AHL Bridgeport Islanders

Sim-Ply Amazing - Sim Nets Hat Trick in 6-5 Win

Published on November 3, 2010 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release


BRIDGEPORT, Conn (Nov. 3, 2010) - Veteran forward Jon Sim made his 2010-11 Sound Tigers debut in style today with a hat trick and the game-winning goal in the fifth shootout round to give the Sound Tigers a hard-fought 6-5 victory over the Springfield Falcons. With the win, the Sound Tigers improve to 4-5-0-0. Springfield falls to 6-5-0-0.

Today's 11 a.m. contest was the Sound Tigers 8th annual "Cool Fun 101" game, which highlights the educational aspects hockey for students. 7,650 cheering students from all across Connecticut were in attendance for the first of 10 matchups between the Sound Tigers and Falcons, and just 63 seconds into the game the team's newest member put his team on the board on his first shift of the season in a Sound Tigers uniform. =46ollowing a Nate Guenin tripping penalty, Jon Sim chased the puck down behind the Springfield net. The New Glasgow, NS native skated quickly out in front and jammed the puck past Falcons goaltender David LeNeveu for his first goal of the season to give the Sound Tigers an early 1-0 lead.

Less than two minutes later, the Sound Tigers added to their lead. Jesse Joensuu skated along the left side of the Springfield zone and held the puck a moment before making a saucer pass through the slot to Justin DiBenedetto. The second-year Sound Tiger one-timed a blast from the right faceoff circle over the left shoulder of LeNeveu, and just 2:57 into the game the Sound Tigers were ahead 2-0.

Sim's second goal of the game gave the Sound Tigers a three-goal lead. Rob Hisey took the puck away in the neutral zone, spun back into the Springfield zone to find Sim cutting to the net. Hisey fluttered a pass over a Springfield defenseman's stick to the veteran forward, who had his initial shot stopped but slid the rebound past LeNeveu to put the Sound Tigers ahead by a three-goal margin.

However, Springfield would respond with a three-goal run of its own. Matt Calvert scored shorthanded on a breakaway against Sound Tigers goaltender Nathan Lawson late in the first period to put the Falcons on the board, and Maksim Mayorov and Michael Ryan scored just 32 seconds apart midway through the second period to knot the score at three.

The Sound Tigers retook the lead less than two minutes later. Ullstrom skated into the zone and made a nice move to elude a Springfield defenseman's poke check, then fired a shot past LeNeveu glove-side to give the Sound Tigers a 4-3 advantage. 39 seconds after Ullstrom's team-leading fourth goal of the season, Sim completed the hat trick after he jammed away at a couple rebounds and lifted the puck over the Springfield netminder to put Bridgeport ahead 5-3 heading to the final period.

In the third period Springfield overcame its second multi-goal deficit of the game. Calvert scored his second goal of the game on the power play at the 11:15 mark of the period, and Steven Goertzen netted his first goal of the season just 1:15 later to tie the score at five. The score stayed that way through regulation and overtime. Rhett Rakhshani scored in the first round of the shootout with a wrist shot that flew over LeNeveu's glove which was the only goal until Maksim Mayorov beat Lawson to keep the Falcons hopes alive. That set the stage for Sim, who faked the shot to LeNeveu's left, brought it across his body and slid it home to clinch the win for the Sound Tigers.

Sim's three-goal effort marks the first hat trick since Jesse Joensuu score three times in the Sound Tigers 6-3 win at Lowell on April 9, 2010 and the first one at the Arena at Harbor Yard since he did it himself against Albany on April 5, 2009.

Lawson made 30 saves to earn his first win of the season. LeNeveu made 36 saves in the losing effort for the Falcons.

The Sound Tigers will look for their third straight win this Friday when they travel to Providence to take on the Bruins. Game time is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

Check out the Bridgeport Islanders Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



American Hockey League Stories from November 3, 2010


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.

OurSports Central