Bridgeport, CT, January 12, 2014 – Anders Lee scored twice, and Andrew Clark and Aaron Ness had a goal and an assist apiece, to lead the Bridgeport Sound Tigers to a 6-3 win over the Hartford Wolf Pack Sunday at Webster Bank Arena.
The loss dropped the Wolf Pack (11-20-0-5, 27 pts.) to six points behind the fourth-place Sound Tigers in the Northeast Division.
Darroll Powe, Aaron Johnson and J.T. Miller scored for the Wolf Pack, and Danny Kristo had two assists.
The Wolf Pack got off to a slow start in the game, with the Sound Tigers getting nine of the first ten shots of the game, and building a 2-0 lead on a pair of goals by Lee.
Lee gave Bridgeport the game’s first lead at 8:56, reaching around to the left of Wolf Pack starting goaltender Jason Missiaen to poke the puck over the goal line, after Missiaen had stopped a shot from off right wing by Clark.
Lee struck again only 1:32 later, at 10:28, on a Sound Tiger power play. Dallas Jackson played the puck toward the front of the net from the right-wing circle, Lee deflected it toward the net and it went off of Hartford defenseman Tommy Hughes’ skate, through Missiaen’s legs and just over the goal line.
Powe got the Wolf Pack on the scoreboard only 2:07 after that, cutting the lead to 2-1. Oscar Lindberg sent Powe up right wing with a pass and Powe put on a burst of speed to get around Mike Halmo, who was back covering for the defense. After getting past Halmo, Powe put a quick shot into the top of the net past the catching glove of Bridgeport goaltender Parker Milner (25 saves).
The Wolf Pack then tied the game on a five-on-three power play at 9:25 of the second period. Johnson, the Pack captain, scored his fourth of the year on a shot from high in the slot, set up by a T.J. Hensick pass from the left-wing faceoff dot.
After that, however, the Sound Tigers scored the next four goals of the game, including two in the final 3:22 of the second.
Ness gave Bridgeport back the lead for good at 16:38, slapping a shot underneath Missiaen from the left circle, after Chris Langkow had carried the puck around the net from right to left.
Clark then made it a 4-2 Bridgeport lead with 47.5 seconds left in the period. Scooter Vaughn and Peter Boyd combined to win a puck battle along the left-wing boards, and Clark’s quick shot from just inside the faceoff dot beat Missiaen.
Scott Stajcer replaced Missiaen (four goals-against on 18 shots) to start the third period, but it took Bridgeport only 2:57 of the third to add to their lead.
Bridgeport captain Chris Bruton scored his second of the season at 2:57, banging home a rebound from right in front of the net after Stajcer stopped an Alan Quine wraparound try.
The Sound Tigers’ sixth goal was a power-play tally at 8:06, with Ryan Bourque in the penalty box for interference. Joe Diamond camped out in front of Stajcer and deflected Quine’s shot from the top of the right circle into the net.
Miller stopped the run of four straight Bridgeport goals with his eighth goal in ten AHL games on the year at 14:51. The Wolf Pack established a strong forecheck and Bourque dug the puck out of the right-wing corner to Kristo along the boards, and Miller headed to the front of the net to tip in Kristo’s sharp-angle try, cutting the final margin to 6-3.
The Wolf Pack’s next action is this Friday night, January 17, as they travel to Glens Falls, NY to meet the Adirondack Phantoms. Faceoff is 3:00 PM, and all the action can be heard live on Fox Sports Radio 1410, and on-line at www.foxsportsradio1410.com and iHeartRadio. Video streaming is available at www.ahllive.com.
The Wolf Pack’s next home game is Friday, January 24, a 7:00 PM contest against the Springfield Falcons. All Wolf Pack Friday-night home games feature $1 hot dogs and $2 beers through the start of the second period, presented by Marc’s Appliance Warehouse, located at 75 Prospect Ave., Hartford, CT.
Tickets for all Wolf Pack 2013-14 home games are on sale now at the Public Power Ticket Office at the XL Center, on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (877) 522-8499. Wolf Pack tickets start as low as $12 for youth 12 years old or younger. To speak with a representative about season or group tickets, call (855) 762-6451.
Hartford Wolf Pack 3 at Bridgeport Sound Tigers 6
Sunday, January 12, 2014 – Webster Bank Arena
Hartford 1 1 1 – 3
Bridgeport 2 2 2 – 6
1st Period-1, Bridgeport, Lee 14 (Clark, Mayfield), 8:56. 2, Bridgeport, Lee 15 (Jackson, Ness), 10:28 (PP). 3, Hartford, Powe 5 (Lindberg), 12:35. Penalties-Halmo Bri (slashing), 0:40; Powe Hfd (interference, roughing), 4:22; Stamler Hfd (fighting), 4:22; Cantin Bri (fighting), 4:22; Diamond Bri (roughing), 4:22; Bickel Hfd (instigating, fighting, misconduct – instigating), 10:03; Bruton Bri (fighting), 10:03; Haley Hfd (fighting), 14:50; Keenan Bri (instigating, fighting, misconduct – instigating), 14:50; Hrivik Hfd (high-sticking), 16:37; Boyd Bri (hooking), 19:23.
2nd Period-4, Hartford, Johnson 4 (Hensick, Kristo), 9:25 (PP). 5, Bridgeport, Ness 3 (Langkow, Bouchard), 16:38. 6, Bridgeport, Clark 2 (Vaughan, Boyd), 19:12. Penalties-Lee Bri (slashing), 7:36; Mayfield Bri (hooking), 9:04; Vaive Hfd (tripping), 12:46; Powe Hfd (fighting), 18:50; Lee Bri (fighting), 18:50; Allen Hfd (fighting), 19:52; Diamond Bri (fighting), 19:52.
3rd Period-7, Bridgeport, Bruton 2 (Quine, Lowry), 2:57. 8, Bridgeport, Diamond 6 (Quine, Cornell), 8:06 (PP). 9, Hartford, Miller 8 (Bourque, Kristo), 14:51. Penalties-Bourque Hfd (goaltender interference), 7:54; Keenan Bri (interference), 9:49.
Shots on Goal-Hartford 6-13-9-28. Bridgeport 11-7-7-25.
Power Play Opportunities-Hartford 1 / 6; Bridgeport 2 / 5.
Goalies-Hartford, Missiaen 2-11-1 (18 shots-14 saves); Stajcer 2-2-0 (7 shots-5 saves). Bridgeport, Milner 2-2-0 (28 shots-25 saves).
A-6,006
Referees-Jon McIsaac (45).
Linesmen-Mike Baker (11), Kevin Redding (16).
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