Sound Tigers lose in shootout, but their game is better

BRIDGEPORT -- It's progress, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers' 4-3 shootout loss Saturday to Worcester. It's a point in the standings. It's not a win, but it could be a start.

The Bridgeport Sound Tigers' four-game losing streak technically ended at Webster Bank Arena, as the Sound Tigers tied the game twice in the third period to force overtime.

"I thought we just got into our forecheck," Bridgeport coach Scott Pellerin said. "We were able to establish more offensive-zone time. We worked a lot better to support each other in the corners and make plays."

Brock Nelson scored a power-play goal on a scramble with 2:28 remaining to send the game to overtime, where the Sharks killed another penalty.

Tim Kennedy, who twice gave the Sharks a lead, and James Sheppard scored in the shootout, while Harri Sateri stopped all four Bridgeport attempts. The Sound Tigers remain winless in five.

But after the first period, they outshot the Sharks 33-19. They looked a lot more like the team that started the season 10-4 than the one that's 0-4-0-1 since.

"That's the way we play, the way we have to play. There are times we've been inconsistent," said Casey Cizikas, who played the third period on left wing for the first time as a pro.

"I think that was one of our more consistent games. She doesn't always go the way you want."

Attendance was 3,587.

Carrying over from the teams' two meetings in late October, the first period was a fight- and scrap-filled 20 minutes.

The Sharks answered Jon Landry's goal with Freddie Hamilton's tally 11:02 in. Hamilton was left open enough in the left circle to put a shot and two rebounds on Kevin Poulin.

Worcester's celebration spilled into a five-on-five melee in front of the Sharks bench.

Kennedy later put Worcester in front 2-1 with an impossible-angle shot from the left-wing boards. His second goal, from the left faceoff dot, rang off the far post and in with 6:08 to go to make it 3-2.

Earlier in the third, Nino Niederreiter scored on a rush to tie it.

Bridgeport didn't get many clean chances on its overtime power play, though Sateri made a good stop on Cizikas' stuff-in attempt at the right post. Niederreiter found a loose puck in the slot after a broken play, but his shot was blocked.

"Like I told the guys, we're being challenged right now. For whatever reason, we're being challenged," Pellerin said. "It's Game 19. There's a lot of hockey. We've got to learn from it and take the positive situations out of the game."

mfornabaio@ctpost.com; http://twitter.com/fornabaioctp; http://blog.connpost.com/fornabaio

3 stars

1. TIM KENNEDY, WORCESTER: Scored two goals and tallied in the shootout.

2. NINO NIEDERREITER, BRIDGEPORT: Had a goal and an assist in the third period.

3. HARRI SATERI, WORCESTER: Made 31 saves in the last two periods and overtime.

UNSUNG HERO: Casey Cizikas had one of his stronger all-around games.

UP NEXT: Sunday vs. Norfolk, 5 p.m.

-- MICHAEL FORNABAIO