AHL Bridgeport Islanders

Sound Tigers Lose 3-1 In Binghamton

Published on March 20, 2004 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release


BINGHAMTON, NY - The American Hockey League's Bridgeport Sound Tigers, top affiliate of the National Hockey League's New York Islanders, lost 3-1 on the road to the Binghamton Senators Saturday with the game-winning goal scored on a major power play just 1:34 after the Sound Tigers tied the game mid-way through the third period.

Binghamton took the first lead of the game as Julien Vauclair scored his sixth goal of the season 6:44 into the second period off assists from Brad Tapper and Charlie Stephens. Sound Tigers Goaltender Dieter Kochan first stopped Tapper on a wraparound shot then denied Stephens on the first rebound before Vauclair chipped the second rebound over his shoulder for the four-on-four marker.

It was a feisty middle period with Referee Justin St. Pierre whistling 48 minutes in penalties, including two sets of fighting majors and three sets of coincidental minors.

Blaine Down fired a pretty turnaround wrist shot past Senators Netminder Billy Thompson for his fifth goal of the season 10:43 into the third period to tie the score at 1-1 off assists from Derek Bekar and Steve Munn, who notched the first AHL point of his career on the play. However, Steve Webb was assessed a five-minute boarding penalty 18 seconds later, and Binghamton took advantage.

Serge Payer, who missed most of the last half of the second period and the first half of the third while serving 17 minutes in penalties, scored his 13th goal of the year off assists from Tapper and Vauclair at 12:17 to put the Senators back on top 2-1.

The Sound Tiger called a timeout and pulled Kochan in favor of an extra attacker with 1:22 left to play, but Denis Hamel iced the win with a length-of-the-ice shot into the empty net, his seventh such goal and 28th overall on the season, with 7.6 seconds remaining.

Payer was the first star of the game, Thompson was the second with 35 saves, and Vauclair was the third. The Senators were 1 for 6 on the power play while the Sound Tigers were 0 for 3 and had a 36-26 shots on goal advantage, including a season-high 21 in the third period.

The Sound Tigers will play the middle game of seven straight on the road when they visit the Albany River Rats tomorrow at 5 p.m. Tomorrow ‚¬â„¢s game will be broadcast live on 600 WICC-AM and at www.soundtigers.com. The Sound Tigers will finish the stretch of road games when they visit the Philadelphia Phantoms next Friday and the Norfolk Admirals next Saturday and Sunday. The Sound Tigers' next home game will be on Wednesday, March 31st when they host Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at 7:05 p.m.

Sound Tigers individual-game tickets are on sale at the Harbor Yard box office Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m., Saturday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and on all game days, as well as on-line at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling Ticketmaster at 203-368-1000.

Information regarding Sound Tigers season tickets, partial plans, flex packs, group discounts, birthday parties, suite packages and sponsorship opportunities is available by calling 203-334-GOAL or logging on to www.soundtigers.com.

Groups, organizations, companies, etc. that are interested in having a member of the Sound Tigers appear at an event are also invited to call 203-334-GOAL or email info@soundtigers.com.

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American Hockey League Stories from March 20, 2004


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