What a way to kick off the 2010-2011 10th anniversary season of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, Everything went the way the Tigers wanted. First, the arena was completely sold out. They brought much needed energy into the arena and gave the team a little extra get up and go before the game. The attendance, as reported on TheAHL.com, was 8,480. With the crowd ready to go after a brand new video on the big screens and player introductions done, it was time for some hockey. The Sound Tigers got out to an early 1-0 lead when Tigers tough guy Micheal Haley cut off a pass by a Worcester Dman and went in alone on Sharks goalie Alex Stalock. Haley buried the puck high glove side on Stalock. The lead didn't last long though, as former San Jose Shark Jonathan Cheechoo, who was standing behind the net in the corner, banked one off the inside leg of Tigers goalie Mikko Koskinen. This tied the game up at one. But the Tigers had other ideas and soon enough they took the lead again as newly acquired center Rob Hisey scored a short handed goal, putting it through the arm of a butterflied Stalock. The period ended with a bang, as the Tigers Jean Bourbeau hit a Worcester player into the Sound Tigers bench. This brought over Worcesters Garent Hunt who then fought Bourbeau. Both received five minutes for fighting and Hunt got an additional two minutes for instigating and a ten minute misconduct. Shots for the period were 12 for the Tigers and 7 for the Sharks.
As the second period started so did Worcester's come back. They out played the Tigers for most of the period, The Sharks got two goals from Brandon Mashinter who played well for the Sharks. This had the Tigers trailing for the first time all night, but it wouldn't stay like that for long as promising Islanders prospect Matt Martin got a nice pass from another new Tiger David Ullstrom, and put it into the back of the net to tie things back up at three a piece going into the third period. Shots in the period were 11 for Worcester and 9 for the Sound Tigers.
The third kicked off with a bang as 28 seconds in Robin Figren got a beautiful pass out of the corner from Tomas Marcinko, and beat Stalock top corner. This got the tigers back on top 4-3. Things were made interesting as the Sharks T.J. Trevelyan put one past a sprawling Koskinen to tie it at four. With no more scoring in regulation time the game went into overtime. Shots in the third were 11 for Worcester and 9 for Bridgeport.
Both teams had great scoring opportunities including a great point blank save by Koskinen. Shots in Overtime were 4 for Bridgeport, and 1 for Worcester. In the shootout Cheechoo and Ferriero went first and second for the Sharks and were both stopped on deke attempts and Justin Dibenedetto and Rhett Rakhshani both missed the net, Dibo on a shot and Rakhshani on a deke. Mashinter then scored for the Sharks as well did Figren for the Tigers. DeSilva and Zalewski both talied for Worcester but the Sound Tigers answered right back as Hisey and Romano put pucks pasts Stalock. Stalock seemed mad at himself as he went to go get off the ice after the Romano goal and the shootout wasent over yet. With the scored tied 3-3 in the shootout they went into extra shooters. It only took one extra round as Worcester's Steve Sullivan was stopped by Koskinen. This left the door open for Tomas Marcinko who came down on Stalock and whizzed one right by him. The rest of the Sound Tigers poured off the bench to congratulate him and the crowd went wild. Stalock angry with how he played in the shootout, snapped his stick in the runway while heading to the locker room.
I have to mention the kindness of Matt Martin who took two game pucks to give to fans after the game and made sure that the fans getting them were kids. Shows how nice these guys really are. This was one of the best home openers the Sound Tigers have had and I hope to see crowds like this at every game because these players really gave the fans a great show. Good win, hope theres many more to come.
3 stars
#1. Tomas Marcinko-BST
#2. Brandon Mashinter-MAN
#3. Matt Martin-BST
Shots
Bridgeport-35
Worcester30
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