Photos by Scott Harper

Big-time sports came to Bridgeport last night when the NHL’s

New York Islanders hosted the New York Rangers at

a sold-out Webster Bank Arena.

—

The Islanders’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Sound Tigers, play in Bridgeport, while the Rangers’ AHL team, the Wolf Pack, reside in Hartford.





Indeed, all three tallies in the contest came in the middle period. After a scoreless first frame, the Islanders broke the ice 1:59 into the second stanza when Casey Bailey beat Ranger netminder Ondrej Pavelec from just inside the crease to stake the Isles to a 1-0 advantage.





The Rangers knotted the score at 1-1 while on a two-man advantage when Vinni Lettieri found the back of the net. Pavel Buchnevich and first-round pick Filip Chytil picked up helpers on the play. It was the second point for Chytil, the Rangers’ first-round pick, in two preseason games (one goal, one assist, both vs. the Islanders).





Four minutes later, Anthony Beauvillier tapped in a centering pass from Nikolay Kulemin immediately after a line change with what would ultimately prove to be the game winner for the Isles.





What’s a rivalry without a little two-fisted tango, right?

Buchnevich appeared to knot the score early in the third period when he swatted a loose puck out of the air on the side of the net that appeared to have crossed the goal line, but was deemed no goal.





The entire game proved to be an interesting scenario as, while the Islanders were technically the home team, Fairfield County is clearly Ranger country, and that was reflected in the crowd, which was clearly rooting for the Rangers. That, of course, leads to speculation that the Rangers might one day move their team to Bridgeport when and if the Islanders move their AHL affiliate to the newly downsized Nassau Memorial Coliseum, the former home of the Isles. And that, of course, would open Hartford up for another AHL or ECHL club.





“I enjoyed my time here. It’s a great place,” said Josh Ho-Sang , a favorite among Bridgeport fans when he played with the Sound Tigers last season, and was on the ice when the winning goal was scored. “Tommer (Bridgeport coach Brent Thompson) is awesome, [as are] Bogy [and] Carks (assistants Eric Boguniecki and Matt Carkner). It was nice to be back.”





“I’m just trying to really play hard defensively, be solid back there, and as I get chances, try to get up in the play,” said Islander defenseman Ryan Pulock, who spent most of last season with the Sound Tigers. “That hasn’t really been there so far.”





Pulock admitted to feeling rusty early in the game.





Islander center Brock Nelson and Ranger goalie Chris Nel jockey

for loose puck in back of the Ranger net in third-period action.

“A couple of plays in the first were a little bobbly and stuff,” he continued. “I kind of settled in, played my game, played hard. That’s the big thing right now, to be hard to play against.”





Pavelec allowed two goals on 15 shots through two periods between the Ranger pipes—turning away 23 of 25 shots (a .920 save pct.)—before Chris Nell took over in the third.





“I'm feeling better every day,” said Pavelec of his two preseason performances—both vs. the Islanders. The Rangers will wrap up preseason play in Philadelphia on Tuesday night.





“Training camp is a process,” he continued. “It's a lot of work. I'm happy for every minute I'm in the game that I can play. Starting to feel comfortable in the net and in the crease because practice and the game is two different things. It's been four periods now that I've played. It's better each minute."





not the site of Kellyanne Nell, who signed with the Rangers last spring out of Bowling Green (the site of Kellyanne Bowling Green Massacre ,” a horrific terrorist attack cited by Ms. Conway on national TV in February … an incident that, of course, never happened), stopped everything he faced, including a breakaway midway through the period by Ho-Sang.





“I've seen a lot of highlight reels on him,” Nell said. “I just kind of stayed patient and made him make the first move and hope it hits you.”





Islander defenseman Mitchell Vande Sompel (58) advances the

puck into the attack zone. The Islanders stopped the Rangers, 2-1,

in Bridgeport last night.

“I thought there was some good skill on the ice,” Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said. “Some good





Club de hockey Rocket de Laval, to be precise)—the Montreal Canadiens new AHL affiliate—on Sat., Oct. 21. First puck drops at 7 p.m. The following day, the Wolf Pack come to town to renew their in-state arch-rivalry—the first of 10 regular-season meetings between the two clubs. Faceoff at the WBA is 3 p.m. For a complete 2017-18 Sound Tigers regular-season schedule, click The Sound Tigers open the 2017-18 season with a four-game road trip that will take them through Binghamton, NY, Charlotte, NC (for two games), and Allentown, Pa., before heading to Bridgeport for their home opener vs. the Laval (Que.) Rocket (, to be precise)—the Montreal Canadiens new AHL affiliate—on Sat., Oct. 21. First puck drops at 7 p.m. The following day, the Wolf Pack come to town to renew their in-state arch-rivalry—the first of 10 regular-season meetings between the two clubs. Faceoff at the WBA is 3 p.m. For a complete 2017-18 Sound Tigers regular-season schedule, click HERE





The Wolf Pack open the season with a three-game homestand beginning on Friday night, Oct. 6, vs. the Charlotte Checkers. Faceoff at the XL Center is at 7:15 p.m. For a complete regular-season Wolf Pack schedule, click HERE

—with staff reports

Sports fans in Southwestern Connecticut, recently rocked by the loss of their only professional baseball team, turned out in full force for some NHL action and watched the “home team” New York Islanders defeat the “visting” New York Rangers, 2-1, before a raucous sell-out crowd of 8,612—many, if not most of them Rangers fans—at the Webster Bank Arena on Friday night. It was the largest crowd for a hockey game in the arena’s 16-year history.offensive looks. Maybe not enough net presence. A little bit of net presence would have made their goalie's life a little harder, but for the most part there were a lot of good things.”