Senators skated into the zone and made a few passes before Ryan Keller slid the puck past Koskinen's outstretched right leg to even the score at one with 2:15 left in the second period. Rhett Rakhshani put the Sound Tigers back in front when he fired from the left circle past Brust on the power play with 29 seconds left in the second period. Matt Donovan earned his first professional assist on Rakhshani's 21st goal of the season, and the Sound Tigers carried a 2-1 lead into the final period.
The seesaw battle continued as Binghamton's Roman Wick tied the game at 1:56 with a power-play goal from the right circle. McNeely gave the Sound Tigers their third lead of the night 1:46 later after he took a feed from Rakhshani on a 2-on-1 and beat Brust from the left circle for his first professional goal to make the score 3-2. Binghamton continued to fight as Patrick Coulombe scored at 7:54 of the frame to even the score once more at 3-3.
With just 1:23 left in the game, Rhett Rakhshani forced a turnover during a forecheck and had his initial shot stopped by Brust, but McNeely buried the rebound as the Sound Tigers retook the lead a 4-3. Binghamton had great chances down the stretch as they earned a 6-on-3 advantage with penalties to DiBenedetto and Colliton at 18:59 and 19:32 and Brust pulled from the Binghamton net. However, McNeely won the ensuing faceoff and had a poke-check to knock the puck out of the zone and the Sound Tigers came away with a gutsy 4-3 road victory.
Mikko Koskinen made 28 saves to earn his 10th win of the season. Barry Brust made 22 saves in the loss.
The Sound Tigers return to action on Tuesday morning for Spring Fun 102 when they host the Springfield Falcons at a special start time of 11 a.m.
American Hockey League Stories from April 2, 2011
- Rampage Edge Rivermen in Overtime, 3-2 - San Antonio Rampage
- Admirals Drop Heartbreaker to Bears - Norfolk Admirals
- Aeros earn 6-1 victory - Houston Aeros
- High-Five! - Manchester Monarchs
- Falcons Dominate Whale 6-2 - Springfield Falcons
- Wolves Overpowered By Aeros, 6-1 - Chicago Wolves
- Barons End Stars Streak, Beat Texas 2-0 - Texas Stars
- B-Sens Drop To Sound Tigers, Fail To Help Playoff Cause - Binghamton Senators
- Checkers Clinch Playoff Spot With 5-3 Win Over Albany - Charlotte Checkers
- Sharks Fall to Bruins 4-1 - Worcester Sharks
- Flyers Recall Syvret - Adirondack Phantoms
- Amerks Fall To First Place Penguins 4-3 In Overtime - Rochester Americans
- Late Goal Spoils Devils' Effort - Albany Devils
- Leighton Deals 33rd Career Shutout - Adirondack Phantoms
- P-Bruins Drown Sharks 4-1 - Providence Bruins
- Falcons win over Whale - Connecticut Whale
- McNeely's Heroics Give Sound Tigers 4-3 Win over Senators - Bridgeport Islanders
- Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Capture Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy - AHL
- Crunch Streak Snapped by Adirondack - Syracuse Crunch
- Pirates out Dueled by Monarchs - Portland Pirates
- Canucks Re-Assign Bolduc to Moose - Manitoba Moose
- Bulldogs Edge Moose with 3-2 Shootout Win - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Matczak Signed to ATO - Adirondack Phantoms
- Moose Downed by 'Dogs in 3-2 Shootout Loss - Manitoba Moose
- American Hockey League Announces Suspension - AHL
- B-Sens Sign Defensemen Patrick Coulombe and Brock Matheson - Binghamton Senators
- Florida Panthers Recall F Tim Kennedy - Rochester Americans
- Gameday Preview - Texas at Oklahoma City - Texas Stars
- Falcons Host the Whale Tonight - Springfield Falcons
- Moose Sign Kyle Bushee to PTO - Manitoba Moose
- Senators Recall Andre Benoit from Binghamton - Binghamton Senators
- Pirates Sign Three - Portland Pirates
- Preview: Aeros at Wolves - Houston Aeros
- Griffins Burned By Heat, 4-2 - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Heat ground Griffins 4-2 - Abbotsford Heat
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