Papineau's Historic Debut Leads To Sound Tigers' 7th Win Over Springfield
March 15, 2003 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release
BRIDGEPORT, CT â The American Hockey League's 2001-02 Regular Season Champion and Eastern Conference Playoff Champion Bridgeport Sound Tigers, top affiliate of the National Hockey League's New York Islanders, won their fourth straight game, their third in a row at home, beating the Springfield Falcons, for the seventh times in as many meetings this season, 5-2 Saturday. Center Justin Papineau, who was acquired by the Islanders from the NHL's St. Louis Blues at the NHL's trade deadline Tuesday and assigned to Bridgeport, scored a pair of goals in his Sound Tigers' debut notching the eventual game winner on the power play and also connecting on the first-ever penalty shot attempt in team history in the third period.
After a scoreless first period, in which Sound Tigers Goaltender Stephen Valiquette made 14 saves, Trent Hunter gave Bridgeport a 1-0 lead with his team-leading 26th goal of the season, an unassisted tally, at 5:07 of the middle frame, but Springfield tied the game at 1-1 just :46 later on Corey Foster's ninth goal of the year on assists from Sheldon Keefe and Shane Willis.
The Sound Tigers regained the lead at 2-1 at 11:40 of the second period as Eric Manlow, at the end of a long shift, blasted a slapshot past Springfield Goaltender Evgeny Konstantinov while backing up towards the Bridgeport bench. It was Manlow's 18th goal of the season with Alan Letang and Hunter assisting on the goal.
Papineau notched his first goal as a Sound Tiger, his 22nd of the season, on the power play off assists from Manlow and Hunter at 15:06 of the second period to make it 3-1. Hunter's second three-point game in a week upped his team-leading point total to 58, and Manlow extended his assist streak to three games with the helper. The goal also improved the Sound Tigers' scoring streak on the advantage to six games, they are 10 for 27 in that time.
Papineau then made his mark in Sound Tigers' history converting the team's first-ever penalty-shot attempt 9:13 into the third period to make it 4-1 Bridgeport. Referee Ian Walsh awarded the penalty shot when a Springfield player covered the puck while in his own goal crease.
Springfield pulled back to within 4-2 with 5:13 left to play as Jeff Daw notched his first goal with the Falcons, his 15th of the season, on the power play off assists from Foster, who is now on a three-game helper streak, and Erik Westrum. Springfield then pulled Konstantinov in favor of an extra attacker with 1:39 left to play, but Mike Souza iced the 5-2 win with an empty-net goal, his eighth goal of the season, on assists from Letang and Alain Nasreddine with 1:17 left to play.
Both teams were 1 for 5 on the power play, and the Sound Tigers outshot Springfield 35-33, including an 18-2 run at one point. The Sound Tigers have now outshot the opposition in seven straight games. Papineau was the number one star of the game, Manlow number two, and Hunter number three.
"Islanders Appreciation Weekend" will continue when the Sound Tigers host the Binghamton Senators, whom they lead by one game atop the East Division, tomorrow at 4:05 p.m. 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, and "The Sound Tigers Report" airs Tuesdays from 7 p.m. until 8 p.m. on "The ZONE".
American Hockey League Stories from March 15, 2003
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