Sound Tigers Wrap Up Quarterfinal Berth
April 5, 2003 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release
BRIDGEPORT, CT â 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, beat the Albany River Rats 5-2 at home Friday. With the win, the Sound Tigers clinched at least a sixth place finish in the Eastern Conference and a berth in the quarterfinal round of the AHL's Calder Cup Playoffs skipping the three-game, qualifying round.
Daniel Tkaczuk, who powered Wednesday's 6-0 win over the Hamilton Bulldogs with two goals and an assist, opened the scoring Friday with his ninth goal of the season 6:21 into the game on assists from Jeff Hamilton and Jeremy Adduono to make it 1-0 Sound Tigers. Hamilton then made it 2-0 with his 21st goal of the year on assists from Tkaczuk and Adduono.
Former Sound Tiger Dave Roche pulled Albany to within 2-1 with 1:50 left in the first period with his 21st goal of the season, a power-play tally, on assists from Craig Darby and another former Sound Tiger, Ray Giroux.
Hamilton notched his second goal of the game, his 22nd of the season, 7:15 into the second period on an assist from Ray Schultz to make it 3-1 Sound Tigers.
Trent Hunter upped the Sound Tigers' lead to 4-1 with his 29th goal of the season on assists from Alain Nasreddine and Eric Manlow 6:29 into the third period.
Albany's Mike Rupp's eighth goal of the season with 3:59 left to play on assists from Steve Kariya and Giroux cut the Sound Tigers' lead to 4-2, but Hunter iced the game with his 30th marker of the year, on the power play, off assists from Manlow and Brandon Smith :53 later. Hunter has now tied his own team record for most goals in a season, 30, in addition to adding to his team record for points in a season with his 67th and 68th of the year in the game.
Hunter was the first star of the game, Hamilton the second and Tkaczuk the third. The Sound Tigers were 1 for 5 on the power play while Albany was 1 for 6. The Sound Tigers outshot the River Rats 31-30. Stephen Valiquette made 28 saves for his second win in a row while Ari Ahonen made 26 saves in a losing effort.
The Sound Tigers will finish the regular season with a home-and-home series versus the Hartford Wolf Pack. They will visit Hartford tomorrow at 7:05 p.m. and host the Wolf Pack Sunday at 4:05 p.m. All Sound Tigers' games are broadcast live on "News/Talk 960" WELI-AM and web cast at www.soundtigers.com. WSTC/WNLK 1400/1350 AM also broadcasts road games.
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