AHL Bridgeport Islanders

Sound Tigers Beat Manchester 2-1 At Home

Published on December 13, 2003 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release


BRIDGEPORT, CT - The American Hockey League's Bridgeport Sound Tigers, top affiliate of the National Hockey League's New York Islanders, beat the Manchester Monarchs 2-1 at home Saturday.

Wearing their blue alternate jerseys for the first time, the Sound Tigers improved their unbeaten-in-regulation streaks to 21 games overall at 17-0-3-1 and 12 home games at 9-0-2-1. They are also unbeaten in any manner in their last 19 games at 16-0-3. The 21-game and 19-game streaks both represent franchise records.

The Sound Tigers also remained in first place in the overall AHL standings becoming the first team to reach the 40-point mark with a record of 17-3-5-1.

Former Monarch Derek Bekar opened the scoring with his 11th goal of the season 8:29 into the game off a great pass from Eric Manlow who held off a Manchester defender in the left corner then sent the puck into the slot where Bekar wristed it home. Jeff Hamilton also assisted on the goal for his League-leading 31st point of the season. Bekar and Hamilton upped point-scoring streaks to three games on the play as well.

Manchester tied the game at 1-1 with a four-on-three power-play goal by Steve Kelly, his seventh goal of the season, 8:11 into the second period off assists from Bryan Muir and Pavel Rosa. Rosa's assist was his 31st point of the season moving him into a tie with Hamilton for the AHL scoring lead.

The Sound Tigers regained the lead at 2-1, and Hamilton took back first place among the League's leading scorers with his second assist of the game and 32nd point of the season by setting up Mattias Timander's second goal of the year with 4:49 left to play. Derek Bekar also assisted on the go-ahead goal. Manlow was originally credited with the goal on a redirection off assists from Hamilton and Timander but requested a scoring change at the end of the game.

Manchester pulled Goaltender Adam Hauser in favor of an extra attacker inside the final minute of play but was unable to tie the game. The Monarchs were 1 for 7 on the power play while the Sound Tigers were 0 for 6 and had a 26-24 shots on goal advantage.

Despite denying himself a second point with the requested scoring change, Manlow was the first star of the game. Goaltender Dieter Kochan was the second star improving his personal unbeaten-in-regulation streak to 13 games at 9-0-3-1 with a 23-save effort. Hamilton was the third star.

The Sound Tigers will host the Utah Grizzlies tomorrow at 4:05 p.m. Tomorrow's game will be broadcast live on 600 WICC-AM and at www.soundtigers.com beginning at 3:45 p.m.

Sound Tigers individual-game tickets are on sale at the Harbor Yard box office Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m., Saturday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and on all game days, as well as on-line at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling Ticketmaster at 203-368-1000.

Information regarding Sound Tigers season tickets, partial plans, flex packs, group discounts, birthday parties, suite 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 also invited to call 203-334-GOAL or email info@soundtigers.com.

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American Hockey League Stories from December 13, 2003


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