PROVIDENCE, R.I. – T he Providence Bruins used four third period goals to power their way past the Bridgeport Sound Tigers 6-3 on Friday night at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center.
Zach Trotman, Seth Griffith and Ben Sexton scored just 2:22 apart in the final frame, as the Bruins quickly broke a 2-2 deadlock early in the third period.
Brian Ferlin opened the scoring for Providence just 2:11 into the game. After a slashing penalty was assessed to Kael Mouillierat 25 seconds into the contest, Ferlin cashed in on the power play with a strong move to the net. Ferlin walked right in front of the crease and around Sound Tigers netminder Kevin Poulin to make it 1-0.
Just three minutes later, the Sound Tigers were the beneficiaries of a fortuitous bounce. Matt Lashoff flicked a harmless looking point shot on net that deflected off the glove of Bruins goalie Malcolm Subban and into the goal. Lashoff’s first as a Sound Tiger made it 1-1 with five minutes gone by in the first period.
The Bruins regained their lead with just under seven minutes to go in the opening frame. Griffith found Colin Stuart in the slot with a gorgeous feed and Stuart buried the shot to make it 2-1. Stuart’s fifth of the season was his second against Bridgeport this year.
With Mouillierat in the box once again at the start of the second period, it was the Sound Tigers getting the special teams tally this time around. After the Bruins defense fumbled the puck in the neutral zone, Chris Langkow picked it up and walked in all alone. After momentarily losing the puck, Langkow regained possession and went backhand-forehand to tuck it by Subban for the short-handed goal.
Both goalies traded huge saves to start the third period, as Poulin and Subban kept the game tied at two. First it was Poulin, making a pair of stellar pad saves before the Sound Tigers got the clear. Moments later, Subban robbed Sundstrom on the doorstop, challenging the shot from the top of the crease.
The Bruins took advantage of another power play five minutes into the third period. With Colton Gillies off for cross-checking, Trotman wristed a shot towards the net that found its way through a maze of bodies and past Poulin to make it 3-2. Trotman’s second on the year was the second power play goal of the game for the Bruins.
46 seconds later, Providence struck again. This time it was Griffith on the receiving end of a great pass as he tucked home a tap-in from Ryan Spooner. A minute and a half later, Sexton notched his first goal on the year, beating Poulin over the glove to make it 5-2.
The Bruins added a late goal as insurance and C.J. Stretch scored his seventh of the season with 2:46 left, but the game was already over. The Bruins walked away with their seventh straight win at home after a third period in which they outshot Bridgeport 15-6.
Providence’s power play went 2-for-4 while the Sound Tigers went 0-for-4.
The Sound Tigers will head to Manchester to take on the Monarchs tomorrow afternoon. Game time is 3:00 p.m.
Notes: Langkow’s goal was the seventh short-handed marker of the season for the Sound Tigers…The Ferlin goal broke a streak of 16 straight penalties killed by Bridgeport…The home team has won all five games between the Bruins and Sound Tigers this season.