Sound Tigers Head West for Weekend Trip
October 21, 2016 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release
SOUND TIGERS HEAD WEST FOR WEEKEND TRIP
Bridgeport faces Lehigh Valley and Hershey beginning tonight
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DATE OPPONENT TIME BROADCAST
Oct. 21 @ Lehigh Valley 7:05 p.m. AHLlive.com
Oct. 22 @ Hershey 7 p.m. AHLlive.com
THE STORY COMING IN
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The Bridgeport Sound Tigers hit the road for the first time this season to face the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and Hershey Bears this weekend. It all begins tonight with a 7:05 p.m. puck drop against Lehigh Valley at the PPL Center in Allentown, PA. The Sound Tigers enter tonight's game at 1-1-0-0 after splitting a pair of home games to open the season last weekend. Last Saturday, Ross Johnston and Bracken Kearns found the back of the net, while Chris Gibson stopped 38 of the 39 shots he faced in a 2-1 win over Providence. Less than 24 hours later, Kane Lafranchise was Bridgeport's only goal-scorer in a 2-1 setback to Springfield.
TIGERS VS. PHANTOMS
Tonight's game marks the first of eight meetings between the Sound Tigers and Phantoms this season, and the first of four at the PPL Center. Bridgeport went 4-2-0-0 against Lehigh Valley last season and an impressive 3-0-0-0 in those games on the road.
VIEW FROM LEHIGH VALLEY
The Phantoms enter tonight's contest 1-0-0-0 on the season after defeating Springfield 4-2 at home in their opener last Saturday. Danick Martel scored twice and T.J. Brennan added a two-point night (1g, 1a), while Anthony Stolarz stopped 31 of the 33 shots he faced in the victory. Lehigh Valley is under the direction of longtime Providence Bruins head coach Scott Gordon, who also led the New York Islanders for three seasons from 2008-11. The Phantoms are looking to rebound after a less-than-stellar 2015-16 campaign that saw the club go 34-35-7 and miss the postseason.
TIGERS VS. BEARS
Saturday's game will mark the first of eight meetings between the Sound Tigers and Bears this season, and the first of four matchups at GIANT Center. Bridgeport went 2-3-0-1 against Hershey last season, but 2-1-0-0 in those games on the road. The Sound Tigers won't face Hershey at Webster Bank Arena until February 12, 2017.
VIEW FROM CHOCOLATETOWN
The Bears will celebrate their home opener on Saturday still seeking their first win of 2016-17 after reaching the Calder Cup Finals a year ago. Hershey is 0-2-0-0 to begin the season after suffering a pair of losses on the road last weekend in Rochester and Binghamton. Second-year forward Jakub Vrana scored twice in the Bears' season opener last Saturday, but the club came up short to the Americans 5-4, before falling to the Senators 3-0 on Sunday. Head coach Scott Gordon's team has won each of its last two home openers entering tonight's contest.
RIGHT WHERE HE LEFT OFF
Veteran center Bracken Kearns led the Sound Tigers in a variety of categories last season, including goals (23), assists (30), points (53) and plus-minus (+17). Last Saturday, he picked up right where he left off with a pin-point wrist shot from the right circle that carried its way past Malcolm Subban's;
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