NORFOLK, Va. — This was exactly how the Bridgeport Sound Tigers needed
to finish their trip here. Taking control of the game with two goals
less than a minute apart in the first period, the Sound Tigers
defeated the Norfolk Admirals 5-2 on a scrappy Saturday at Scope. The
victory salvaged for Bridgeport a split of the big two-game weekend,
which completes the season series between the East Division rivals.
Norfolk still leads the Sound Tigers by two points for third place
with a game in hand, but a Bridgeport loss, after a 4-2 defeat here
Friday, would have gone a long way to handing the spot to the
Admirals. David Masse cleaned up the rebound of a Matt Koalska shot
after a Masi Marjamaki takeaway, giving the Sound Tigers a 2-1 lead at
10:24 of the first.

Jeremy Colliton scored from the left corner 46 seconds later on a
power play. Trailing 4-1, Norfolk had a last chance to get back into
the game when Joe Tallari high-sticked Eric Meloche 9:19 into the third.

But Colliton scored on a short-handed slapper at 10:06, putting it
away. With 14 games to go, Bridgeport is 12 points ahead of
Philadelphia and Lowell (the Phantoms have two games in hand) and 13
ahead of Binghamton (which has three games in hand) for the final
playoff spot.

The nasty end to Friday's game spilled over into Saturday's game.
Shawn Thornton, who was involved Friday with both Allan Rourke and
Chris Thompson, gave Thompson a slash near the Bridgeport bench 3:04
into the game. As a linesman took him to the penalty box, Thornton
wheeled around and charged back at Thompson before being restrained.

The net result was a two-man advantage for Bridgeport, and Jeff
Hamilton scored at 4:32 on a blast from the top of the left circle.
Thornton's efforts might have put his team down, but Norfolk's Nathan
Barrett tied it on a five-on-three soon after. That was Norfolk's only
power-play goal on seven chances.

Wade Dubielewicz made 30 saves for the Sound Tigers, including a
right-pad stop on Colin Fraser on a short-handed breakaway just before
Hamilton's goal.

Rob Collins, led on a partial breakaway by a Bruno Gervais pass, put a
brilliant shot off the post and in at 10:59 of the second, chasing
goalie Adam Munro, who had stymied Bridgeport with 28 Friday-night
saves. Munro stopped only 14 of 18 shots Saturday. Fraser scored off a
goal-mouth scramble with 5:18 remaining. He had a gaping cage to shoot
at with 1:46 left, but Dubielewicz got across to glove it. Norfolk won
the season series 6-4, with each team winning once in overtime. That
is the second tiebreaker, in case the teams should finish tied in both
points and wins. 3 STARS

JEREMY COLLITON, BRIDGEPORT — Scored an insurance goal, then the
back-breaking goal. ROB COLLINS, BRIDGEPORT — Another solid game with
a goal and two assists. WADE DUBIELEWICZ, BRIDGEPORT — A couple of
spectacular saves. UNSUNG HERO — David Masse got to the net for a
rebound that put Bridgeport ahead for good. UP NEXT — Friday at
Providence, 7:05 p.m.

— MICHAEL FORNABAIO

Bridgeport3 1 1 — 5

Norfolk1 0 1 — 2

First Period — 1, Bridgeport, Hamilton 22 (Collins, Colliton), 4:32
(pp). 2, Norfolk, Barrett 26 (St. Pierre, Morgan), 6:46 (pp). 3,
Bridgeport, Masse 13 (Koalska, Marjamaki), 10:24. 4, Bridgeport,
Colliton 17 (Collins, Hamilton), 11:10 (pp). Penalties — Thompson, Bpt
(roughing), 3:04; Thornton, Nor, double minor-misconduct (slashing,
roughing), 3:04; St. Pierre, Nor (slashing), 3:04; Tallari, Bpt
(hooking), 5:47; Gervais, Bpt (tripping), 6:06; Barrett, Nor
(hooking), 10:33; Marjamaki, Bpt (tripping), 11:17; Pratt, Bpt
(slashing), 12:41; Keith, Nor (slashing), 12:41; Marjamaki, Bpt
(roughing), 14:00; Fraser, Nor (roughing), 14:00; Brown, Nor
(roughing), 14:00; Flache, Bpt (hooking), 16:20; Brown, Nor (hooking),
19:57.

Second Period — 5, Bridgeport, Collins 19 (Gervais), 10:59. Penalties
— Pettinen, Bpt (roughing), 16:55.

Third Period — 6, Bridgeport, Colliton 18 (Regier, Gervais), 10:06
(sh). 7, Norfolk, Fraser 10 (Rogers, Keith), 14:42. Penalties —
Morgan, Nor (roughing), 5:13; Meloche, Nor (slashing), 7:11; Tallari,
Bpt (high-sticking), 9:19; Masse, Bpt (hooking), 12:28; Flache,
Bridgeport (boarding), 18:26; Richmond, Nor, double minor (roughing),
18:26; Lee, Bpt (tripping), 19:00.

Shots on goal — Bridgeport 14-5-9 — 28. Norfolk 10-9-13 — 32.

Power play opportunities — Bridgeport 2 of 8, Norfolk 1 of 7.

Goaltenders — Bridgeport, Dubielewicz 15-16-1 (32 shots-30 saves).
Norfolk, Munro 9-7-1 (18-14), Crawford (10:59 second, 10-9).

Attendance — 4,360. Referee — Dumas. Linesmen — Carnathan, Hamlett.