Bridgeport, CT, November 11, 2012 – Mike Halmo’s breakaway goal with 4:54 left in the third period gave the Bridgeport Sound Tigers a 4-3 win over the Connecticut Whale Sunday at the Webster Bank Arena.
Halmo got behind the Whale defense and took a long pass from Jon Landry, before putting shot off the goalpost, then off Connecticut goaltender Cam Talbot’s back and in.
The Whale lost a 3-1 lead in the game, after getting two goals from ex-Sound Tiger Micheal Haley, making his return to his old home. Marek Hrivik had two assists for the Whale and Kyle Jean also scored. Brock Nelson added a goal and an assist for Bridgeport, and Anders Nilsson had 16 saves in the Sound Tiger net.
Haley celebrated being back in Bridgeport by scoring his first Whale goal on the game’s first shift, only 28 seconds in. After J.T. Miller helped to stop a Sound Tiger breakout, Hrivik passed the puck off right wing to Haley at the left side of the slot, and Haley banged it past Nilsson.
Bridgeport tied it up at 9:06, with defenseman Matt Donovan joining the attack to get his first goal of the year. Sean Backman worked the puck down left wing to Donovan, who beat Talbot (28 saves) from an extreme angle.
The Whale reclaimed the lead at 13:57, as Jean moved into a tie for the team lead in goals with his fifth of his rookie season. Landry coughed up the puck in his own end to Jean, who circled the net and, while being knocked down, was able to knife the puck in from Nilsson’s left.
Just 39 seconds after that, Haley would get his second of the game to make it a two-goal Whale advantage. Once again, Hrivik made the play, as he got to the puck after Blake Parlett shot it wide of the goal and sent a pass out from behind the net to Haley, who finished from in close.
Bridgeport’s special teams controlled the second period, though, starting when the Sound Tigers killed a major boarding penalty to Colin McDonald. McDonald was penalized at 1:38, after his hit sent Whale defenseman Jyri Niemi into the boards head-first, causing him to have to be taken off the ice on a stretcher.
After that successful penalty kill, Bridgeport scored a power-play goal at 8:57, when Nelson blasted a shot past Talbot from the top of the right circle.
The Sound Tiger man advantage struck again to tie the game at 14:40, just as a five-on-three was ending. This time it was Travis Hamonic pounding in a high shot, as he fired from the middle of the blue line and beat Talbot’s catching glove.
The Whale’s next game is at home this Friday, November 16, when the Portland Pirates make their first visit of the season to the XL Center for a 7:00 game. At each and every Friday Whale home game this year, fans can enjoy $1 hot dogs and $2 beers until 8:00 PM. Tickets for that game, and all Whale regular season home games at the XL Center, are on sale now at the Public Power Ticket Office at the XL Center, through TicketMaster Charge-by-Phone at 1-800-745-3000 and on-line at www.ticketmaster.com.
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Connecticut Whale 3 at Bridgeport Sound Tigers 4
Sunday, November 11, 2012 – Webster Bank Arena
Connecticut 3 0 0 – 3
Bridgeport 1 2 1 – 4
1st Period-1, Connecticut, Haley 1 (Hrivik, Miller), 0:28. 2, Bridgeport, Donovan 1 (Backman, Halmo), 9:06. 3, Connecticut, Jean 5 (Bourque, Segal), 13:57. 4, Connecticut, Haley 2 (Hrivik, Parlett), 14:36. Penalties-Yogan Ct (tripping), 15:21.
2nd Period-5, Bridgeport, Nelson 7 (Ness, Landry), 8:57 (PP). 6, Bridgeport, Hamonic 2 (Niederreiter, Nelson), 14:40 (PP). Penalties-Segal Ct (roughing, misconduct – continuing altercation), 1:38; McDonald Bri (major – boarding, match – boarding), 1:38; McIver Bri (roughing, misconduct – continuing altercation), 1:38; Collins Ct (holding), 7:29; Newbury Ct (tripping), 12:37; Klassen Ct (tripping), 14:14.
3rd Period-7, Bridgeport, Halmo 1 (Landry, Watkins), 15:06. Penalties-Pyett Ct (tripping), 0:18; Nelson Bri (interference), 2:10; Jean Ct (fighting), 4:21; Persson Bri (fighting), 4:21; McIver Bri (boarding), 4:51; Tessier Ct (cross-checking), 7:39; served by Grant Ct (bench minor – too many men), 9:58; Landry Bri (interference), 19:17.
Shots on Goal-Connecticut 9-5-5-19. Bridgeport 12-11-9-32.
Power Play Opportunities-Connecticut 0 / 4; Bridgeport 2 / 7.
Goalies-Connecticut, Talbot 4-3-0 (32 shots-28 saves). Bridgeport, Nilsson 2-0-0 (19 shots-16 saves).
A-5,871
Referees-Trevor Hanson (47), Jon McIsaac (45).
Linesmen-Kevin Redding (16), Derek Wahl (46).
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