
Sound Tigers rally falls short as Wilkes-Barre/Scranton takes 1-0 lead in the series
April 17, 2009 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release
Uniondale, NY - Trevor Smith scored a goal and an assist tonight in Game 1 of the Sound Tigers' opening round series against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins but the Sound Tigers' come-from-behind attempt fell short as the Penguins took the first game by the score of 3-2. Rob Hennigar scored the Sound Tigers' only other tally. Chris Minard and Dustin Jeffrey both had first period power-play goals for the Penguins and Luca Caputi would record the game-winner in the second period. Nathan Lawson made the start in goal for the Sound Tigers, stopping 22 shots in the defeat. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton now takes a 1-0 lead in the two teams' best of seven East Division Semi-Final.
Minard opened the scoring with his first of the playoffs for the Penguins, 1:22 into the first period while on the power-play. Jeff Taffe sent a pass to Bill Thomas at the point that he snapped on goal. Lawson made the save on the shot but the puck fluttered over his head where Minard smacked it out of the air and in, to give Wilkes-Barre/Scranton the 1-0 lead. With just under two minutes left in the opening period, Jeffrey made it 2-0 in favor of the Penguins. Luca Caputi and Janne Pesonen had the assists on Jeffrey's first goal of the playoffs, also coming on the man-advantage.
The Penguins would extend their lead to 3-0 half-way through the second period on Luca Caputi's first goal of the playoffs. Tim Wallace and Jeffrey had the helpers on Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's third tally of the contest. Smith would begin the Sound Tigers' come-back 14:45 into the middle frame with his first goal of the playoffs. Mike Iggulden had the lone assist on Smith's goal to cut the Penguins' lead to 3-1. Three minutes later, Smith would lead a rush up ice that ended with Hennigar tipping his first goal of the playoffs into the back of the net to pull the Sound Tigers within one. Smith fed a pass over a Penguin defenseman, who was laid out on the ice attempting to break up any passing lanes, to Hennigar who tipped the puck through Curry to make the score 3-2 entering the third period.
Curry would put an end to any Sound Tiger rallies in the third period as he turned aside all 15 shots he faced to give the Penguins a 3-2 victory and the 1-0 lead in the East Division Semi-final series.
Lawson suffered the loss, making 22 saves while Curry made a total of 30 saves on 32 shots to earn the win. The Sound Tigers were 0-for-4 on the power-play and went 2-for-4 on the penalty-kill.
Game 2 is set for tomorrow night at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum at 7 p.m. For tickets or information for any of the Sound Tigers' upcoming playoff games, contact the team's front office at (203) 334-GOAL or e-mail info@soundtigers.com.
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American Hockey League Stories from April 17, 2009
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