Team reaches the .500 mark on New Year's Eve
Published on December 31, 2007 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release
Frans Nielsen led the Sound Tigers to a 3-2 victory over the Binghamton Senators tonight, closing out the 2007 calendar year, pulling the team to the .500 mark with a 16-16-1-0 record. The win leaves them only two points behind the Senators for the fifth spot in the East Division.
Two unassisted goals about three minutes in and three minutes remaining in the first period gave the Sound Tigers the 2-0 lead. Nielsen led a rush up ice and hesitated as a Senator defenseman slid on his stomach past him in an attempt to block a pass. Nielsen made a quick move around the sliding defenseman and snapped a shot over Binghamton starting goalie, Brian Elliott's blocker for his fifth goal of the season and the 1-0 Sound Tiger lead. Trevor Smith doubled the team's lead with his first goal of the season. Smith collected the puck in the neutral zone and skated into the Senator's zone on the left wing boards after his line caused a turnover. Smith looked up and fired a slap shot that went through Elliott giving the Sound Tigers the 2-0 lead heading into the second period.
The Senators would make it a 2-1 game in the middle frame when defenseman Geoff Waugh scored his second goal of the season. Waugh came into the Sound Tigers' defensive zone on the right wall and wristed a shot past Sound Tigers' starting net-minder, Mike Morrison, an unassisted goal at 7:56 of the period.
Tyler Donati would tie the score at 2-2 on the power-play 5:13 into the third period. Niko Dimitrakos sent a cross ice pass to Josh Hennessy who floated a shot on net that Morrison stopped but the rebound fell behind him and Donati was there to pound it in for his sixth goal of the season. With the game tied after the Sound Tigers squandered a two goal lead, they turned to their leading scorer, Jeff Tambellini, who was named the American Hockey League Player of the Week today. Center-man Frans Nielsen intercepted a Binghamton pass up the boards and centered a quick feed to Tambellini who was parked in the high slot. Tambellini, like a flash, wired a one-timer off the cross-bar and in, giving the Sound Tigers the 3-2 lead. Tambellini's 19th goal would eventually become the game-winner as Morrison shut the door on Senators, turning aside 11 of the 12 shots he faced in the period.
Morrison finished with 33 saves on 35 shots while Elliott, who made his first start of the season against the Sound Tigers, had 34 saves on 37 shots. The Sound Tigers were 0-for-7 on the power-play while going 5-for-6 on the penalty kill. The win pulls the Sound Tigers to the .500 mark just before the New Year.
The Sound Tigers will travel back to Bridgeport tonight for a week of practice before they board the bus and head down to Norfolk, VA to take on the Admirals for two straight games on Friday, Jan. 4 and Saturday, Jan. 5th, both game are scheduled to start at 7:15 p.m. On Sunday, Jan 6th, the Sound Tigers will face-off against the Philadelphia Phantoms at 5:05 p.m.
American Hockey League Stories from December 31, 2007
- Hogs Comeback Falls Short, Streak Ends - Rockford IceHogs
- Icehogs make four player transactions - Rockford IceHogs
- Kaspar Rocks in the New Year, Sharks Win 3-2. - Worcester Sharks
- Howard's Brilliance Not Enough in 1-0 Loss - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Monarchs Sent Swimming Into The New Year - Manchester Monarchs
- Team reaches the .500 mark on New Year's Eve - Bridgeport Islanders
- 'Dogs shutout Griffs in New Year's Eve tilt - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Houston Aeros drop New Years Eve contest, 5-4 in Iowa - Houston Aeros
- Stars Finish the Year on a High Note - Iowa Chops
- Penguins say goodbye to 2007 with 8th straight win - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Moose close out 2007 with win over Monsters - Manitoba Moose
- Admirals Close Out 2007 with Loss in Wilkes-Barre - Norfolk Admirals
- Two Quick Goals Give Bears 2-1 Win Over Phantoms In 2007 Finale - Adirondack Phantoms
- Devils Sunk By Pirates, 3-0 - Albany Devils
- Goaltender Ryan Munce Reassigned to Mississippi - Norfolk Admirals
- Wolf Pack Weekly - Connecticut Whale
- Bulldogs Set For Five Games In The Next Seven Days - Hamilton Bulldogs
- P-Bruins Defeat Falcons In Overtime 3-2 - Providence Bruins
- Rockford Rings In New Year With Five Game Home Stand - Rockford IceHogs
- Kings Sign Simmonds To Entry-Level Contract - Manchester Monarchs
- Wolf Pack Bowl-a-Thon Rescheduled to Sunday, January 6th - Connecticut Whale
- Penguins Prepare To Usher In New Year On Win Streak - AHL
- Moose Win One Of Three In Week 12 - Manitoba Moose
- Stars Close 2007 Road Schedule with Win in Peoria - Iowa Chops
- Tambellini named AHL Player of the Week - Bridgeport Islanders
- Penguins Ride Seven-Game Winning Streak Into New Year's Eve - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Penalty Kill Producing Results - Syracuse Crunch
- Sound Tigers' Tambellini named Rbk/AHL Player of the Week - AHL
- Crunch Announce Details of RE/MAX Realty Plus 'Hottest Property of the Month' Award - Syracuse Crunch
- Wolves Weekly Notes - Chicago Wolves
- Amerks To Kick Off New Year On The Road; Lojek Reassigned To Rochester - Rochester Americans
- Sharks close out one-goal week with two points - Worcester Sharks
- Monarchs Weekly Report - Manchester Monarchs
- Aeros Visit Iowa Stars To Close Out 2007 - Houston Aeros
- Falcons Host Bruins Monday - Springfield Falcons
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