Rakhshani's Hat Trick Powers Sound Tigers Past Pirates 5-2
March 25, 2011 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release
PORTLAND, ME - Rhett Rakhshani recorded his first professional hat trick and Mikko Koskinen made 17 saves as the Bridgeport Sound Tigers scored four power-play goals en route to a 5-1 win over the Portland Pirates at the Cumberland County Civic Center on Friday night. With the win, the Sound Tigers extend their season-high point streak to six games and improve to 24-36-4-7. Portland drops just its sixth game at home this season and falls to 43-19-6-2 overall
Portland took the lead 9:09 into the first period. Following a Justin DiBenedetto roughing penalty, Brennan fired a slap shot from the top of the right circle past Mikko Koskinen's blocker for his 14th goal of the season to give the Pirates a 1-0 lead. However, the Sound Tigers answered with two goals later in the period to jump in front. Jeremy Colliton sent the puck towards the net from the right side of the Portland zone, finding a streaking Rhett Rakhshani who deflected the puck past Portland netminder Jeff Jakaitis. It marked Rakhshani's team-leading 18th goal of the season and evened the score at one with 5:01 remaining in the opening period. Just 2:10 later with the Sound Tigers on a power play of their own, Rob Hisey buried the rebound from Mark Katic's point shot for his 12th goal of the year as the Sound Tigers carried a 2-1 lead to the second period.
Portland began the second period on a power play for 1:53 as Jeremy Colliton's holding penalty carried over, and the Pirates ended up with three more power-play opportunities in the middle frame. However, Koskinen was the Sound Tigers best penalty killer, making key saves and holding Portland at bay throughout the second period despite the Pirates outshooting the Sound Tigers 9-2.
The power play continued to click for the Sound Tigers as they pulled away late in the game. Rakhshani took a gorgeous cross-ice feed from Hisey and lifted the puck from the left circle over Jakaitis for his second goal of the night with 10:06 remaining in regulation. Tim Conboy was called for a five-minute high-sticking penalty and a game misconduct after hitting Justin DiBenedetto high with 5:47 to go, and the Sound Tigers put the game away with two more goals on the man-advantage. Rakhshani capped off his first professional hat trick with his second power-play goal of the game at 15:24 of the third, and Brian Day rounded out the scoring at 19:02 as he buried a rebound for his first professional goal in his AHL debut. Rakhshani's three-goal game also gives him 54 points for the season, eclipsing Jeremy Colliton's rookie record of 53 points in a season during the 2005-06 campaign.
The Sound Tigers will look to extend their point-scoring streak to seven tomorrow night when they visit the Connecticut Whale at the XL Center at 7 p.m.
American Hockey League Stories from March 25, 2011
- IceHogs Finish Off Bulldogs 4-3 In Overtime - Rockford IceHogs
- Admirals Defeat Wolves 4-2 - Milwaukee Admirals
- Whale win over Checkers in shootout - Connecticut Whale
- Heat Fall 3-2 to Moose in Shootout - Abbotsford Heat
- Rampage Top Rivermen 4-2 - Peoria Rivermen
- Texas Rallys to Down Grand Rapids 5-3 - Texas Stars
- Aeros win 4-1 victory over Oklahoma City - Houston Aeros
- Amerks Fall To Monsters In Overtime; Drop Fourth Straight - Rochester Americans
- Moose Take The Heat In A Shootout 3-2 - Manitoba Moose
- Friday Night Dwight's - Manchester Monarchs
- Bulldogs Downed 4-3 by IceHogs in Overtime - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Phantoms Take Down the Bears - Adirondack Phantoms
- Rampage Sink Rivermen with 4-2 Win - San Antonio Rampage
- Crunch Demolish Devils, 6-2 - Syracuse Crunch
- Admirals Shut Out By Monarchs - Norfolk Admirals
- Rakhshani's Hat Trick Powers Sound Tigers Past Pirates 5-2 - Bridgeport Islanders
- Wolves Thrown Off By Admirals, 4-2 - Chicago Wolves
- P-Bruins Defeat Sharks 4-2 - Providence Bruins
- Devils Stall In Syracuse - Albany Devils
- Whale Stuns Checkers with Comeback Shootout Win - Charlotte Checkers
- Sharks trapped by Providence 4-2 - Worcester Sharks
- Sound Tigers Roll Against the Pirates - Portland Pirates
- Full Team Post-Game Autograph Session Sunday - Manitoba Moose
- Coyotes Recall Ryan Hollweg from San Antonio on Emergency Basis - San Antonio Rampage
- Florida Panthers Recall Patrick Rissmiller from Rochester - Rochester Americans
- Monarchs Sign Two to Tryout - Manchester Monarchs
- Anaheim Recalls Left Wing Matt Beleskey - Syracuse Crunch
- Minnesota Wild Reassigns Peters to Houston Aeros - Houston Aeros
- B-Sens Sign Defenseman R.J. Anderson and Goaltender Peter Vetri - Binghamton Senators
- Game Day Preview - Grand Rapids at Texas - Texas Stars
- Devils Add Blueliner - Albany Devils
- Islanders Recall Defenseman Ty Wishart - Bridgeport Islanders
- AHL Quick Hits - AHL
- Game Day: Amerks Take on Red-Hot Monsters Tonight - Rochester Americans
- Hobey Baker Finalist Nyquist Joins Griffins - Grand Rapids Griffins
- American Hockey League Announces Suspensions - AHL
- Senators Re-Assign Roman Wick to Binghamton (AHL), Recall Mike Brodeur - Binghamton Senators
- Barons Notes - Oklahoma City Barons
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
