AHL Bridgeport Islanders

Streaking Sound Tigers Top AHL Standings After Stormy Weekend

Published on December 8, 2003 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release


The Sound Tigers reset the all-time franchise records for longest unbeaten-in-regulation streak, 18 games at 14-0-3-1, and longest road unbeaten streak, nine games at 8-0-1. They also upped their franchise-record overall unbeaten streak to 16 games at 13-0-3 with two ties and a win last week. The Sound Tigers tied the Albany River Rats 1-1 on the road Friday then beat the blizzard home to tie the Hershey Bears 2-2 in Bridgeport Saturday and beat the Hartford Wolf Pack 1-0 at home Sunday. They finished the week with the League's highest winning percentage, .739, and tied with Hershey, the Hamilton Bulldogs and Grand Rapids Griffins for first place in the overall AHL standings with 34 points and a 14-3-5-1 record, including 7-2-2-1 at home and 7-1-3 on the road.

FRI DEC 5th at ALB, 1-1 T: In the first of eight meetings of the East Division rivals, Albany opened the scoring on a power-play goal by CRAIG DARBY early in the first period, but the Sound Tigers tied the game on the first goal with the team by MATTIAS TIMANDER just past the mid-way point of the opening frame. The Sound Tigers outshot the River Rats 40-21 and were 0 for 8 on the power play. Albany was 1 for 5 on the advantage.

SAT DEC 6th vs. HER, 2-2 T: DEREK BEKAR and ERIC MANLOW scored, Manlow did so on the power play and added an assist, JEFF HAMILTON had two assists, and DIETER KOCHAN made 34 saves. The Sound Tigers were 1 for 2 on the power play and 1 for 1 on the penalty kill in a game that had just three penalties for a total of six minutes, all of which were called in the second period. Hershey had a 36-32 shots on goal advantage.

SUN DEC 7th vs. HAR, 1-0 W: WADE DUBIELEWICZ made 26 saves for the second shutout of his professional career. Dubielewicz also blanked Hartford 3-0 at home on Friday, November 28th. CAIL MacLEAN broke a scoreless tie with 37.1 seconds left in the second period, off assists from ROB COLLINS and KEVIN COLLEY, with his second game-winning goal of the season. MacLean also notched the deciding goal with 2:41 left in the Sound Tigers' 5-4 road win over the Binghamton Senators Thanksgiving night. The Sound Tigers were 0 for 4 on the power play Sunday. The Wolf Pack were 0 for 3 and had a 26-20 shots on goal advantage.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK – C KEVIN COLLEY

Colley sparked the Sound Tigers with some great physical play and drew two power plays before assisting on the game-winning goal Sunday. The son of former New Haven Nighthawk legend TOM COLLEY has been a factor in all 23 Sound Tigers' games this season notching three goals, five assists, eight points and 39 penalty minutes.

THIS WEEK – Utah Bookends Four Game Week The Sound Tigers will play four games this week hosting the Utah Grizzlies Wednesday and Sunday. In between, they will visit the Philadelphia Phantoms Friday and host the Manchester Monarchs Saturday.

WED DEC 10th vs. UTA, 7:05 p.m.: This will be the third of four meetings of the teams, the first of two in Bridgeport, this regular season. The Sound Tigers are 4-2 all-time, 2-0 this season, versus Utah who begins this week tied with the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks for fifth place in the West Division with 21 points and a 9-12-1-2 record, including 3-5 on the road. The Grizzlies begin this week on a three-game winning streak. The Sound Tigers won a pair of games in Utah, 6-2 on October 31st and 2-1 in overtime November 1st tying the score with 1:10 left in regulation and winning the game 30 seconds into the extra session. The two wins marked the start of their current nine-game, road, unbeaten streak; 8-0-1.

FRI DEC 12th at PHI, 7:05 p.m.: This will be the fifth of eight meetings of the teams, the second of four in Philadelphia, this regular season. The Sound Tigers are 6-5-1 all-time, 2-1-1 this season, versus the Phantoms who begin this week in third place in the East Division with 30 points, four points behind the Sound Tigers and Hershey, and a 13-9-3-1 record, including 6-5-2-1 at home. Philadelphia begins this week 8-1-1 in its last ten games and is off until Friday.

SAT DEC 13 vs. MCH, 7:05 p.m.: This will be the first of four meetings of the teams, the first of two in Bridgeport, this regular season. It will also be the first since the Sound Tigers swept Manchester three games to none in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals of last spring's Calder Cup Playoffs. The Sound Tigers are 3-3-2 all-time versus the Monarchs who begin this week in third place in the Atlantic Division with 29 points and a record of 13-10-1-2, including 3-6-1-1 on the road. Manchester will host Utah Friday.

SUN DEC 14th vs. UTA, 4:05 p.m.: This will be the final game of the Sound Tigers' season series with Utah, as well as their last versus a Western Conference opponent this regular season. The Grizzlies will visit Manchester Friday and Hartford Saturday.

SOUND TIGERS TEAM LEADERS (League leaders in Italics)

Goals – JEFF HAMILTON, 17
Penalty Minutes – GRAHAM BELAK, 62
Assists – BRANDON SMITH, 12
Wins – WADE DUBIELEWICZ & DIETER KOCHAN, 7
Points – JEFF HAMILTON, 25
Goals Against Average – WADE DUBIELEWICZ, 1.29
Plus / Minus – BRANDON SMITH & ALAIN NASREDDINE, +8
Save Percentage – WADE DUBIELEWICZ, .948

SOUND TIGERS SPECIAL TEAMS; AHL RANK

Power Play – 21 for 122, 17.2%; t-4th
Shorthanded Goals Against – 3
Penalty Kill – 82 for 90, 91.1%; 1st
Shorthanded Goal For – 3

SOUND TIGERS STREAKS

The Sound Tigers are unbeaten-in-regulation in ten straight home games (7-0-2-1) and 18 games in a row overall (14-0-3-1). • They are also unbeaten in any manner in their last 16 games overall (13-0-3) and nine straight road games (8-0-1). • G DIETER KOCHAN is unbeaten-in-regulation (7-0-3-1) in his last 11 games. • G WADE DUBIELEWICZ is unbeaten in his last eight games (7-0-1).

SOUND TIGERS TRANSACTIONS

RW MATTIAS WEINHANDL and RW/C JEFF HAMILTON were recalled by the Islanders last Monday. • Hamilton was reassigned last Friday. • C JUSTIN MAPLETOFT remains on recall to the Islanders.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR & PROMOTIONAL NEWS

The Sound Tigers Team Shop at Bridgeport's Arena at Harbor Yard will be open for extended holiday hours through Christmas Eve. Holiday hours will be 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. Thursday, 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Sunday. Additional information is available by calling 203-334-GOAL. Merchandise can also be ordered on-line at http://www.soundtigerscentral.com. • The first two-thousand fans who enter this Wednesday's game will receive the second of five Sound Tiger player card sets courtesy of The Team Shop. The second card set will feature DIETER KOCHAN, MARTIN KARIYA, ERIC MANLOW and GRAHAM BELAK. • The Sound Tigers will also team with 95.9 The Fox for a holiday coat drive this Wednesday. Fans are asked to donate coats for those in need at this Wednesday's game. • The second of this season's "Family Four Pack Nights" will be this Saturday. Family Four Packs include four tickets, four hot dogs and four sodas for $55 and can be ordered by calling 203-334-GOAL. • The Sound Tigers will also host their annual "Teddy Bear Toss" this Saturday. • The Sound Tigers Booster Club, along with AMR Ambulance Company, is collecting toys for area children in need. Fans can drop off toys at the Booster Club table on the arena concourse. • There will be a post-game skate for full-season-ticket holders this Sunday. • Weekly Reader will present "Cool Fun 101" when the Sound Tigers host the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins next Wednesday, December 17th at 11:05 a.m. Students who attend "Cool Fun 101" will receive a workbook relating educational lessons to the sport of hockey. Schools can call 203-334-GOAL to arrange a trip to "Cool Fun 101".

SOUND TIGERS ON THE AIR

All games are web cast live at www.soundtigers.com. Most games are also broadcast live on 600 WICC-AM. Fans can email questions and comments to Voice of the Sound Tigers BILL McLAUGHLIN who will respond live on the air. Head Coach GREG CRONIN is also interviewed by News Director TIM QUINN live on WICC Friday mornings at 9:30 a.m.

THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE

The Sound Tigers will practice at Bridgeport's Wonderland of Ice Tuesday at 11 a.m. and Bridgeport's Arena at Harbor Yard Wednesday and Thursday at 10 a.m. The team will bus to Philadelphia Thursday afternoon, practice there Friday at 11:15 a.m. and return to Bridgeport right after Friday's game. The schedule for Saturday and Sunday mornings is to be determined. Call 203-334-GOAL to confirm practice times and locations or with any special media requests.

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American Hockey League Stories from December 8, 2003


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