AHL Bridgeport Islanders

Sound Tigers earn first preseason win

October 4, 2008 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release


Shelton, Conn. - The Bridgeport Sound Tigers earned their first win of the 2008 American Hockey League preseason against the Lowell Devils tonight by the score of 4-3. Vladimir Nikiforov, Jesse Joensuu and Jon Gleed each had a goal and an assist. Jarrett Konkle also contributed with a goal and Peter Mannino stopped 14 shots through two periods to earn the victory.

Konkle put the Sound Tigers on the board first, just over the half-way mark of the opening period. Mike Lesperance dumped the puck deep into the Devils' zone where Travis Fuller collected the puck in the left corner. Fuller sent a quick pass to Konkle at the back post where he one-timed his first goal of the preseason past Lowell starting goalie, Scott Clemmensen for the 1-0 lead. About three minutes later, the Devils would tie the score on the strength of Brad Mills' first goal of the exhibition schedule. Vladimir Zharkov had the lone assist on the tying goal. Jon DiSalvatore would give the Devils their first lead of the contest 33 seconds later. Brad Snetsinger and Matt Cohen had the assists on DiSalvatore's first tally of the preseason.

In the second period the Sound Tigers would even the score at 2-2 when Gleed wristed a shot through traffic that squirted through Clemmensen. Rob Hennigar and Andy Sertich had the assists on Gleed's second goal of the preseason, coming 6:15 into the middle frame. Nikiforov would grab the lead for the Sound Tigers two minutes later with his first marker of the exhibition schedule. Joensuu skated into the Devils' offensive zone untouched, due to his team's man-advantage, and set up the play. Nikiforov snuck into the far circle and one-timed a slap-shot off a perfect feed from Joensuu. The Devils would counter with about six minutes remaining in the period when DiSalvatore banged in a loose puck, past Mannino for his second goal of the game and preseason. Snetsinger and Ryan Gunderson had the helpers making the score 3-3. Joensuu would give the Sound Tigers the one goal lead at 4-3, heading into the third period, when he redirected a shot by Nikiforov for his first goal coming in his first exhibition game. Gleed also assisted on the goal.

Nathan Lawson came in to play the final period of regulation in goal for the Sound Tigers and stopped all six shots that were thrown his way, leading the Sound Tigers to the 4-3 win.

The Sound Tigers were 1-for-5 on the power-play, while going 3-for-4 on the penalty-kill.

Tomorrow, the Sound Tigers will conclude their preseason schedule, as they travel to Cromwell, CT to face-off against the Hartford Wolf Pack at the Champions Skating Center. Game-time is 4:30 p.m.

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