Sens vs. Sound Tigers 2/11/05 Articles: Sound Tigers outshoot Senators
February 12, 2005

Posted by: Bob Howard
Credit: Michael Fornabaio of Connecticut Post Online

Sound Tigers outshoot Senators

By MICHAEL FORNABAIO mfornabaio@ctpost.com

BRIDGEPORT

If the Bridgeport Sound Tigers could only get to a shootout every night, they'd apparently be in the thick of the playoff race.

As it was, Friday's 2-1 shootout victory, coming from behind against the Binghamton Senators, kept their slim playoff dreams alive.

The Sound Tigers are 3-1 in shootouts this season, but Wade Dubielewicz won one for the first time, stopping four of five shots. In his only other shootout this regular season, Hartford scored on three of five penalty shots.

"I had one (shootout) in the preseason that was terrible (five saves on seven shots), and one at Hartford that wasn't good, either," Dubielewicz said. "I felt better. I faced some right-handed shooters (three of the five), which I feel more comfortable against in the shootout."

Rob Collins tied the game with 17:27 left in regulation, and he and John Morlang scored in the shootout in front of an announced 7,495 at the Arena at Harbor Yard, the fourth consecutive Bridgeport crowd announced at more than 7,000.

Dubielewicz made 15 third-period saves, including 12 in the last eight minutes, and stopped the last 38 shots he faced.

He stoned Andy Hedlund on a one-timer from the slot midway through overtime.

"The third period, he was outstanding," Bridgeport coach Greg Cronin said. "They really took the puck to the net several times. He was the difference in the game the last five, six minutes of the game, unquestionably."

Dubielewicz got help from the top defense pair of Richard Seeley and Jody Robinson, whom assistant coach Dave Baseggio kept against league-leading scorer Jason Spezza's line all night.

"Spezza's obviously a heck of a player, a really electrifying guy with the puck," said Cronin, who usually put a line of Justin Papineau, Kevin Colley and Collins against Spezza. "He didn't beat a defenseman one-on-one. They did a nice job keeping him to the perimeter."

Matt Koalska played only two shifts in the third period, suffering a hyperextended knee on the first of those shifts on an Anton Volchenkov hit. He is questionable for tonight's game at Hershey.

Bridgeport closed to within 18 points of slumping fourth-place Philadelphia and stayed 13 points behind hot fifth-place Hershey. The top four teams in the division make the playoffs.

"Each and every game can make the different between making the playoffs and not making the playoffs," Robinson said. "We have to play desperate hockey."

On the tying goal, Colley won a race to the puck behind the net and quickly centered to Collins, who beat Billy Thompson with the Sound Tigers' 15th shot.

Colley has 10 points in the past seven games. Collins has 10 in the past nine games. Papineau, back after missing 20 games with a separated shoulder, had the second assist.

Volchenkov scored off a faceoff 85 seconds into the game.