Sound Tigers Gain Sole Possession Of First Place
February 19, 2003 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release
BRIDGEPORT, CT â The American Hockey League's 2001-02 Regular Season Champion and Eastern Conference Playoff Champion Bridgeport Sound Tigers, top affiliate of the National Hockey League's New York Islanders, beat the Albany River Rats 5-2 at home Wednesday to move into sole possession of first place in the East Division. Jeff Hamilton, with two goals and one assist, and Justin Mapletoft, with three assists, led the Sound Tigers with three points apiece.
The Sound Tigers opened the scoring with Hamilton's 12th goal of the season at 16:11 of the first period, assisted by Tomi Pettinen and Daniel Tkaczuk. Martin Chabada put the Sound Tigers up 2-0 with his eighth goal of the year with two minutes remaining in the frame on assists from Mapletoft and Ray Schultz. Bridgeport outshot Albany 18-3 in the opening period firing 18 consecutive shots at one point.
Former Sound Tiger Dave Roche put Albany on the board with his 13th goal of the season just 1:28 into the second period, assisted by Steve Kariya and Krisjanis Redlihs, but Brandon Smith notched his eighth tally of the season on the power play 1:42 later on assists from Trent Hunter and Mapletoft to regain the two-goal lead for the Sound Tigers at 3-1.
Eric Manlow made it 4-1 Sound Tigers at 9:13 of the second period scoring his 16th goal of the season on a breakaway off assists from Jeremy Adduono and Hamilton. Hamilton then made it 5-1 with his second goal of the game, his 13th of the year, right off a face-off at 9:13 of the middle period on an assist from Mapletoft.
Greg Crozier notched his 15th goal of the season at 12:13 of the second period, assisted by former Sound Tiger Ken Sutton and Craig Darby, to pull Albany within 5-2. The teams then played a scoreless third period.
Goaltender Steve Valiquette made 22 saves for Bridgeport while Ari Ahonen made 34 for Albany. Bridgeport was 1 for 5 on the power play, 4 for 4 on the penalty kill and had a 39-24 shots on goal advantage. Hamilton was named first star of the game, Mapletoft was second star, and Manlow earned third star honors.
The Sound Tigers will visit the Hartford Wolf Pack Friday at 7:05 p.m., the Springfield Falcons Saturday at 7:35 p.m. and the Binghamton Senators Sunday at 5:05 p.m. The three-game weekend will conclude a run of four straight games versus East Division opponents and the busiest stretches in team history in which they will have played five games in six days and eight games in ten days.
All Sound Tigers' games are broadcast live on "The ZONE" FOX Sports Radio 1300 AM and at www.soundtigers.com. WSTC/WNLK 1400/1350 AM also broadcasts road games.
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