Sens vs. Sound Tigers 2/17/05 Articles: Kochan sparkles for Sound Tigers
February 18, 2005

Posted by: Bob Howard
Credit: Michael Fornabaio of ConnPost.com

Kochan sparkles for Sound Tigers

By MICHAEL FORNABAIO mfornabaio@ctpost.com

BINGHAMTON, N.Y.

Just like old times Thursday night, Dieter Kochan won over the Binghamton fans.

The Bridgeport Sound Tigers goalie stopped at least 14 shots in each period, 45 for the night, and earned his first shutout of the season in a 4-0 victory over the Binghamton Senators at Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena.

Kochan, a former BC Iceman, also earned an ovation from his old home crowd when he was named the game's first star. They had watched him play a calm, cool game, square to shots all night and controlling both pucks and tempo.

"He was like he was last year," Bridgeport coach Greg Cronin said. "He was big in the net, controlling rebounds. You could tell he was confident."

Last season, Kochan was fourth in the league with a 1.87 goals-against average. The shutout dropped this year's figure to 2.59.

Bridgeport played a strong game in front of Kochan Thursday, including a 7-for-7 night on the penalty kill against Binghamton's top-ranked power play.

"Our defense kept a lot of pucks to the outside," Kochan said. "Any time I let a rebound out, the guys were there. We played really hard in front of our net."

Sparked when defenseman Bruno Gervais forced a turnover from All-Star center Jason Spezza, Bridgeport scored four goals in the last 10 minutes of the second period, its first four-goal period since December 2003.

Kochan's best saves came on a two-minute Senators five-on-three soon after the fourth goal, which came about when Justin Mapletoft's stick proved to have an illegal curve. Kochan denied a couple of shots on the advantage, then stoned Spezza twice at the left post as the penalties expired.

"When he's playing like that, he's a hard guy to get the puck past," Cronin said.

The first time Bridgeport didn't get the matchup it wanted against Spezza, the Sound Tigers' Jim Campbell scored the first goal. Gervais knocked the puck away from Spezza on the right-wing boards to set it up.

"It was a good break," Gervais said. "It was a good pinch, the way we play. I heard Cole (Jarrett) yell. I dropped the puck to Cole, and he made a great pass to Soupy."

Bridgeport worked hard most of the rest of the night to get Richard Seeley and Jody Robinson against Spezza, a matchup that worked well Friday at Bridgeport in a Sound Tigers' shootout win.

Gervais scored the second goal on a left-circle blast under the crossbar. Rob Collins scored on a five-on-three

it was Bridgeport's first goal in 12 chances with a two-man advantage

and Ryan Caldwell scored on the back end of the power play 44 seconds later. Binghamton pulled goalie Ray Emery after the second.

Matt Koalska (knee) remained out, but Jarrett (shoulder) and Barrett Heisten (groin) returned.

With four man-games lost to injury Thursday (including Keith Aldridge, Blaine Down and Ryan Kraft, all out for the season), the Sound Tigers have 164 for the season, one more than their previous high, set in 2002-03.