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AHL Bridgeport Islanders

Sound Tigers Clinch All-Star Nod For Coaching Staff

January 5, 2004 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release


After a 2-1 overtime loss on the road to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Tuesday, a 2-0 road loss to the Binghamton Senators Wednesday and a 2-1 home loss to the Norfolk Admirals Saturday, the Sound Tigers finished a four-game week with a 3-1 home win over the Hershey Bears Sunday. The Sound Tigers are still in first place in the East Division and overall AHL standings with a .716 winning percentage, 53 points and a 23-7-5-2 record, including 11-4-2-1 at home and 12-3-3-1 on the road. Despite one week to go before the cutoff date, the Sound Tigers have already secured All-Star berths for Head Coach GREG CRONIN and Assistant Coach DAVE BASEGGIO by clinching the highest winning percentage in the League. Cronin and Baseggio will coach the PlanetUSA team at the 2004 Pepsi AHL All-Star Classic on February 8th and 9th in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

TUE DEC 30th at WIL, 2-1 OTL: ERIC MANLOW opened the scoring with his third goal in as many games early in the first period, but SHANE ENDICOTT answered for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton mid-way through the opening frame. After two and a half periods of scoreless hockey, KRIS BEECH notched the game-winner just 14 seconds into overtime handing the Sound Tigers their first loss in the extra session on the road this season. The Sound Tigers were 0 for 4 on the power play while Wilkes-Barre/Scranton was 0 for 3 and had a 26-18 shots on goal advantage.

WED DEC 31st at BIN, 2-0 L: Binghamton's DENIS HAMEL scored an unassisted, shorthanded goal in the first period and added an empty-netter with one second left in the game. RAY EMERY made 29 saves to notch his second shutout of the season, and second in six days versus the Sound Tigers, while RICK DiPIETRO made 28 saves in a losing effort. The Sound Tigers were 0 for 6 on the power play while the Senators were 0 for 5 and had a 30-29 shots on goal advantage.

SAT JAN 3rd vs. NOR, 2-1 L: MIKHAIL YAKUBOV scored an unassisted, first-period goal, and QUINTIN LAING added the eventual game-winner mid-way through the middle frame. RYAN KRAFT, unassisted, notched the lone goal for the Sound Tigers who played short one skater and were 0 for 5 on the power play while Norfolk was 0 for 2 and had a 30-23 shots on goal advantage.

SUN JAN 4th vs. HER, 3-1 W: BLAINE DOWN assisted on the first goal of the game by KEVIN COLLEY early in the second period then scored the game-winner off an assist from Colley mid-way through the third. Colley also assisted on an empty-net marker by BEN GUITE with 2.2 seconds left to play. The Sound Tigers outshot Hershey 30-24 but were 0 for 3 on the power play while the Bears were 1 for 3 on the advantage. After going 0-5-2 all-time, the Sound Tigers are now on a 3-0-1 run versus Hershey.

SOUND TIGERS PLAYER OF THE WEEK – C KEVIN COLLEY

After missing just one game with a severe case of the flu, Colley notched one goal, two assists, three points and a +4 in three games last week. He has eight goals, eight assists and 16 points in 36 games with the Sound Tigers this season, all of which represent AHL career highs. Colley also has 51 penalty minutes and is a +5 this season.

G WADE DUBIELEWICZ NAMED AHL ROOKIE OF THE MONTH FOR DECEMBER

Dubielewicz allowed just five goals in six games and posted a 5-0-1 record, two shutouts, a 0.82 goals against average and a .964 save percentage in December. He went 12 games without a loss, 11-0-1, from October 25th through December 27th and finished last week leading the League's netminders with a 1.26 goals against average. Dubielewicz also finished last week second in the AHL with a .949 save percentage, tied for third with three shutouts and with a record of 11-3-1.

THIS WEEK – Sound Tigers Open Another Road Stretch With Weekend Set In Norfolk The Sound Tigers, who just finished a stretch of seven straight road games last Wednesday, will play the first of six games in a row away from home when they visit the Norfolk Admirals this Saturday and Sunday.

SAT JAN 10th at NOR, 7:30 p.m.: This will be the third of eight meetings of the teams, the first of four in Norfolk, this regular season. The Sound Tigers are 1-3 all-time, 1-1 this season, versus the Admirals who begin this week in fifth place in the East Division with 36 points and a 15-20-3-3 record, including 7-6-1-1 at home. They are off until Saturday.

SUN JAN 11th at NOR, 4 p.m.: The Sound Tigers will complete this season's four regular-season visits to Norfolk with a pair of two-game, weekend road trips. In addition to this weekend's set, they will also visit the Admirals on Saturday and Sunday March 27th and 28th. The Sound Tigers are 0-1 all-time at Norfolk Scope, losing 3-1 last January 10th.

SOUND TIGERS TEAM LEADERS (League leaders in Italics)

Goals – JEFF HAMILTON, 25

Penalty Minutes – GRAHAM BELAK, 90

Assists – ERIC MANLOW, 20

Wins – DIETER KOCHAN, 12

Points – JEFF HAMILTON, 42

Goals Against Average – WADE DUBIELEWICZ, 1.26

Plus / Minus – JEFF HAMILTON, +14

Save Percentage – WADE DUBIELEWICZ, .949

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

Power Play – 27 for 174, 15.5%; t-6th

Shorthanded Goals Against – 4

Penalty Kill – 134 for 147, 91.2%; 1st

Shorthanded Goal For – 3

SOUND TIGERS STREAKS

The Sound Tigers are winless in their last two road games at 0-1-0-1.

SOUND TIGERS TRANSACTIONS C JUSTIN MAPLETOFT and LW DEREK BEKAR were reassigned to the Sound Tigers by the Islanders yesterday. However, Mapletoft, Bekar and D SVEN BUTENSCHON were recalled by the Islanders today. • LW/C EVAN CHEVERIE was signed to a professional tryout contract by the Sound Tigers Saturday. • G DIETER KOCHAN was recalled by the Islanders last Monday and reassigned Friday. • G RICK DiPIETRO and D MATTIAS TIMANDER were assigned by the Islanders last Monday. DiPietro was recalled Friday. • C PRESTON MIZZI was re-signed to a professional tryout contract by the Sound Tigers Sunday, December 28th. • RW MATTIAS WEINHANDL remains on recall to the Islanders.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR & PROMOTIONAL NEWS

It will be will "Shelton Town Night" when the Sound Tigers return to Bridgeport's Arena at Harbor Yard to host the Albany River Rats on Saturday, January 24th at 7:05 p.m. Town of Shelton residents and Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce members can purchase specially-priced tickets by calling 203-334-GOAL. • NAPA Auto Parts of 3380 Fairfield Avenue in Bridgeport and 1860 Stratford Avenue in Stratford will also present the third of five Sound Tigers card set giveaways on January 24th. The third set will feature DEREK BEKAR, JODY ROBINSON, BRANDON SMITH and BLAINE DOWN. • The Sound Tigers are offering "Slap Shot Seven Packs", which feature many benefits including guaranteed seating and the team newsletter. • The next "Family Four Pack Night" will be Friday, February 6th when they Sound Tigers host the Lowell Lock Monsters at 7:35 p.m. "Family Four Packs" include four tickets, four hot dogs and four sodas and cost $55. • Information regarding "Slap Shot Seven Packs", "Family Four Packs" and all other Sound Tigers ticket packages and promotional news is available on-line at www.soundtigers.com or by calling 203-334-GOAL. • BJ's Wholesale Club members can purchase tickets for the Saturday, February 7th game versus Albany at specially-discounted prices. BJ's will also be giving away ten free memberships and holding numerous enter-to-win contests on February 7th.

SOUND TIGERS ON THE AIR

Both of this weekend's games will be web cast live at www.soundtigers.com. Saturday's game will also be broadcast live on 600 WICC-AM. • Head Coach GREG CRONIN is interviewed live on WICC by News Director TIM QUINN every Friday at 9:30 a.m. • The Sound Tigers' upcoming broadcast schedule, web cast links and links through which fans can email Voice of the Sound Tigers BILL McLAUGHLIN, who will respond live on the air during all broadcasts, are posted on the front page of www.soundtigers.com.

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