AHL Bridgeport Islanders

Shorthanded Sound Tigers Run Out Of Gas In Portland

December 18, 2004 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release


PORTLAND, ME - The American Hockey League's Bridgeport Sound Tigers, top affiliate of the National Hockey League's New York Islanders, lost 4-3 in overtime on the road to the Portland Pirates Saturday.

Playing short two skaters due to injuries and illnesses, the Sound Tigers began the game with what may have been their grittiest period of the season.

Chris Campoli opened the scoring with a shorthanded goal off assists from Ryan Kraft and Steve Regier at the 4:51 mark. It was the third goal of the year for Campoli who has scored in two of the last three games and posted points in six of the last seven. The assist was the first of Regier's professional career as well. The Sound Tigers had a 14-4 shots on goal advantage in the opening frame, holding Portland shotless for the last half of the period.

The Pirates Jeff Paul took a roughing minor at the end of the first period, and the Sound Tigers converted the power play for a 2-0 lead when Graham Belak scored his second goal of the season 1:15 into the middle frame off assists from Campoli and Kevin Colley.

Portland answered with Tomas Fleischmann's second goal of the year 2:54 later off assists from Jonas Johansson and Boyd Gordon to make it 2-1, but the Sound Tigers regained the two-goal lead at 3-1 when Kraft notched his fifth of the season off assists from Jim Campbell and Regier.

The Pirates pulled to within striking distance at 3-2 when Brian Sutherby scored his fifth goal of the season, on the power play, 2:25 into the third period off assists from Brian Willsie and Jared Aulin. They tied the score at 3-3 with 8:17 left to play on Gordon's fourth goal of the year off assists from Fleischmann and Aulin.

Gordon swept a rebound past Sound Tigers Goaltender Wade Dubielewicz while being pulled down in the slot for the game-winning goal, his second of the night and fifth of the season, just 42 seconds into the extra session to give Portland the 4-3 win. Willsie and Dwayne Zinger assisted on the deciding score.

Gordon was the first star of the game, Kraft the second, and Campoli the third. Dubielewicz made 20 saves in a losing effort while Pirates Netminder Maxime Ouellet made 27 stops to earn the win. The Sound Tigers were 1 for 2 on the power play while Portland was 1 for 5 on the advantage.

The Sound Tigers will begin a four-game home-stand this Monday, December 20th when they host the Worcester IceCats at 7:05 p.m. They will also host the Philadelphia Phantoms this coming Wednesday, December 22nd at 7:05 p.m., the Hartford Wolf Pack next Sunday, December 26th at 4:05 p.m. and Portland the following Tuesday, December 28th at 7:05 p.m.

All Sound Tigers games are web cast live at www.soundtigers.com. Most games, including this Monday's game versus Worcester and next Sunday's versus Hartford, are also broadcast live on 600 WICC-AM.

Information regarding Sound Tigers ticket packages and sponsorship opportunities is available by calling 203-334-GOAL or logging on to www.soundtigers.com. Groups, organizations, companies, etc. that are interested in having a member of the Sound Tigers appear at an event are invited to call 203-334-GOAL.

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American Hockey League Stories from December 18, 2004


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