AHL Bridgeport Islanders

Sound Tigers Back In First Place

Published on March 8, 2004 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release


The Sound Tigers notched another three-point week sandwiching a 2-1 win over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Friday and a scoreless tie with the Hartford Wolf Pack Saturday in between at 3-1 loss to the Lowell Lock Monsters Wednesday and a 4-3 loss to the Binghamton Senators Sunday. With three games left on the current eight-game homestand, the Sound Tigers finished last week tied with the Philadelphia Phantoms for first place in the East Division with 77 points and a 32-18-9-4 record, including 15-9-6-2 at home and 17-9-3-2 on the road.

WED MAR 3rd vs. LOW, 3-1 L: MIKE SOUZA opened the scoring 2:09 into the first period, but RYAN BAYDA tied the game early in the second period then SEAN CURRY and LYNN LOYNS scored for Lowell in the third. Both teams were 0 for 2 on the power play. The Lock Monsters had a 27-24 shots on goal advantage.

FRI MAR 5th vs. WIL, 2-1 W: JEFF HAMILTON scored his League-leading 32nd and 33rd goals of the season on back-to-back, second-period power plays, his 15th and 16th tallies on the advantage. The second goal was also his AHL-leading 12th game-winner. WADE DUBIELEWICZ made 22 saves for the Sound Tigers who had a 26-23 shots on goal advantage and were 2 for 8 on the power play and 5 for 5 on the penalty kill. The win came in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's first visit to Bridgeport's Arena at Harbor Yard since the Penguins snapped the Sound Tigers' franchise-record 20-game unbeaten streak and 22-game unbeaten-in-regulation streak on December 17th.

SAT MAR 6th vs. HAR, 0-0 T: Former Sound Tiger STEPHEN VALIQUETTE made 32 saves in his Hartford debut while WADE DUBIELEWICZ stopped all 26 shots he faced in the Bridgeport net, including a highlight-reel gem mid-way through the extra session. It was the first scoreless tie in the history of both the Sound Tigers and Wolf Pack. The Sound Tigers had a 32-26 shots on goal advantage and were 0 for 6 on the power play. Hartford was 0 for 4 on the power play.

SUN MAR 7th vs. BIN, 4-3 L: JUSTIN MAPLETOFT and ERIC MANLOW gave the Sound Tigers a 2-0 lead early in the first period, but DAVID HYMOVITZ, JULIEN VAUCLAIR and BRAD TAPPER put Binghamton up 3-2 mid-way through the second period. RYAN KRAFT tied the score 34 seconds after the Senators took the lead, but Tapper scored the game-winner just past the mid-point of the third period. Binghamton was 1 for 6 on the power play, had a shorthanded goal and outshot the Sound Tigers 30-27. The Sound Tigers were 0 for 6 on the advantage.

SOUND TIGERS PLAYER OF THE WEEK – G WADE DUBIELEWICZ

Dubielewicz made 22 saves in Friday's win over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and 26 in Saturday's scoreless draw with Hartford to go 1-0-1 with a 0.48 goals against average and .980 save percentage in two appearances last week. The AHL's January Rookie of the Month is tied for the lead among the League's goaltenders with a 1.47 goals against average and also has a 16-7-4 record, .940 save percentage and six shutouts, a franchise-single-season record, in 27 games this year.

THIS WEEK – Three Game Week Wraps Up Eight Game Homestand

The Sound Tigers will finish an eight-game homestand with three games this week hosting the Providence Bruins Wednesday at 7:05 p.m., Hartford again Saturday at 7:05 p.m. and the Manchester Monarchs Sunday at 4:05 p.m.

WED MAR 10th vs. PRO, 7:05 p.m.: This will be the fourth and final meeting of the teams, the second at Bridgeport's Arena at Harbor Yard this regular season. The Sound Tigers are 1-7-3 all-time, 0-2-1 with two overtime losses this season, versus Providence who begins this week tied with the Worcester IceCats for third place in the Atlantic Division with 69 points and a 28-21-10-3 record, including 14-11-6-0 on the road. The Bruins are off until Wednesday.

SAT MAR 13th vs. HAR, 7:05 p.m.: This will be the ninth of ten meetings of the teams, the fifth and final in Bridgeport, this regular season. The Sound Tigers are 15-10-3 all-time, 3-3-2 this season with an overtime loss at home, versus the Wolf Pack who begin this week in first place in the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference with 81 points and a 34-16-11-2 record, including 15-9-5-2 on the road. Hartford, who is unbeaten-in-regulation in 13 straight games at 9-0-3-1, will host Worcester Wednesday and visit the Springfield Falcons Friday.

SUN MAR 14th vs. MCH, 4:05 p.m.: This will be the third of four meetings of the teams, the second and final at Harbor Yard, this regular season. The Sound Tigers are 5-3-2 all-time, 2-0 this season, versus Manchester who begins this week in second place in the Atlantic Division with 71 points and a 30-21-6-5 record, including 12-14-4-1 on the road. The Monarchs, who are 5-1-2-2 in their last ten games, will host Springfield Wednesday, Worcester Friday and Philadelphia Saturday.

SOUND TIGERS TEAM LEADERS (active roster, League Leaders in Italics)
Goals – JEFF HAMILTON, 33
Penalty Minutes – GRAHAM BELAK, 150
Assists – ERIC MANLOW, 24
Wins – WADE DUBIELEWICZ & DIETER KOCHAN, 16
Points – JEFF HAMILTON, 54
Goals Against Average – WADE DUBIELEWICZ, 1.47
Plus / Minus – J. HAMILTON & E. MANLOW, +14
Save Percentage – WADE DUBIELEWICZ, .940

SOUND TIGERS SPECIAL TEAMS; AHL RANK (League leaders in Italics)

Power Play – 41 for 307, 13.4%; 19th Shorthanded Goals Against – 7

Penalty Kill – 228 for 250, 91.2%; 1st Shorthanded Goal For – 9

SOUND TIGERS STREAKS

G WADE DUBIELEWICZ is unbeaten in his last two games at 1-0-1.

SOUND TIGERS TRANSACTIONS

D TOMI PETTINEN was recalled by the Islanders Thursday. • C ERIC MANLOW was reassigned by the Islanders Thursday. • D JAY LEACH was re-signed to a professional tryout contract Wednesday. • RW ERIC GODARD was recalled by the Islanders Wednesday, February 25th. • LW MIKE SOUZA, who played in Bridgeport last season, signed a PTO Friday, February 20th. • RW/C BRENT GAUVREAU signed a PTO Monday, January 26th. • C JUSTIN MAPLETOFT was reassigned by the Islanders Wednesday, January 21st. • LW DEREK BEKAR was reassigned by the Islanders Friday, January 16th. • D SVEN BUTENSCHON, G RICK DiPIETRO and RW MATTIAS WEINHANDL remain on Islanders recall.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR & PROMOTIONAL NEWS

The Team Mascot STORM visited the Stepney School today at 2:45 p.m. and will attend the "Relay For Life" Pep Rally at the Gaelic-American Club in Fairfield tonight at 6 p.m. • STORM will also visit the Cranberry School in Norwalk tomorrow at 3 p.m. and the Elizabeth Shelton School Wednesday at 3 p.m. • Murphy's Law Bar & Grill will present the fourth of five Sound Tigers trading card set giveaways; featuring CAIL MacLEAN, JUSTIN MAPLETOFT, ALAIN NASREDDINE and TOMI PETTINEN; this Wednesday. • This Wednesday will also be the fourth of five "Family Four Pack Nights". "Family Four Packs" include four tickets, four hot dogs and four sodas and can be purchased by calling 203-334-GOAL. • The Stamford Advocate will present "Islanders Appreciation Weekend" this Saturday and Sunday and will giveaway six-thousand cheer cards. There will be a RICK DiPIETRO bobblehead giveaway for fans age 14 and under, as well as a special jersey auction on Sunday. • The Port Jefferson Ferry and the Sound Tigers are offering a special package this Sunday, including round-trip fare and admission for $25 for adults and $21 for children, with information available by calling 631-473-5138 or on-line at http://www.bpjferry.com/soundtigers.shtml. • Wednesday, March 31st will be "Bud Light on the Wallet Wednesday" with an appearance by the Bud Light Girls when Wilkes-Barre/Scranton returns at 7:05 p.m. College students can purchase $5 tickets to the game with proper identification, and there will be $2 beer specials at the concession stands. • Saturday and Sunday April 3rd and 4th will be "Police & Fire Appreciation Weekend". • Painter's Supply will present the fifth and final card set giveaway on Saturday, April 3rd when the Hershey Bears visit at 7:05 p.m. • The final "Family Four Pack Night" will be Thursday, April 8th when the Norfolk Admirals visit at 7:05 p.m.

SOUND TIGERS ON THE AIR

All Sound Tigers games are web cast live at www.soundtigers.com. Wednesday's game and Sunday's game will also be broadcast live on 600 WICC-AM. Saturday's game may be broadcast live on WICC depending on the University of Connecticut basketball schedule. • Head Coach GREG CRONIN is interviewed live on WICC every Friday at 9:30 a.m.

THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE

The Sound Tigers are scheduled to practice at Bridgeport's Arena at Harbor Yard Tuesday at 1 p.m., as well as Wednesday through Friday at 10 a.m. They are also slated to skate at Bridgeport's Wonderland of Ice Saturday at 10 a.m.

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American Hockey League Stories from March 8, 2004


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