news

SOUND TIGERS 3, ADMIRALS 2

Jan 16, 2008

The Bridgeport Sound Tigers completed their comeback in the third period, scoring three unanswered goals to beat the Norfolk Admirals by the score of 3-2. Jeff Tambellini scored twos goals including the game-winner in the third period.

After one period of play, the Sound Tigers and Admirals were dead-locked in a scoreless tie. Starting goalie, Mike Morrison stopped all seven Admiral shots in the period. The Sound Tigers' best opportunity of the period came when Jeff Tambellini, who rejoined the Sound Tigers today after his call-up with the Islanders, tried to one-time a loose puck past Admirals' starter, Marc Denis, but was unable to get solid wood on the rolling puck and it fluttered wide.

In the second period, Norfolk was able to break through on the score-board, burying two chances past Morrison. The first came 4:48 in when Rob Klinkhammer scored his sixth goal of the season on assists from Marek Kvapil and Bracken Kearns for the 1-0 lead. Paul Sczcechura doubled Norfolk's lead to 2-0 when he converted his third goal of the season on a rebound off an initial save by Morrison at the left post. Andy Rogers and Norm Milley had the assists. With just about five minutes to play in the middle frame, Tambellini struck for the Sound Tigers cutting the Admirals' lead to 2-1. Kyle Okposo led a rush over the blue-line and feathered a saucer pass over a Norfolk defender's stick back to Tambellini. The team's leading scorer picked up the puck and snapped it over the glove of Denis for his 23rd tally of the season. With under a minute remaining in the period, it appeared that the Sound Tigers had tied the score at two when Trevor Smith banged home a bouncing puck in the slot. Referee Chris Cozzan signaled a goal but after a brief discussion with his linesmen, they ruled that Smith had kicked the puck in. Behind the play, Klinkhammer had been called for hooking penalty, putting the Sound Tigers on the power-play. Ben Walter would make sure that this time the goal counted. With time running down under ten seconds, Tambellini sent a shot on net that Denis attempted to smother. The puck kicked loose to Walter who took a few swipes at it and finally pushed it past Denis for his 12th goal of the season, tying the score at two with no time remaining on the clock. Frans Nielsen also picked up an assist on the goal.

Tambellini would complete the comeback 3:31 into the third period. Okposo fed a lead pass to Nielsen who came over the blue-line and tried to put a shot on Denis. A Norfolk defender was in the way and the puck deflected wide where Tambellini swooped in, grabbed the puck and tucked it just inside the left post to win the game for the Sound Tigers 3-2. The goal was Tambellini's 24th of the season.

Morrison earned the victory for the Sound Tigers making 33 saves on 35 shots and Denis had 20 saves on 23 shots. The Sound Tigers finished the game 1-for-4 on the man-advantage and a perfect 3-for-3 on the penalty kill.

The Sound Tigers will travel north to Philadelphia tonight in preparation for their game on Friday against the Phantoms at the Wachovia Spectrum.

3 Stars:
1. Jeff Tambellini - 2 goals including the game-winner in the third
2. Mike Morrison - 33 saves keeping the Sound Tigers within striking distance when they were down 2-0
3. Kyle Okposo - 2 assists
Honorable Mention: Frans Nielsen - 2 assists

Working the Airports: Jeff Tambellini flew into Norfolk airport this morning and joined the Sound Tigers for the game. He arrived on time unlike Sound Tigers' call-up from Utah (ECHL), Justin Bourne's equipment that arrives at the perfect time...after the morning skate. With Tambellini return, Bourne was scratched from the team's lineup.

Oh Captain, No Captains: Both the Sound Tigers and Admirals played without a captain tonight. Mark Wotton, who wears the captain's "C" for the Sound Tigers is out with an injury and former Norfolk captain, Dan Jancevski was traded yesterday. There were three players on either side wearing the assistant captain's "A" for the their respective teams.

Lineups

SOUND TIGERS
Forwards
7 Jeff Tambellini - 51 Frans Nielsen - 12 Kyle Okposo
10 Sean Bentivoglio - 9 Ben Walter - 23 Trevor Smith
17 Jason Pitton - 21 Jeremy Colliton - 27 Matt Keith
37 Kip Brennan - 18 Mike Haley

Defensemen
2 Aaron Johnson - 50 Dustin Kohn
40 Jamie Fraser - 15 Andy Sertich
6 Matthew Spiller - 19 Scott Ford

Goalies
33 Mike Morrison (starter)
35 Joey MacDonald

ADMIRALS
Forwards
6 Karl Stewart - 9 Blair Jones - 21 Junior Lessard
30 Radek Smolenak - 34 Paul Szczechura - 14 Norm Milley
20 Rob Klinkhammer - 11 Bracken Kearns - 16 Marek Kvapil
8 Jay Rosehill -18 Chris Lawrence

Defensemen
27 Vladimir Mihalik - 24 David Schneider
25 Andy Rogers - 28 Jay Leach
23 Matt Smaby - 46 Mario Scalzo

Goalies
39 Marc Denis (starter)
35 Jonathan Boutin