AHL Bridgeport Islanders

Sound Tigers Lose Fourth Straight 4-2 To Manitoba

Published on March 5, 2003 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release


ALBANY, NY – 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, lost their fourth game in a row, 4-2 at home to the Manitoba Moose Wednesday. It set a new team record for consecutive losses and dropped the Sound Tigers' record to 0-4 versus Manitoba during regular-season play. The Moose, along with the Hershey Bears and Norfolk Admirals, are one of only three AHL teams the Sound Tigers have played but never beaten during the regular season although they did eliminate them three games to one in last year's Eastern Conference quarterfinals.

After a well-paced but scoreless first period of play, in which the Sound Tigers had a 14-6 shots on goal advantage, Manitoba took a 2-0 lead on a pair of early, second-period goals 1:00 apart. Jason King opened the scoring with his 16th goal of the season on an assist from Brandon Reid, his team-leading 29th helper and 43rd point, 5:19 into the middle frame then Ryan Ready made it 2-0 Moose with his 19th goal of the season on assists from Nathan Smith and Herbert Vasiljevs at the 6:19 mark.

Manitoba increased its lead to 3-0 with 2:34 left in the second period on Justin Kurtz's tenth goal of the season on assists from John Craighead and Chris Nielsen, but Eric Manlow answered for the Sound Tigers to make it 3-1 with his 17th goal of the year 1:09 later on assists from Raffi Torres and Trent Hunter. Manlow upped a scoring streak to three games, one goal and two assists, on the play while Torres improved his assist streak, three helpers, to three games and his point streak, two goals and five assists, to seven games on the play. The second assist was also Hunter's team-leading 52nd point of the season.

Manitoba regained the three-goal lead at 4-1 on King's second goal of the game and 17th of the season 2:17 into the third period on an assist from Tyler Bouck.

The Sound Tigers pulled to within 4-2 on Jeff Hamilton's 17th goal of the season, on the power play, off assists from Blaine Down and Jeremy Adduono with 11:10 remaining in the game. The Sound Tigers have now scored on the power play in seven of the last eight games going 9 for 35, 25.7%, in that time.

The Sound Tigers pulled Goaltender Stephen Valiquette, who made 19 saves, in favor of an extra attacker with 1:15 left to play but were unable to tie the game. They finished the contest 1 for 6 on the power play, 3 for 3 on the penalty kill and with a 38-23 shots on goal advantage falling one shot shy of tying their high mark for the season. Tyler Moss made 36 saves for his third straight win for Manitoba. Moss is now unbeaten in regulation, 4-0-1, in his last five games as well.

King was the first star, Moss was the second star, and Manlow was the third.

The Sound Tigers will continue a three-game homestand when they host the Manchester Monarchs Friday at 7:35 p.m. and the Binghamton Senators Saturday at 7:05 p.m. The Sound Tigers will visit the Springfield Falcons Sunday at 4 p.m. 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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American Hockey League Stories from March 5, 2003


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