P-Bruins Lose at Bridgeport Despite Outshooting Sound Tigers, 44 to 23

P-Bruins news release…

Bridgeport, CT – The Providence Bruins fell to the Sound Tigers tonight in Bridgeport by a final score of 5-3, despite outshooting their opponent 44-23. Jordan Szwarz scored twice and Rob O’Gara added another goal for Providence. Goaltender Zane McIntyre stopped 18 of 23 shots in the road loss.

The P-Bruins held the Sound Tigers to just seven shots in the opening frame, but Providence goaltender Zane McIntyre allowed two goals in the period. The first came halfway through the period when Bridgeport forward Carter Verhaeghe tallied his 11th goal of the season, assisted by Ryan Pulock (20) and Joshua Winquist (11). The second goal came a few minutes later on the power play, after Providence forward Chris Porter was whistled for Tripping.

Tanner Fritz beat McIntyre for his 18th of the year, assisted by Joshua Winquist (12) and Michael Dal Colle (20), to increase the lead for Bridgeport. Providence failed to score on their own power play shortly after giving up the goal, and the period closed with the P-Bruins trailing 2-0.

Providence continued to throw pucks at Bridgeport goaltender Jaroslav Halak in the second period, again outshooting the Sound Tigers by a wide margin. Halak stood tall, however, keeping Providence from cutting into the lead. The two teams would trade power play opportunities in the frame, but were each unable to score and the period closed with Bridgeport still leading 2-0. 

The third period would see a much more even battle, both in shots on net and goals scored. Any early hopes for a comeback took a hit when Bridgeport scored first in the period, as Loic Leduc tallied his first goal of the season to increase the lead to 3-0. Andrew Rowe (19) and Tanner Fritz (18) were credit with assists on the goal.

Despite having to kill a penalty, Providence finally solved Halak roughly two minutes later when defenseman Rob O’Gara scored on a shorthanded attempt for his 4th of the season. The goal at 5:54, assisted by Chris Porter (12) and Noel Acciari (8), cut the lead to 3-1. Later on the power play Jordan Szwarz would add another for Providence, beating Halak at 7:42 in the period off assists by Wayne Simpson (26) and Tommy Cross (21).

The goal was Szwarz 16th of the season, cutting the Sound Tigers lead down to 3-2. With the pressure mounting Brigeport responded, sealing the game with two goals in the final 6 minutes of play. Bridgeport’s first came at 11:26 when Joshua Winquist registered his 12th of the season, assisted by Kyle Burroughs (17) and Devon Toews (29), to increase the Sound Tigers lead to 4-2.

The second came on the power play after Colton Hargrove was given a double minor for High Sticking. Carter Verhaeghe beat McIntyre for his second of the game and 12th of the season, assisted by Devon Toews (30) and Ryan Pulock (21), to increase the lead to 5-2. Providence would add a late power play goal by forward Jordan Szwarz (17), assisted by Colton Hargrove (11) and Danton Heinen (23), but Bridgeport held on for the win by a final score of 5-3.