AHL Bridgeport Islanders

Sound Tigers Win First Shootout In Team History

Published on December 22, 2004 under 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, rallied to beat the Philadelphia Phantoms 3-2 at home Wednesday in the first shootout in team history.

Philadelphia took a 1-0 lead on Patrick Sharp's team-leading 12th goal and 26th point of the season, a four-on-four tally, off assists from Joni Pitkanen and Mark Murphy 6:18 into the first period, but the Sound Tigers tied the score at 1-1 with 10.1 seconds left in the opening frame on a power-play goal by Chris Campoli, his fourth marker of the season, off an assist from Rob Collins. The assist tied Collins with Justin Mapletoft for the Sound Tigers lead at 11 and was also his team-best 21st point of the year.

The Phantoms regained the lead at 2-1 10:47 into the second period on Josh Gratton's fourth goal of the season off assists from Jeff Smith and Pitkanen.

The Sound Tigers penalty killers came up big when Referee Dave Hansen whistled Keith Aldridge two minutes for holding and Kevin Colley five minutes for high-sticking in the final minute of the second period and Collins two minutes for slashing 14 seconds into the third. En route to a 6 for 6 effort on the kill, the Sound Tigers denied Philadelphia on all three power plays, including a pair of five-on-three opportunities.

The Sound Tigers pulled Goaltender Dieter Kochan in favor of an extra attacker with 28 seconds left in regulation and tied the game with one tenth of a second left to play when Steve Regier swept a shot past Phantoms Netminder Antero Niittymaki for his second goal of the season off assists from Kevin Colley and Aldridge.

Each team had two shots on goal in the five-minute overtime but neither was able to score, so the game moved into the shootout. Aldridge and Colley scored then Jim Campbell was stopped for the Sound Tigers while Jon Sim was stopped and Patrick Sharp scored then Pitkanen and Ben Stafford were denied for Philadelphia. Blaine Down, who scored his first goal of the season in Monday's 3-1 home loss to the Worcester IceCats, then beat Niitymaki to seal the win.

Down was the first star of the game, Regier the second and Pitkanen the third. The Sound Tigers were 1 for 7 on the power play, 6 for 6 on the penalty kill and won despite being outshot 30-29. Kochan made 28 saves to earn his sixth win of the season while Niitymaki, who entered the game tied for the AHL lead with three shootout wins, made 26 saves in a losing effort.

The Sound Tigers will continue a four-game home-stand when they host the Hartford Wolf Pack this Sunday at 4:05 p.m. and the Portland Pirates this coming Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. All games are broadcast live at www.soundtigers.com. Most games, including Sunday's, are also broadcast live on 600 WICC-AM.

Information regarding Sound Tigers ticket packages and sponsorship 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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American Hockey League Stories from December 22, 2004


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