BRIDGEPORT, CONN. – The second-ranked Bridgeport Sound Tigers hosted the fourth-ranked Albany River Rats at the Arena at Harbor Yard on Sunday, November 2nd. Albany earned a 4-3 come-from-behind victory after the Sound Tigers let their 3-0 lead slip.

River Rats pounded the goal forcing goaltender Peter Mannino to post block after block, and eight saves for a shutout first period. Goaltender Justin Peters of the River Rats made seven saves, letting one slip by for a one-point lead by the Sound Tigers.

The lone goal was scored at the 16:18 mark. Tyler Haskins scored off an assist by Mark Wotton and goalie Mannino.

Blake Comeau came out hard in the second period for the Sound Tigers with a sweet breakaway. His potential score was cut short by the whistle. That wouldn’t be the last unfortunate event for the Tigers.

Albany retaliated with several brilliant setups within shot of the Sound Tigers’ goal, none of which resulted in any scoring. However, the plays at the other end of the ice did have results; a Bridgeport goal at 5:22 scored by Mark Parrish with assists by Wotton and Kurtis McLean.

Post goal Bridgeport continued to lay on the pressure and hammer the goal. That is when Dustin Kohn scored his first goal of the season off a feed from Andrew MacDonald and Comeau. The game is 3-0, Bridgeport.

Up to this point, the Sound Tigers, with a record of 7-2-0-1, had been trouncing the River Rats. But Albany, with its 1-5-1-1 record, was not done fighting.

A fight broke out with 12:20 left in the second period. Bridgeport’s Tim Jackman and Albany’s Nicolas Blanchard threw down; gloves off, helmets off. Both players skated away with five-minute penalties, but Jackman was sent to the locker room for treatment of a nasty cut over his left eye.

The fight riled the crowd but apparently took a lot of the Sound Tigers, because that was when their lead began to slip away.

More penalties were called during the second period than either of the other two combined. River Rats’ Michael Ryan entered the box at 6:42 for slashing; Sound Tigers’ Comeau for high-sticking. Albany’s Stefan Chaput received a penalty for cross-checking. Later in the period, goalie Mannino got called for tripping; fellow teammate Sean Bentivoglio served the two-minute penalty. There were six penalties in the second frame.

The River Rats finally got their chance to decrease the Sound Tigers’ lead when Mike Angelidis had a breakaway and was tripped up. The River Rat earned a penalty shot, which the crowd booed, and did nothing with it.

Both teams shot several wide and high shots until there was just 1:43 left on the clock and Brett Carson put the River Rats on the board with the assistance of Ryan and Mark Flood.

The period ended 3-1, Sound Tigers, and was the most excitement the game saw.

Shot after shot failed to make its way to the back of either net. Bentivoglio setup Tyler Haskins who completely missed the shot. Albany’s Brett Carson made a wide shot. Bridgeport’s Mark Parrish shot and missed but continued to pound the net unsuccessfully. And so it went until Nick Dodge, of the River Rats, scored his second goal of the season with assists by Ryan and Flood.

The Sound Tigers were unable to hang onto their 3-2 lead, in this final period, when Blanchard scored his second goal of the season at 13:47 off a feed from Angelidis and Chaput.

The game was tied and the Sound Tigers were playing tough, keeping the puck near Albany’s goal. But it was the River Rats who captured the lead and essentially the win when Ryan scored the final goal of the game.

The Sound Tigers lost, 4-3, but not for lack of effort. In the final minute of the third period, they pulled their goalie and pushed forth with six players. The last-ditch effort was useless and produced nothing other than several close shots.

Despite the loss, Bridgeport maintains a strong record with seven victories. They’re looking to push that number to eight after Wednesday’s game against WB Scranton. The 11:00 a.m. home game should be one to look forward to.