Sound Tigers Gain Sole Possession of First Place with Win Over Bears
Published on November 9, 2008 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release
Bridgeport, Conn. - For the first time this season, the Sound Tigers are in sole possession of first place in the East Division after beating the Hershey Bears 4-1. Jesse Joensuu and Kurtis McLean each scored twice and Nathan Lawson, starting in his first professional game, earned his second victory of the season. Karl Alzner scored the Bears' only goal of the contest.
Joensuu opened the scoring for the Sound Tigers about two minutes into the opening period. The tally was his fifth of the season as Rob Hennigar and Sean Bentivoglio had the assists. Hershey would knot the score at one at the 18:32 mark of the first when Alzner shot from the right wing circle fluttered over Lawson's glove for his second goal this season. Keith Aucoin and Graham Mink assisted on the tally.
In the second period, it was Joensuu regaining the lead for the Sound Tigers when he tipped a wrist shot from the point, off the stick of Jack Hillen for his sixth goal of the season and second in the game. Bentivoglio started the play in the near corner and fed a pass to Hillen who skated the blue-line. Hillen looked up and wristed a shot on net that Joensuu was able to redirect under Hershey starting goalie, Simeon Varlamov making the score 2-1. About six minutes later, with the Sound Tigers on the man-advantage, McLean would make the score 3-1 in favor of the Sound Tigers. Mike Iggulden sent a pass to Chris Lee, stationed at the top of the zone where he one-timed a rocket of a shot towards Varlamov. McLean, creating a screen in front, saw the puck coming at the last second and was able to redirect it in for his fourth tally this season.
The Sound Tigers would seal the victory six minutes into the third period when Jeremy Colliton hit McLean with a pretty back-door pass for his second marker of the game. Trevor Smith led the play out of the Sound Tigers' zone and fed Colliton cutting through the neutral zone. With McLean timing his skate to the far post, Colliton snuck a pass through several skates and right onto McLean's stick where he back-handed the puck over Varlamov's pad to close the scoring at 4-1.
Lawson stopped 19 of the 20 shots he faced while his counterpart Varlamov had 18 saves. The Sound Tigers were 1-for-5 on the power-play and were perfect on the penalty-kill going 4-for-4.
American Hockey League Stories from November 9, 2008
- Korpikoski heads to New York - Connecticut Whale
- Rampage Storm Back, Fall Short 4-2 - San Antonio Rampage
- Four Goals In Under Five Minutes Brings Come-From-Behind Win For Monsters - Cleveland Monsters
- Flames Wrap Up Texas Trip With Win - Abbotsford Heat
- Bulldogs Downed 6-4 by Monsters Comeback - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Monarchs Cry Wolf In Shootout Loss - Manchester Monarchs
- Netminder Munroe Makes 46 Saves In 2-0 Victory - Adirondack Phantoms
- Sound Tigers Gain Sole Possession of First Place with Win Over Bears - Bridgeport Islanders
- Crunch Fly Back to Shoot Down Aeros - Syracuse Crunch
- P-Bruins Fall To Phantoms 2-0 - Providence Bruins
- Aeros Downed by Crunch 2-1 - Houston Aeros
- Forward Chris Lawrence Reassigned to Augusta - Norfolk Admirals
- Columbus Assigns Left Wing Alexandre Picard - Syracuse Crunch
- Houston Aeros visit Syracuse Crunch in matinee - Houston Aeros
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
