AHL Bridgeport Islanders

Springfield Rallies Past Sound Tigers 4-3

Published on November 19, 2005 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, lost 4-3 at home to the Springfield Falcons Saturday as the visitors scored twice in a 44-second third-period span to turn a 3-2 deficit into a 4-3 lead. The loss snapped the Sound Tigers' three-game home-ice winning streak.

The Sound Tigers jumped out to a quick start as Bruno Gervais scored his fifth goal of the season on the power-play just 44 seconds into the first period off assists from Jeff Hamilton and Rob Collins to make it 1-0 Sound Tigers. The teams combined for 25 shots, with the Sound Tigers holding a 15-10 advantage, through the first 20 minutes, but the score remained 1-0 heading into the intermission.

Springfield tied the score at 1-1 with a quick power-play goal of its own as captain Ryan Craig squeezed home a tough-angle shot for his seventh marker of the year off assists from Jason Jaspers and Ryan Vesce just 2:03 into the middle frame. The Falcons then took a 2-1 lead 1:42 later when Vesce scored unassisted for his fifth marker of the season.

Matt Koalska tied the score at 2-2 with his seventh goal of the season off assists from Masi Marjamaki and Vince Macri at the 6:37 mark of the second period. It was Koalska's third goal and fourth point in two games this weekend.

Sound Tigers captain Kevin Colley was assessed a five-minute major for high-sticking 22 seconds into the third period, but it was the shorthanded home team that took advantage as Gervais notched his second goal of the game, the team's third shortie of the year, off an assist from Sean Bergenheim just 32 seconds later to make it 3-2. In addition to scoring the go-ahead goal while down a man, the Sound Tigers held Springfield shotless on the long advantage.

Falcons fourth-liners Andre Deveaux and Mitch Fritz kept the Sound Tigers tied up in their own end of the ice and drew a penalty call just shy of the mid-point of the final frame, but the power play never materialized because Fritz swatted home a loose puck from the left face-off circle for his third goal of the season off an assist from Doug O'Brien at the 8:17 mark to tie the score at 3-3. Vesce was then left alone to coral the puck in the same circle and move in for his second goal of the game at the 9:01 mark off an assist from Todd Rohloff to make it 4-3.

The Sound Tigers pulled Dubielewicz in favor of an extra attacker with just over a minute to play, had a face-off in the offensive zone after a timeout and a chance for the equalizer during a mad scramble around the Springfield net as time ticked down but they could not score.

Vesce was the first star of the game, Gervais the second and Fritz the third. Dubielewicz made 23 saves while Falcons netminder Gerald Coleman made 28 saves for his second win in as many nights. The Sound Tigers had a 31-27 shots on goal advantage. Both teams were 1 for 6 on the power play.

The Sound Tigers will finish a stretch of four games in five days when they host the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Sunday at 4:05 p.m. on "Honey I Took The Kids Day" and "Norwalk Town Day", with ticket packages for families and specially-priced tickets for Norwalk town residents.

Information regarding all Sound Tigers promotions and ticket packages is available by calling 203-334-GOAL or emailing info@soundtigers.com. All Sound Tigers games are web-cast live at www.soundtigers.com. Fans can also watch all games live on the B2 Networks.

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American Hockey League Stories from November 19, 2005


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