Rakhshani's Memorable Hat Trick Cues 6-2 Sound Tigers Win
Published on April 5, 2011 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (Apr. 5, 2011) - Rhett Rakhshani netted a natural hat trick in 1:59 span of the second period and Jeremy Colliton tied a team record with four assists as the Bridgeport Sound Tigers dominated the Springfield Falcons in a 6-2 win on Tuesday afternoon. With the win, the Sound Tigers improve to 28-38-4-7. Springfield falls to 33-39-2-3.
The Sound Tigers fifth-ranked power play struck first to give Pat Bingham's squad a 1-0 lead 8:59 into the first period. Newcomer Art Bidlevskii fired a shot from above the right faceoff circle towards the Springfield net and Sound Tigers forward Justin DiBenedetto. The Maple, Ont. native deflected Bidlevskii's shot past Falcons netminder Allen York for his 19th goal of the season and the Sound Tigers led 1-0. The Sound Tigers outshot the Falcons 13-10 in the opening frame and Mikko Koskinen stopped all 10 shots as Bridgeport carried their 1-0 lead into the second period.
West Haven, Conn. native Joe Pereira doubled the Sound Tigers lead with his first AHL goal 2:33 into the second period to make the score 2-0. Former Sound Tiger Greg Moore beat Koskinen at 6:38 to cut the lead to 2-1 and that's when Rakhshani began his impressive feat. Jeremy Colliton won the ensuing faceoff and Rakhshani skated towards the Springfield blue line, firing the puck off Falcons defenseman David Savard and past Allen York just five seconds after Moore's tally to put the Sound Tigers ahead 3-1. Paul Dainton replaced York at that point, but it made no difference as Rakhshani one-timed Colliton's pass from behind the net past Dainton just 19 seconds later. Theo Ruth's slashing penalty put the Sound Tigers on a power play and Rakhshani made the Falcons pay, knocking another feed from Colliton off of Dainton's glove and past the goal line for his third goal in just 1:59 to make the score 5-1 after two periods. It marked Rakhshani's second hat trick in less than two weeks, the first coming at Portland on Mar. 25, and the first natural hat trick since Mike Iggulden on Oct. 18, 2008.
Tyler McNeely scored 17 seconds into the third period to push the lead to 6-1, and former Sound Tiger Trevor Smith rounded out the scoring with his 19th goal of the season at 3:57. Colliton's four assists tied the team record and also equaled his four-assist mark on Mar. 25 against Portland, the same game in which Rakhshani netted his first professional hat trick. Colliton is now just one assist away from tying Rob Collins' franchise record for all-time assists with 110.
The Sound Tigers look for their third straight win Friday night when they begin a home-and-home series with the Connecticut Whale at Webster Bank Arena at 7 p.m.
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