Fraser’s goal with 20 seconds left overtime gives Sound Tigers two points in win over Norfolk

BRIDGEPORT, CT – Jamie’s Fraser’s goal with 20 seconds remaining in overtime, gave the Sound Tigers 3-2 victory over the Norfolk Admirals tonight at Arena at Harbor Yard.  Sean Bentivoglio opened the scoring in the first period but the Admirals countered with two tallies, both from Brandon Segal.  In the third, Ben Walter tied the score at two with his 12th goal of the season coming on the power-play to eventually send the game to overtime where Fraser sixth goal of the season earned the Sound Tigers the extra point.  The Sound Tigers remain in third place with 68 points and improve their season mark to 31-17-3-3.

Bentivoglio opened the scoring two minutes into the first period when he converted on a rebound chance in the slot for his sixth goal of the season.  Joe Callahan and Chris Lee had the assists on the goal, giving the Sound Tigers the 1-0 lead.  Segal, evened the score with less than a minute to play in the opening frame.  Radek Smolenak sent the puck into the left corner where Segal was able to retrieve the bouncing puck.  Segal looked up for a pass and then snapped a shot on goal that snuck through Sound Tigers’ starting goalie Tobias Stephan’s legs for his 17th goal of the season to tie the score at 1-1.

Segal would give Norfolk their first lead of the game 12:27 into the second period.  The goal was Segal’s 18th of the game and Smolenak had the lone assist on the tally, giving the Admirals a 2-1 lead.

The Sound Tigers would start the third period on the power-play and 29 seconds in, Walter would tie the score at two.  Lee fired a slap-shot on Helenius who made the save but allowed the puck to fall in front of him.  Mike Iggulden had the first whack at the loose puck before Walter was able to jam the puck through the Admirals’ net-minder for his 12th tally of the season.

In the extra session, Fraser would tally the game-winner with only 20 seconds remaining in overtime.  Norfolk won a face-off in the Sound Tigers’ zone but the puck was misplayed by the Admirals and sent the length of the ice.  Trevor Smith got to the puck in the left corner and rimmed it around the boards to McLean on the right wing.  McLean snapped the puck towards the net that deflected off of Smith in front and came to Fraser at the back-door.  Fraser gathered the puck and ripped a snap-shot that eluded Helenius to win the game for the Sound Tigers, 3-2.

Stephan finished the game with 23 saves on 25 shots while Helenius turned aside 42 Sound Tiger shots to earn the game’s third star.  The Sound Tigers were 1-for-5 on the man-advantage and 3-for-3 on the penalty-kill.

The Sound Tigers will hit the road for the next three games starting tomorrow night when they visit their Connecticut neighbors, the Hartford Wolf Pack at 7 p.m.  Friday, the Albany River Rats will welcome the Sound Tigers into the Times Union Center in Albany, NY as the two East Division rivals meet at 7 p.m.  The following night, the Sound Tigers will play their only game at the MassMutual Center against the Springfield Falcons at 7 p.m.  Sunday, the Sound Tigers will return to Arena at Harbor Yard to face-off against the Portland Pirates.  Game-time is set for 1 p.m.  For tickets or information on how to receive group discounts, contact the team’s front office at (203) 334-GOAL or e-mail [email protected].

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