Sound Tigers Win Third Straight, 5-2 At Springfield
March 9, 2003 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release
SPRINGFIELD, MA - 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, won their third straight game beating the Springfield Falcons 5-2 on the road Sunday. The win was also the Sound Tigers' sixth in as many meetings with the Falcons this season, including four in Springfield.
Jeff Hamilton opened the scoring with his 19th goal of the season, his second goal in as many games and fifth point in as many games, 7:02 into the first period on assists from Jeremy Adduono and Blaine Down. The Sound Tigers' 1-0 lead held up through the end of the first period.
Springfield took its first lead in this year's season series with the Sound Tigers on a pair of second-period goals as Jeff Taffe tied the game at 1-1 with his team-leading 21st marker of the season at 5:26 on an assist from Sheldon Keefe, and Martin Cibak made it 2-1 Falcons with his fourth goal of the year at 8:46 on assists from Jimmie Olvestad and Erik Westrum. However, Springfield held the lead for only 1:05.
Justin Mapletoft baseball-batted a puck out of air from just in front of the Springfield net for his 12th goal of the season at 9:51 of the middle frame on assists from Sven Butenschon and Down tying the game at 2-2. Martin Chabada then regained the lead for the Sound Tigers at 3-2 with his second goal in as many games and 13th of the year with 1:36 left in the middle frame on assists from Eric Manlow, his team-leading 33rd of the year, and Brandon Smith. Chabada's goal came on the Sound Tigers' second power play extending their scoring streak on the advantage to five games and nine of the last ten contests.
Chabada added another power-play goal, his second marker of the game and 14th of the season, with 5:05 left in the third period on an assist from Mapletoft to make it 4-2. The Sound Tigers finished 2 for 3 on the advantage in the game and 7 for 10 on the weekend.
Springfield pulled Goaltender Jean-Marc Pelletier in favor of an extra attacker while on the power play with just over one minute left to play, but Raffi Torres iced the win with an unassisted, empty-net goal, his 17th tally of the season, with :11 left to play. The goal came after the penalty, to Smith, expired.
In addition to a 2 for 3 effort on the power play, the Sound Tigers were 6 for 6 on the penalty kill and posted their sixth straight shots on goal advantage, 37-30. Chabada was the first star of the game, Down the second, and Torres the third. Stephen Valiquette stopped 28 of 30 shots in goal for the Sound Tigers.
The Sound Tigers will return home to host Springfield next Saturday at 7:05 p.m. and the Binghamton Senators next Sunday at 4:05 p.m. on "Islanders Appreciation Weekend" at Harbor Yard. 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.
American Hockey League Stories from March 9, 2003
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- Bears Drop Heartbreaker to Binghamton, 3-1 - Hershey Bears
- Pittsburgh Penguins Recall RW Eric Meloche from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Grizzlies Top Barons, 5-3 - Cleveland Barons
- Sound Tigers Win Third Straight, 5-2 At Springfield - Bridgeport Islanders
- Phantoms shut out Norfolk 2-0 - Adirondack Phantoms
- DiPietro Recalled, Letang Reassigned to Islanders - Bridgeport Islanders
- Trepanier Assigned to San Antonio - San Antonio Rampage
- Trepanier Traded - Milwaukee Admirals
- Houston Signs Brady as Emergency Backup Goalie - Houston Aeros
- Falcons Fodder - Springfield Falcons
- Rochester Americans vs. Albany River Rats - Rochester Americans
- Bears Look to Get Back to Winning Ways Tonight against Senators - Hershey Bears
- Petersen and Sivek Score Two Goals Each in 4-3 Win over Hershey - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Checkers Edge Richmond 2-1 In A Shootout - Charlotte Checkers
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