Sound Tigers Top Rocket in Shootout

Keiffer Bellows had the game-winner as the Sound Tigers came away with
a 2-1 victory over the Laval Rocket in Quebec Friday night. (Photo
courtesy Bridgeport Sound Tigers)

LAVAL, Que.—Devon Toews scored his fifth goal of the season and Kieffer Bellows notched the game-winner in a four-round shootout as the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (10-5-2-0 edged the Laval Rocket (7-8-2-0) in a 2-1 final at Place Bell on Friday. The Rocket are the American Hockey League affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens.

The two clubs were locked in a scoreless duel well into the final frame before Bridgeport converted on a lengthy 5-on-3 power play midway through the period. Jeremy Smith (5-2-1) backstopped the win with 25 saves on 26 shots.

Smith and Rocket netminder Charlie Lindgren headlined the first 40-plus minutes with several quality saves to keep the game scoreless entering the third. Bridgeport outshot Laval 17-13 in the first two periods, but neither team could break the ice.

The Sound Tigers struck first at 7:23 of the final frame when Toews went top shelf for his 11th point (four goals, seven assists) in the last eight games. Following penalties 49 seconds apart against Daniel Audette (high-sticking) and Michael Chaput (cross-checking), Bridgeport gained the blue line and set up shop in the offensive zone. Chris Bourque occupied the left point and directed a pass to Josh Ho-Sang below the circle, where he opened up and slid a pass to the slot. It deflected off of Tanner Fritz’s skate and over to Toews, who fired it bar-down over Lindgren’s blocker.

Toews continues to rank fourth among all AHL defensemen with 17 points (five goals, 12 assists) and is tied for 10th in the League overall this season. Meanwhile, Ho-Sang’s helper was his team-leading 15th this year, which is tops among all AHL forwards.

Bridgeport took a one-goal advantage into the final minutes of regulation before the Rocket pulled Lindgren for an extra attacker at the 17:24 mark. Their patience and relentless pressure paid off inside the final 36 seconds when Jake Evans settled a pass from Audette in the left circle and funneled a wrist shot through traffic and past Smith to erase his near-perfect performance. It was Evans’ team-leading sixth goal of the season, which came at 19:24.

Following a scoreless overtime session, Bellows potted the only tally out of eight skaters in the shootout and propelled the Sound Tigers to their 10th win of the year.

Bridgeport finished the game 1-for-7 on the power play and 4-for-4 on the penalty kill. Lindgren (6-6-2) made 26 saves on 27 shots for Laval. The contest also included one fight at 12:00 of the second period when Parker Wotherspoon dropped the gloves with Michael McCarron for his first tilt of the season.

With the win, the Sound Tigers improve to 10-5-2-0, while the Rocket fall to 7-8-2-0). The Sound Tigers complete a three-game road trip Saturday night with a 7 p.m. match-up against the Belleville, Ont., Senators at CAA Arena. Fans can follow the live action via AHLTV and on the Sound Tigers Radio Network.

—Staff Reports