AHL Bridgeport Islanders

Sound Tigers End Tough Road Stretch By Clinching Playoff Berth

March 29, 2004 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release


The Sound Tigers went 1-2 last week to finish a stretch of seven straight road games at 3-4 losing a first-place showdown with the Philadelphia Phantoms 2-1 Friday and falling 3-1 to the Norfolk Admirals Sunday. Despite playing without nine players from their clear-day roster due to injuries, callups and family emergency, the Sound Tigers shutout Norfolk 2-0 Sunday to clinch their third Calder Cup Playoff berth in as many seasons of play and finish last week in second place in the East Division with 87 points and a 37-23-9-4 record, including 17-10-6-2 at home and 20-13-3-2 on the road. The 20 road wins are a franchise single-season record.

FRI MAR 26th at PHI, 2-1 L: B.J. ABEL put Philadelphia up 1-0 with 16.5 seconds left in the first period, but DEREK BEAKR tied the game at 1-1 early in middle frame. However, PETER WHITE scored the game-winner, on the power play, 5:14 into the third period. MIKE PELUSO assisted on both goals for the Phantoms who were 1 for 5 on the power play while the Sound Tigers were 0 for 5 on the advantage. The shots on goal were tied at 24-24.

SAT MAR 27th at NOR, 3-1 L: BLAKE BELLEFEUILLE at four-on-four strength, as well as JASON MORGAN and YORICK TREILLE on the power play did all of Norfolk's scoring in a 3:52 mid second-period span. Morgan also had an assist. JEFF HAMILTON, unassisted, notched the Sound Tigers' only goal in the third period. The Admirals were 2 for 8 on the power play and had a 35-16 shots on goal advantage. The Sound Tigers were 0 for 7 on the power play.

SUN MAR 28th at NOR, 2-0 W: DEREK BEKAR broke a scoreless tie with a second-period power-play goal, WES GOLDIE added his first-ever AHL marker later in the frame, and DIETER KOCHAN made 19 saves for his fifth shutout of the season as the Sound Tigers clinched a berth in the Calder Cup Playoffs for the third time in as many seasons of play. The Sound Tigers were 1 for 7 on the power play while Norfolk was 0 for 6 and had a 19-17 shots on goal advantage.

SOUND TIGERS PLAYER OF THE WEEK – G DIETER KOCHAN Starting three games in a 48-hour span, Kochan stopped 73 of 78 shots for a .936 save percentage and 1.67 goals against average last week. He stopped all 19 shots he faced Sunday to post his fifth shutout of the season and clinch the Sound Tigers' third playoff berth in as many seasons in the League. Kochan finished last week ranked fifth among all AHL goaltenders with a 1.91 goals against average. He is also 17-17-5 with a .931 save percentage in 40 games with the Sound Tigers this season and was recalled by the Islanders to backup GARTH SNOW in December.

THIS WEEK – Sound Tigers Turn Final Calendar Page Of Regular Season

The Sound Tigers will finish the month of March by hosting the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins this Wednesday and begin the month of April with a three-game weekend visiting the Manchester Monarchs Friday and hosting the Hershey Bears Saturday and the Albany River Rats Sunday.

WED MAR 31st vs. WIL, 7:05 p.m.: This will be the seventh of eight meetings of the teams, the fourth and final at Bridgeport's Arena at Harbor Yard, this regular season. The Sound Tigers are 6-2 all-time, 2-4 this season, versus the Penguins who are in third place in the East Division with 80 points and a 33-27-8-6 record, including 15-14-5-4 on the road. They are also on a three-game win streak. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton does not play again until Wednesday.

FRI APR 2nd at MCH, 7:35 p.m.: This will be the fourth and final meeting of the teams, the second in Manchester, this regular season. The Sound Tigers are 5-4-2 all-time, 2-1 this season, versus the Monarchs who have already clinched a playoff berth and begin this week in second place in the Atlantic Division with 87 points and a 38-24-6-5 record, including 22-8-2-4 at home. Manchester, who is 7-3 in the last ten games, does not play again until Friday.

SAT APR 3rd vs. HER, 7:05 p.m.: This will be the eighth and final meeting of the teams, the fourth in Bridgeport, this regular season. The Sound Tigers are 3-7-3 all-time, 3-3-1 this season, versus Hershey who begins this week in sixth place in the East Division with 72 points, two out of a playoff spot, and a 30-32-8-4 record, including 14-17-4-1 on the road. The Bears, who also begin the week just 2-8 in their last ten games and on a three-game losing streak, will visit Philadelphia Friday.

SUN APR 4th vs. ALB, 4:05 p.m.: This will be the eighth and final meeting of the teams, the fourth at Harbor Yard, this regular season. The Sound Tigers are 13-5-5 all-time, 2-2-3 this season, versus Albany who has been eliminated from playoff contention and begins this week in seventh place in the East Division with 56 points and a record of 18-35-11-9, including 6-19-6-5 on the road. The River Rats will visit the Hartford Wolf Pack Wednesday, Wilkes-Barre-Scranton Friday and the Lowell Lock Monsters Saturday.

SOUND TIGERS SPECIAL TEAMS; AHL RANK

Power Play – 46 for 362, 12.7%; 20th
Shorthanded Goals Against – 8
Penalty Kill – 272 for 303, 89.8%; t-1st
Shorthanded Goal For – 9

SOUND TIGERS STREAKS

C JUSTIN MAPLETOFT (3g,3a) is on a four-game point streak. However, Mapletoft is out with an ankle injury.

SOUND TIGERS TRANSACTIONS

RW WES GODLIE and G SEBASTIEN LAPLANTE were released from professional tryout contracts following Sunday's game. • G JIM SANCA was released from an amateur tryout contract Saturday. • RW STEVE WEBB was recalled by the Islanders Friday. • D VINCE MACRI signed an ATO Friday. • G WADE DUBIELEWICZ was recalled by the Islanders Thursday. • LW/C LUKE CURTIN signed a PTO Wednesday. • D STEVE MUNN signed a PTO Friday, March 19th. • RW/C BRENT GAUVREAU was released from a PTO Tuesday, March 9th. • The Islanders traded D ALAIN NASREDDINE to the Pittsburgh Penguins Monday, March 8th in exchange for RW STEVE WEBB. • D JAY LEACH was re-signed to a PTO Wednesday, March 3rd. • LW MIKE SOUZA signed a PTO Friday, February 20th. • RW ERIC GODARD, D SVEN BUTENSCHON, G RICK DiPIETRO and RW MATTIAS WEINHANDL remain on NHL recall to the Islanders.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR & PROMOTIONAL NEWS

The Team Mascot STORM will visit St. Luke's Elementary School in Fairfield this Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. and Bear Path School in Hamden this Thursday at 3 p.m. • Community Relations Manager AMY CASERTA will visit Wilcoxin Elementary School for the annual "Read In Day" this Thursday at 9:30 a.m. • 2004 Playoff Ticket Strip Packages are on sale now offering guaranteed seating, savings off box office prices and the first option to purchase 2004-05 season tickets. Playoff Strips are available to all fans and can be purchased by calling the Sound Tigers at 203-334-GOAL. • It will be "Bud Light on the Wallet Wednesday" with an appearance by the Bud Light Girls when the Sound Tigers host Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. College students can purchase $5 tickets to the game with proper identification, and there will be $2 beer specials at the concession stands. • This Saturday and Sunday will be "Police & Firefighter Appreciation Weekend". • Painter's Supply will present the fifth and final card set giveaway; featuring WADE DUBIELEWICZ, BEN GUITE, COLE JARRETT and ALAN LETANG; this Saturday when Hershey visits at 7:05 p.m. • The final "Family Four Pack Night" will be next Thursday, April 8th when Norfolk visits at 7:05 p.m. "Family Four Packs" include four tickets, four hot dogs and four sodas and can be purchased by calling 203-334-GOAL. • Thursday, April 8th will also be "Stamford Family Fun Night" with specially-priced tickets for employees and residents of Stamford. • It will be "Fan Appreciation Night" when Philadelphia visits on Saturday, April 10th at 7:05 p.m.

SOUND TIGERS ON THE AIR

All games are web cast live at www.soundtigers.com. Wednesday and Friday's games are also scheduled to be broadcast live on 600 WICC-AM. Saturday and Sunday's games are subject to pre-emption on WICC by UCONN basketball.

THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE

The Sound Tigers are scheduled to practice at Bridgeport's Arena at Harbor Yard Tuesday through Thursday at 10 a.m. The team will depart for Manchester Thursday afternoon, play there Friday and return to Bridgeport that night. This weekend's practice schedule is to be determined. Call 203-334-GOAL to confirm practice times and locations.

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American Hockey League Stories from March 29, 2004


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