AHL Bridgeport Islanders

Sound Tigers Lose 3-2 To Albany

April 6, 2005 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release


BRIDGEPORT, CT - The American Hockey League's Bridgeport Sound Tigers, top affiliate of the National Hockey League's New York Islanders, lost to the Albany River Rats 3-2 at Bridgeport's Arena at Harbor Yard on Wednesday.

After the teams raced through a scoreless opening frame, Barrett Heisten's fifth goal of the year off an assist from Cole Jarrett put the Sound Tigers in front 1-0 at the 10:44 mark of the second period. However, Albany's Tuomas Philman tied it at 1-1 when he scored his eighth goal of the year off assists from Ivan Khomutov and David Hale just 59 seconds later.

Joe Tallari, who scored the first goal of his AHL career on Sunday, made it 2-1 Sound Tigers at the 2:29 mark of the third period off assists from Tim Sestito, his first as a pro, and John Morlang.

The River Rats bounced back to tie the score at 2-2 when Brian Gionta blasted home a Zach Parise feed for his second marker of the year at 4:34. Then, only 28 seconds later, Ahren Nittel scored his team-leading 24th goal of the season off an assist from Ryan Murphy to make it 3-2 Albany.

The Sound Tigers pulled goaltender Wade Dubielewicz in favor of an extra attacker with 34 seconds left in the game but could not tie the score.

Gionta, who extended a point streak to three games, was the first star of the game. Nittel, who now has a four-game point streak, was the second star. Tallari was the third star. Ari Ahonen stopped 18 of 20 shots to earn his fifth straight win for Albany while Dubielewicz made 22 saves in a losing effort for the Sound Tigers. The Sound Tigers were 0 for 1 on the power play while the River Rats were 0 for 2 and had a 25-20 shots on goal advantage.

After the game, the Sound Tigers announced the release of left wing Jeff Hutchins from a professional tryout contract. Hutchins, who posted 39 penalty minutes in 14 games with the Sound Tigers, will return to the ECHL's Mississippi Sea Wolves.

The Sound Tigers will visit the Philadelphia Phantoms this Friday at 7:05 p.m. and return home to host the Lowell Lock Monsters Saturday at 7:05 p.m. and the Binghamton Senators Sunday at 4:05 p.m. All three games will be broadcast live at www.soundtigers.com.

Information regarding Sound Tigers ticket packages and marketing 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 invited to call 203-334-GOAL.

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