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[wranglersm]

March 13, 2010
Norfolk, VA

With a carbon copy performance of Friday Night's win, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers once again beat the Norfolk Admirals in a shoot-out by a score of 3-2. "I'm very disappointed for our guys," said Acting Coach Leigh Mendelson. "Both games they probably deserved a better fate. But that's why we play the games." Captain Ryan Craig added "We're disappointed in the weekend, it's a playoffs cross-over situation, and everything's getting scruntched up again. We're still in control of our destiny, our play-off situation. We missed some opportunities, holding on to the lead in the third. But we'll push ahead and go in to the big game on Wednesday."

The Sound Tigers would jump out to a 1-0 lead at 16:03 of the first period on a deflection by Tyler Haskins from a point shot from veteran NHL defenseman Brendan Witt. Haskins would find himself in the right place at the right time, in the middle of traffic and a screened Dustin Tokarski, to tip a shot under the Admirals' goalie off a well-placed shot-pass from Witt.

The Admirals would tie the game at the 7:32 mark of the second period when Norfolk forward Juraj Simek drove home his 19th goal of the season with an assist to newly signed Admiral Tim Marks, his first AHL point. Simek and Marks would both skate through center ice in a 2-on-1 with Simek carrying the puck and Marks providing a "pick" on the Sound Tigers' defenseman, allowing Simek to go in alone and bury the puck behind goaltender Nathan Lawson. The score would remain tied at 1 a piece through the end of the second period.

Norfolk wasted little time in grabbing a 2-1 lead, scoring just 37 seconds in to the third period. Admirals' forward Dana Tyrell made a great individual effort to skate down the right side and below the goal line in the offensive zone and dish a beautiful backhand pass to the front of the net to a waiting Matt Fornataro who blasted the puck in to the back of the twine. The Admirals' lead would be short-lived however as Bridgeport would tie the game a mere 5 minutes later. Sound Tigers' forward Jesse Joensuu would send a pass from the bottom of the right face-off circle to a streaking Jeremy Reich who broke in behind Norfolk's defense for an easy tip-in goal behind Tokarski at 5:44. The score would remain at 2-2 at the end of regulation.

Neither team scored during the 4-on-4 overtime period which sent the game on to a shoot-out. As was seen the night before, all 5 Norfolk shooters would be denied. Only one Bridgeport shooter, Trevor Smith, would score, but it would be enough as the Sound Tigers again would take the victory.

Dustin Tokarski (25 shots, 23 saves) took the loss in the shoot-out (again). Nathan Lawson (31 shots, 29 saves) got the win (again).

Three Stars:
1. Jeremy Reich – BRI
2. Matt Fornataro – NOR
3. Stefan Chaput – ALB

The Admirals travel to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton against the WBS Penguins on Wednesday. Game time is 7:05 p.m. They return to Scope on Friday and Saturday to face off against the Adirondack Phantoms. Both nights the puck drops at 7:15 p.m.