AHL Bridgeport Islanders

The Bridgeport Report.

Published on December 13, 2017 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release


BRIDGEPORT, Conn. - Tanner Fritz scored three times and added a trio of assists last weekend to lead the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (12-8-1-1), proud AHL affiliate of the New York Islanders, through their first three games of December.

The Sound Tigers split a home-and-home series against the Utica Comets on Friday and Saturday, before falling to the Providence Bruins on Sunday afternoon at Webster Bank Arena. Bridgeport currently ranks fifth in the extremely tight Atlantic Division, which sees its top six teams all separated by just four points.

Fritz celebrated a career night on Friday, recording five points (two goals, three assists) and helping the Sound Tigers to victory with the overtime-winning tally in a wild 7-6 outcome against the Comets at the Adirondack Bank Center. Steve Bernier (two goals, one assist) and Islanders draft pick Sebastian Aho (three assists) were also among four players who recorded at least three points in the contest. It was the second time Bridgeport has scored seven goals in a game this season, and four of those tallies came on the power play. The Sound Tigers went 4-for-5 on the man advantage and netted at least three power-play goals on the road for the first time since Jan. 30, 2015 against Hartford.

Twenty-four hours later, the Comets responded at Webster Bank Arena and handed the Sound Tigers their first shootout loss of the season. Fritz continued his stellar play with Bridgeport's lone tally in regulation (and the club's only goal in a five-round shootout), but it wasn't enough in a 2-1 setback. Aho also contributed an assist and extended his point streak to a career-high six games (one goal, seven assists), while Kristers Gudlevskis made 21 saves on 22 shots and was less than 19 seconds from his second shutout of the year before allowing a goal by Joseph LaBate at the 19:41 mark.

Even with the loss on Saturday, the Sound Tigers earned a point for the eighth consecutive game for the first time since Jan. 15 through Feb. 3 of last season. Unfortunately, that streak came to an end on Sunday afternoon in a 4-1 setback to Providence. First-year forward Scott Eansor scored his team-leading 10th goal of the season for Bridgeport and Gudlevskis turned back 23 of the 26 shots he faced.

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American Hockey League Stories from December 13, 2017


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