The Bridgeport Sound Tigers (0-1-0-0), American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Islanders, opened their truncated 2020-21 season with a 4-1 loss to the Providence Bruins (1-0-0-0) at the New England Sports Center on Friday.
Bobo Carpenter scored Bridgeport’s lone goal to keep things close midway through the third period, but Bruins netminder Jeremy Swayman made 26 saves to win his professional debut. Four different players found the back of the net for Providence.
Despite 19 combined shots in the opening period of play, both Swayman and Sound Tigers goaltender Jakub Skarek were dialed in and the game remained scoreless until 8:28 of the second. Zach Senyshyn put the Bruins out front with a power-play goal by deflecting Jakub Lauko’s right-wing shot with Jeff Kubiak in the box for roughing.
Alex-Olivier Voyer added an even-strength tally at 5:18 of the third period when he collected Oskar Steen’s lead pass and went blocker side on Skarek for a goal in his pro debut.
Carpenter put the Sound Tigers right back in it at the 10:36 mark with Bridgeport’s first goal of the season. Following a tripping penalty accessed to Matt Filipe, Carpenter got his stick on a bouncing puck from the right side and ended Swayman’s shutout bid to make it 2-1. Simon Holmstrom and Mitch Vande Sompel, playing his first game since the 2019 Calder Cup playoffs, each recorded an assist.
In fact, Carpenter nearly had two goals on the afternoon, but a penalty-shot bid less than four minutes later was answered by Swayman’s pad. It was the first time in team history that the Sound
Tigers have had a penalty shot in their season opener.
Samuel Asselin regained the Bruins two-goal advantage at 12:37 of the third period, converting a shorthanded opportunity on a 2-on-1 rush led by Lauko’s speed. Robert Lantosi capped the scoring with an empty-net tally in the final 16 seconds.
Skarek (0-1-0) finished the afternoon with 27 saves on 31 shots, while Bridgeport went 1-for-3 on the power play and 2-for-4 on the penalty kill.
Providence outshot Bridgeport 31-27.
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