AHL Bridgeport Islanders

Sound Tigers Split Weekend Set In Norfolk

January 12, 2004 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release


The Sound Tigers split a pair of weekend games in Norfolk versus the Admirals winning 1-0 Saturday and losing 3-2 Sunday. The Sound Tigers remain in first place in the East Division and overall League standings with a .705 winning percentage, 55 points and a 24-8-5-2 record, including 13-4-3-1 on the road and 11-4-2-1 at home.

SAT JAN 10th at NOR, 1-0 W: ERIC MANLOW scored the game's only goal late in the first period off an assist from RYAN KRAFT, and WADE DUBIELEWICZ made 23 saves for his fourth shutout of the season. The Sound Tigers were 0 for 5 on the power play and won despite being outshot 23-20. Norfolk was 0 for 3 on the advantage. The win was the Sound Tigers' first-ever in the state of Virginia.

SUN JAN 11th at NOR, 3-2: EVAN CHEVERIE scored the first two AHL goals of his career, both on the power play and both assisted by ERIC MANLOW, and DIETER KOCHAN made 23 saves for the Sound Tigers. PAVEL VOROBIEV led the Admirals with a goal and an assist. The Sound Tigers were 2 for 10 on the power play while Norfolk was 0 for 4 and had a 26-14 shots on goal advantage.

SOUND TIGERS PLAYER OF THE WEEK – G WADE DUBIELEWICZ

The League's reigning Rookie of the Month, who was also named the starting Canadian team goaltender for next month's AHL All-Star Classic in Grand Rapids, Michigan, stopped all 23 shots he faced Saturday to post his fourth shutout of the season and improve his League-leading goals against average and save percentage to 1.18 and .952 respectively. Dubielewicz is also tied for third in the AHL with his four shutouts and has a 12-3-1 record in 16 games this season.

SOUND TIGERS TO SEND FIVE TO AHL ALL-STAR CLASSIC

Two coaches and three players will represent the Sound Tigers at the 2004 AHL All-Star Classic next month in Grand Rapids. WADE DUBIELEWICZ will be the starting goaltender for the Canadian team and will be joined on that squad by D BRANDON SMITH. RW/C JEFF HAMILTON has been named one of the starting forwards for the PlanetUSA team, which will be coached by Head Coach GREG CRONIN and Assistant Coach DAVE BASEGGIO. The All-Star Classic will take place at the Van Andel Arena, home of the Grand Rapids Griffins, on February 8th and 9th.

THIS WEEK – Road Stretch Continues Through Providence & Hershey The Sound Tigers will play the middle two games of six in a row on the road when they visit the Providence Bruins this Friday and the Hershey Bears this Saturday.

FRI JAN 16th at PRO, 7:05 p.m.: This will be the second of four meetings of the teams, the second and final at Providence's Dunkin' Donuts Center, this regular season. The Sound Tigers are 1-5-3 all-time, 0-0-1 this season, versus the P-Bruins who begin this week in third place in the Atlantic Division with 43 points and a 17-12-9-0 record, including 10-5-4-0 at home. Providence is just 3-3-4 in it's last ten games. The Bruins begin this week third in the League averaging 23.74 penalty minutes per game and ranked 19th on the penalty kill at 84.8%. However, they are third on the power play at 17.0%. C MATT HERR, who leads the Providence in scoring with 17 assists and 25 points, will play for the PlanetUSA team at next month's AHL All-Star Classic. The P-Bruins do not play again until Friday.

SAT JAN 17th at HER, 7 p.m.: This will be the sixth of eight meetings of the teams, the fourth and final at Hershey's Giant Center, this regular season. The Sound Tigers are 3-5-3 all-time, 3-1-1 this season including 2-1 on the road, versus the Bears who begin this week tied with the Philadelphia Phantoms for second place in the East Division with 49 points, six behind the Sound Tigers, and a 19-13-8-3 record, including 8-6-4-3 at home. After going 0-5-2 all-time, including a 3-1 road loss to open this season's series on October 18th, the Sound Tigers are on a 3-0-1 run versus Hershey. C ERIC PERRIN, who leads the Bears in scoring with 41 points on a team-best 16 goals and 25 assists, has been named one of the starting Canadian team forwards for next month's AHL All-Star Classic. Hershey will visit Norfolk Wednesday and Philadelphia Friday.

C ERIC MANLOW (1g,2a) is on a two-game point streak. • The Sound Tigers have not allowed a power-play goal in two straight games, killing seven advantages in that time. They have killed eight power plays in a row overall.

SOUND TIGERS TRANSACTIONS

RW JOE DUSBABEK was signed to a professional tryout contract by the Sound Tigers Saturday. Dusbabaek was released today. • LW/C EVAN CHEVERIE was signed to a PTO Saturday, January 3rd. • C JUSTIN MAPLETOFT, LW DEREK BEKAR, D SVEN BUTENSCHON, G RICK DiPIETRO and RW MATTIAS WEINHANDL remain on recall to the Islanders.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR & PROMOTIONAL NEWS

G WADE DUBIELEWICZ will be featured in a live, on-line chat at www.theahl.com this Wednesday, January 14th at 2 p.m. • It will be will "Shelton Town Night" when the Sound Tigers return to Bridgeport's Arena at Harbor Yard to host the Albany River Rats on Saturday, January 24th at 7:05 p.m. Town of Shelton residents and Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce members can purchase specially-priced tickets by calling 203-334-GOAL. • NAPA Auto Parts of 3380 Fairfield Avenue in Bridgeport and 1860 Stratford Avenue in Stratford will also present the third of five Sound Tigers card set giveaways on January 24th. The third set will feature DEREK BEKAR, JODY ROBINSON, BRANDON SMITH and BLAINE DOWN. • The Sound Tigers are offering "Slap Shot Seven Packs". • The next "Family Four Pack Night" will be Friday, February 6th when the Sound Tigers host the Lowell Lock Monsters at 7:35 p.m. "Family Four Packs" include four tickets, four hot dogs and four sodas and cost $55. • Information regarding "Slap Shot Seven Packs", "Family Four Packs" and all other Sound Tigers ticket packages and promotional news is available on-line at www.soundtigers.com or by calling 203-334-GOAL. • BJ's Wholesale Club members can purchase tickets for the Saturday, February 7th game versus Albany at specially-discounted prices. BJ's will also be giving away ten free memberships and holding numerous enter-to-win contests on February 7th.

SOUND TIGERS ON THE AIR

All Sound Tigers games are web cast live at www.soundtigers.com. Most games are also broadcast live on 600 WICC-AM. Both of this week's games can be heard on WICC and at www.soundtigers.com. • Head Coach GREG CRONIN is interviewed live on WICC every Friday at 9:30 a.m. • The Sound Tigers' upcoming broadcast schedule, web cast links and links through which fans can email Voice of the Sound Tigers BILL McLAUGHLIN, who will respond live on the air during all broadcasts, are posted on the front page of www.soundtigers.com.

THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE

The Sound Tigers will practice at the Rinks at Shelton Tuesday through Friday at 10 a.m. They will bus to Providence Friday afternoon, play there that night then bus to Hershey where they will play Saturday. Please call 203-334-GOAL to confirm practice times and locations or with any special media requests.

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American Hockey League Stories from January 12, 2004


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