AHL Bridgeport Islanders

Sound Tigers Use Shootout to Complete Comeback Victory Against Devils

Published on December 7, 2008 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release


Lowell, Mass. - For the fifth time this season, the Sound Tigers were able to enter the third period trailing their opponent, and come away with a victory. Tonight, the Sound Tigers used a third period goal from Jack Hillen to tie the score, sending the game to overtime and an eventual shootout where Jeff Tambellini's snap shot over Lowell starting goalie, Jeff Frazee's glove clinched a 4-3 come-from behind victory. Trevor Smith and Sean Bentivoglio each had tallies in regulation for the Sound Tigers. Peter Mannino made 43 saves in the game to earn the victory. Frazee stopped 32 of the 35 shots he faced. The Devils had goals from Ryan Murphy, Mark Fraser and Anssi Salmela had the goals for the Devils. The Sound Tigers improve to 17-6-1-2 this season with 37 points.

The Devils would take the lead in the first period when Murphy slammed a bouncing puck in the right circle under Mannino to give Lowell the 1-0 lead. Rod Pelley and Patrick Davis earned the assists on Murphy's fifth goal of the season coming at 4:42 of the opening period. Four minutes later, Fraser would float a shot from the left point that went off the left post and past Mannino for the 2-0 Lowell lead. The goal was Fraser's first of the year with Davis and Anssi Salmela assisting on the tally.

In the second period, Smith would score for the fourth straight game, his 12th goal of the season coming at 4:38. With the Sound Tigers on the power-play, Jack Hillen settled the play in the Lowell zone and sent a pass to Kurtis McLean at the right point. Smith was stationed in the high slot, screening Frazee when McLean fired a shot on goal that he was able to tip through the Devils' net-minder's legs to cut Lowell's lead to 2-1. Salmela would regain the two-goal lead for the Devils when he snapped a rebound past Mannino for his third tally this season. Murphy and Davis assisted on the goal coming 7:11 into the middle frame. Bentivoglio and the Sound Tigers would once again make it a one-goal game at 3-2, three minutes later. Rob Hennigar broke the puck out of the zone and ripped a snap shot on Frazee that he stopped, but the rebound slid to his right where Bentivoglio was to back-hand his third marker of the season past Frazee.

Hillen would knot the game at 3-3 only two minutes to play in the third period. Mike Iggulden carried the puck out of the zone and dropped a pass to Hillen at the top of the Lowell zone. Hillen collected the puck as Iggulden and McLean drove the net, and snapped a shot through the legs of Frazee for his fourth goal of the season.

Mannino and Frazee would keep the game tied at three, sending the game to a shootout. Ben Walter would shoot first for the Sound Tigers and score but the Devils answered on a goal from Tyler Eckford. Neither team would score until the fourth round when Jesse Joensuu and Lowell forward Chad Wiseman traded attempts. In the final round, it was Jeff Tambellini ripping his patented snap shot over the glove of Frazee to win the game for the Sound Tigers in the shootout, 4-3.

Mannino earned the victory, snapping his three-game losing streak between the pipes. The Sound Tigers were 1-for-1 on both the man-advantage and the penalty-kill.

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American Hockey League Stories from December 7, 2008


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