AHL Bridgeport Islanders

Sound Tigers Defy Elimination With 4-1 Win Over Bears

April 18, 2010 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release


BRIDGEPORT, CONN. (April 18, 2010) - Andrew MacDonald has come a long since he was sent to the organization's ECHL affiliate, the Utah Grizzlies. Tonight, after playing in 46 for the Islanders this season, the Sound Tiger defenseman used his NHL experience to his advantage, scoring twice against the Hershey Bears and leading the Sound Tigers to a 4-1 victory. Robin Figren contributed with a goal and an assist while Mikko Koskinen recorded his first playoff victory, stopping 26 shots. Sean Bentivoglio had the Sound Tigers first goal of the game. With the win, the Sound Tigers cut the Bears' series lead to 3-1 and will travel to Hershey on Tuesday for a 7 p.m. matchup on Wednesday night at the Giant Center.

For the third time this series, the Sound Tigers opened the scoring, this time at the 15:07 mark of the first period on a power-play goal by Bentivoglio. Robin Figren set up in the high slot and took a pass from Mike Radja. Instead of snapping the puck on net, the Swedish winger dished the puck to the near half-wall where Bentivoglio one-timed a shot across the grain and past Bears' starting goalie, Braden Holtby's blocker for the 1-0 Sound Tiger lead.

MacDonald would put the Sound Tigers up 2-0, only 34 seconds into the second period while the Sound Tigers were on the man-advantage. Dylan Reese and MacDonald played catch at the point before MacDonald back-pedaled to the center point position and blasted a shot through a screened Holtby for the 2-0 Sound Tiger lead. Trevor Smith also had an assist on the play.

The Sound Tigers went back on the power-play when Sean Collins took a two-minute penalty for slashing at 11:41 and once again it was MacDonald playing catch with Reese at the point. MacDonald was set up at the left point, found his spot and blasted a shot over the glove of Holtby for his second of the game and third of the playoffs to give the Sound Tigers a 3-0 lead. Holtby had no chance to see the shot as Matt Martin was set-up in front screening the Hershey net-minder.

A healthy scratch last night, Figren returned to the Sound Tigers' lineup and after setting up the game's first goal, he put the Sound Tigers on top at 4-0 with 1:29 remaining in the second period. Figren wound up and fired a slap shot over Holtby's left shoulder, a bullet that the Bears' goalie did not see until it was past him. Dustin Kohn and Martin assisted on Figren's first tally of the playoffs.

Hershey got on the board seven minutes into the third period when Andrew Gordon snapped his fourth goal of the playoffs through Sound Tigers' starter, Mikko Koskinen. Keith Aucoin intercepted a breakout pass from the Sound Tigers' zone and zipped a pass to the left circle where Gordon shoveled a shot that trickled through Koskinen to snap Koskinen's shutout bid and cut the Sound Tiger lead to 4-1.

Koskinen shut the door the rest of the way, stopping 26 shots en-route to his first career playoff victory. Holtby suffered the loss, making 24 saves 28 shots. The Sound Tigers finished 3-for-9 on the man-advantage and a perfect 3-for-3 on the penalty-kill.

The Sound Tigers will travel to Hershey on Tuesday in preparation for Game 5 at the Giant Center on Wednesday at 7 p.m. If they can stave off elimination for a second straight game, the two clubs will return to Bridgeport for Game 6 on Friday at 7 p.m. For tickets or information on any upcoming home game, contact the team's front office at (203) 334-4625 or e-mail info@soundtigers.com.

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