AHL Bridgeport Islanders

Whale Doubles up Sound Tigers 6-3

Published on December 16, 2011 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release


HARTFORD, Conn. (Dec. 16, 2011) - Jonathan Audy-Marchessault scored twice and the Connecticut Whale scored four second period goals en route to a 6-3 win over the Bridgeport Sound Tigers on Friday night at the XL Center in Hartford. The Whale improves to 16-8-1-2. The Sound Tigers have dropped four straight games as their record falls to 11-12-3-1.

The Whale jumped on the scoreboard first after the Sound Tigers found themselves on a two-man disadvantage following a Micheal Haley tripping penalty and a bench minor for too many men on the ice. Audy-Marchessault took a rebound below the left faceoff circle and fired the puck off Anders Nilsson, who had lost sight of the puck to give the Whale a 1-0 lead 8:59 into the game.

The Sound Tigers drew even with 3:27 left in the opening frame courtesy of some hard work by their fourth line. Blair Riley and Tyler McNeely worked below the Whale goal line to free the puck up to the defensive pairing of Steve Oleksy and Matt Donovan. Oleksy took a pass from McNeely and found Donovan, who fired a slap shot low past Chad Johnson for his third goal of the season to tie the game at one.

Jared Nightingale put the Whale back in front 6:03 into what was a wild second period between these in-state rivals. Nightingale fired from the point through a screen past Nilsson for his first goal of the season to give the Whale a 2-1 lead. The Sound Tigers responded just 17 seconds later when Micheal Haley knocked home a loose puck in a scrum in front of Johnson for his second goal of the season to tie the score at two.

The Whale retook the lead 1:32 later when Brendan Bell beat Nilsson from the top of the left circle on the power play for his fourth goal of the season. Audy-Marchessault netted his second power play goal of the game at 11:06 when he scored in close on a rebound past Nilsson to make the score 4-2 in favor of the Whale. Andreas Thuresson pushed the Whale lead to three at 13:13 when he fired off the post past Nilsson. The Sound Tigers cut the deficit to two when Scott Howes backhanded a rebound past Johnson on the power play for his sixth goal and eighth point in eight games with the Sound Tigers at 15:49 of the period, and the Sound Tigers trailed the Whale 5-3 headed to the third period.

The Sound Tigers missed on their chances during the third period and the Whale sealed the win when Bell scored his second goal of the night, firing from his own goal line shorthanded as Nilsson was pulled to give the Sound Tigers a 6-on-4 advantage late in the period.

The Sound Tigers continue their road trip tomorrow evening at Giant Center when they face the Hershey Bears at 7:00 p.m.

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American Hockey League Stories from December 16, 2011


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