Sound Tigers Beat Sharks 6-3
April 4, 2013 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (April 4, 2013) - Sound Tigers defenseman Matt Donovan recorded one goal and three assists, Brock Nelson recorded two goals and an assist while Ryan Strome and Nino Niederreiter each added two helpers as Bridgeport beat the Worcester Sharks 6-3 in front of 7,550 fans for "Spring Fun 102" at Webster Bank Arena on Thursday. With the win, the Sound Tigers improve to 29-28-6-5. The Sharks fall to 29-30-2-6.
Thousands of local-area school children saw the Sound Tigers take control of the game in the second period with four goals in a span of 8:59 to turn a two-goal deficit into a two-goal lead. Daniil Tarasov and Bracken Kearns tallied in the first period to give Worcester a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes, but Scott Campbell began the Sound Tigers comeback when he deflected Matt Donovan's left point shot past goaltender Harri Sateri 44 seconds into the middle frame to get Bridgeport on the board.
Nelson brought the Sound Tigers even at 4:31 with his first of two power play goals in the game. Nelson sat at the bottom of the right faceoff circle and one-timed Niederreiter's pass through the top of the crease past Sateri to tie the game at two. The Sound Tigers went right back onto the power play after Worcester took a too-many-men penalty during its own man-advantage, and Donovan's slap shot from the left circle beat Sateri to give the Sound Tigers a 3-2 lead at 7:57 of the second period.
Matt Watkins pushed the Bridgeport lead to two just 1:46 later, deflecting David Ullstrom's centering feed over Sateri's glove for this 11th goal of the season.
Defenseman Nathan McIver dropped the gloves later in the second period with Worcester's Bracken Kearns, but his wise decision to not fight Matt Pelech after Pelech began an altercation early in the third period gave the Sound Tigers a five-minute power play. On that man-advantage, Nelson one-timed Strome's cross-ice pass through Sateri's glove for his second power play goal of the game to give the Sound Tigers a 5-2 lead with 13:27 left in the third period.
Matt Nieto's first pro goal cut Worcester's deficit to two goals with 9:58 remaining in the game, but Joey Diamond clinched the win with his second goal against the Sharks in as many games. Diamond stole the puck from defenseman Taylor Doherty at the Sound Tigers blue line, skated into the Worcester zone on a two-on-one and fired past Sateri's blocker to close out the scoring with 3:31 left in the game.
Rick DiPietro earned his second win in less than 48 hours against Worcester, following up his 23-save performance on Tuesday with 27 saves today to improve to 7-5-0 with the Sound Tigers this season. Sateri took the loss for the Sharks, stopping 25 of 31 shots as he falls to 14-18-1.
The Sound Tigers continue their four-game homestand on Saturday night when they close out their season series with the in-state rival Connecticut Whale at 7:00 p.m.
NOTES: Matt Donovan set a Sound Tigers single-game record for points in a game by a defenseman with four (1g/3a) ... It was the third time a Sound Tiger had recorded four points in a game this season; Colin McDonald posted two goals and two assists in a 7-2 win vs. Syracuse on Dec. 9, while David Ullstrom had a goal and three assists in a 5-2 win over the Whale on Dec. 26 ... The Sound Tigers went 3-for-5 on the power play, marking the fourth time this season the Sound Tigers have scored three power play goals in a game; Worcester went 2-for-4 ... The Sound Tigers have won six straight morning games dating back to November 2010 and a 6-5 shootout win over Springfield ... Spring Fun 102 highlights the relationship of education and sports, and hundreds of local-area students took part in a sports business and marketing seminar prior to today's game ... After wearing their home white jerseys in Worcester on Tuesday night, the Sound Tigers wore their regular blue road jerseys at home.
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