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| The Sound Tigers saw their four-game unbeaten streak in regulation end on Monday when the Providence Bruins won 3-2. |
PROVIDENCE—The Bridgeport Sound Tigers saw their
four-game unbeaten streak in regulation come to a halt in a 3-2 loss to the Providence Bruins before 6,028 fans in a holiday afternoon match-up at the Dunkin' Donuts Center in downtown Providence on Monday. Otto Koivula and Colin McDonald each scored in the
second period, but Brendan Gaunce put the Bruins out front for good late in the
middle frame. It snapped Bridgeport’s two-game win streak in the season series
and dropped the Sound Tigers to 4-5-0-0 against Providence this year.
Ryan
Fitzgerald put the Bruins on top at 6:45 of the first period with a rebound
goal following Christopher Gibson’s pad save. Oskar Steen hustled down the
right wing and snapped a shot off of Gibson’s right leg, but the second chance
came back in front for Fitzgerald’s 12th goal of the season.
Cameron
Hughes doubled the advantage just 1:47 into the second with his fourth goal of
the season. Jack Studnicka created a turnover in the Sound Tigers’ zone and
bumped the puck to Hughes for a tally in front.
Koivula
got the Sound Tigers back to within one at the 5:40 mark when he capitalized
for the eighth time on a beautiful shot off the post and in. Matt Lorito guided
a pass to Koivula and the latter dragged the puck between the hash marks before
he ripped a perfect shot past Max Lagace’s glove, off the iron, and into the
cage.
McDonald’s
third goal of the season drew the contest back even nearly eight minutes later.
Mike Cornell settled the puck at the left point and pounded a shot towards
Lagace that McDonald redirected in front to make it 2-2. Cornell got the only
assist at the 14:05 mark.
However,
Gaunce and the Bruins answered less than two minutes later with the eventual
game-winner. Joona Koppanen and Steen teamed up to find Gaunce alone for his
third goal as many games and his 14th of the year.
Shots
were even in the third period, 10-10, and both goaltenders were strong.
Bridgeport’s best chances came on a pair of breakaways in which Oliver
Wahlstrom and Lorito were denied by Lagace.
With
the win, the P-Bruins improve 10 29-18-2-2, while the Sound Tigers fall to
19-28-5-1. Bridgeport finished the game 0-for-5 on the power play and 4-for-4
on the penalty kill. Gibson (6-7-4) made 29 saves on 32 shots, while Lagace
turned aside 27 chances.
The
Sound Tigers open a three-game homestand on Wednesday with a 7 p.m. contest vs.
the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. First puck drops at 7 p.m. at Webster Bank Arena.
Fans unable to attend can follow all of the live action of the Sound Tigers Radio Network and AHLTV, beginning with the
pregame show at 6:45 p.m. ET.
Hockey
Weekend in CT
This
weekend will be Hockey Weekend In Connecticut at the Webster Bank Arena. On Saturday,
Feb. 22, the Sound Tigers will host the Hershey Bears at 7 p.m. It will be
Youth Jersey Giveaway Night with the first 1,000 kids (12 and under) through
the turnstiles receiving a free Sound Tigers youth hockey jersey compliments of
JRC Transportation. Then on Sunday, Feb. 23, the in-state archrival Hartford
Wolf Pack come to town. First puck drops at 3 p.m. It will also be Steve
Bernier Bobblehead Giveaway day with the first 2,500 fans through the gates
receiving a Steve Bernier bobblehead compliments of Newtown Savings Bank.
That
game will be preceded by a National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL) game between
the Connecticut Whale and the Boston Pride at 2 p.m. Tickets are available at
the Webster Bank Arena or at soundtigers.com.
—Staff Reports
#soundtigers / @TheSoundTigers / #AHL / @TheAHL
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