Over the last 19 seasons, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers have generally played against teams from their geographic area. Teams like the Hartford Wolf Pack, Providence Bruins and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins match that description. But over the years, the Sound Tigers have played 37 different teams in the regular season and playoffs, two of which Bridgeport has only played in the AHL postseason. So, lets look at the Bridgeport Sound Tigers unknown opponents, or teams that many fans forgot the Sound Tigers ever played.

Cincinnati Mighty Ducks

2001-02, Four Games, 3-1 Bridgeport

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Cincinnati Mighty Ducks joined the AHL in 1997, as they were the second team in the city with the IHL’s Cyclones playing at the bigger Riverfront Coliseum. The Baby Ducks played at Cincinnati Gardens, just after the Cyclones moved from there. During the 2001-02 season, the Mighty Ducks shared an affiliation with the Detroit Red Wings and featured prospects such as Sean Avery, Mike Commodore, and others.

The Mighty Ducks visited the Arena at Harbor Yard in Connecticut for the first time on October 20th. Raffi Torres scored a minute into the third period to help secure a Sound Tiger victory, where Dusan Safficky got the win in net in one of four games he would play in North America. Also, Rick DiPietro led the Sound Tigers to a 3-2 win on March 1st in Cincinnati with 40 saves.  The Sound Tigers won both games in Bridgeport and split on the road against the Ducks. This is definitely one of the Sound Tigers Unknown Opponents.

Milwaukee Admirals

(2001-02, Two Games, 1-1)

Now you might be saying, Milwaukee? Of course, they’re still in the league. Well, they are one of the Sound Tigers unknown opponents that many people don’t remember them playing. The Admirals joined the AHL with four other members from the IHL. In 2001-02, the AHL wanted a schedule resembling the NHL or having teams play inter-conference games. Nowadays, it is very rare if you see teams play inter-conference, even though the Hershey Bears and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins did play Rockford and the Admirals in the last two years.

The inter-conference play would be halted for smaller market teams like the Sound Tigers after 2004. The Sound Tigers and Admirals split 3-2 games at the Arena At Harbor Yard and Bradley Center. The game on March 3rd, will still probably be the final game the two teams ever play unless some drastic schedule changing takes place.

Utah Grizzlies

(2001-02, 2003-04, Eight games, 6-2 Bridgeport)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Utah Grizzlies are another team who came over from the IHL, and before the Sound Tigers, they were the last full-time minor league affiliate of the New York Islanders from their days in Denver in 1994 to 1999. The Grizzlies won back-to-back Turner Cups as the affiliate of the Islanders in two different cities, Denver in 1995 and Salt Lake City in 1996 with Butch Goring behind the bench for the Grizzlies. When Utah came to the AHL, they were affiliated with the Dallas Stars. The two teams met four times, including twice in Utah as part of the Sound Tigers historically long road trip which saw them away from Bridgeport for three weeks, taking them from Salt Lake City to St. John’s and then to Hamilton, Ontario in the 01-02 season.

The Sound Tigers and Grizzlies split the season series as a Jim Montgomery-led Grizzlies offense won a game at home and a game in Bridgeport. The two teams didn’t meet in 2002-03 but they did play in 03-04 where the Sound Tigers performed a clean sweep and won all four games. The Grizzlies and Sound Tigers were going to play each other in 2004-05. But, the Sound Tigers traded the four games against the Grizzlies to add four more against the Portland Pirates. The Grizzlies would leave the AHL after that season and join the ECHL. The Grizzlies would be the Islanders’ ECHL affiliate for three years from 2007-2010 with former Islander and Sound Tigers captain Kevin Colley behind the bench for Utah.

Saint John Flames

(2001-03, Eight games, 7-1 Bridgeport)

The Saint John Flames were the longtime affiliate of the Calgary Flames from 1994, who won the Calder Cup in 2000-01 defeating the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in six games. The Sound Tigers faced off against the Flames a total of eight times in two seasons before the team suspended operations following the 02-03 season. Some of the former Flames included Steve Begin, Martin St. Louis and Steve Montador. Just two years after they won the Calder Cup, the Sound Tigers dominated the series against the Flames earning a point in all eight meetings between the two teams.

Quebec Citadelles

(2001-02, Two games, 2-0 Bridgeport)

One of the teams fans forget. One of The Sound Tigers unknown opponents are the Quebec Citadelles. The Citadelles were the second minor league team to play at Coliseè Pepsi after the IHL’s Rafales folded in 1998. Quebec replaced the Canadiens prior affiliate in Fredericton, New Brunswick. The Citadelles and Sound Tigers only met twice. The Sound Tigers took the first game at home 5-1. In the second game, the Sound Tigers were trailing 3-2 with four minutes left, and Ray Giroux hammered home a power play goal to tie it. Then a minute later, Pat Leahy scored what would be the game-winning goal. Following the 01-02 Season, the Canadiens would send their prospects to the Hamilton Bulldogs. After 02-03 where the ‘Dogs shared affiliation duties with Edmonton. The Citadelles franchise would be reborn in Toronto as the Roadrunners, then played the lockout season in Edmonton.

Hamilton Bulldogs

(2001-03, Eleven games, 6-4-1 Bridgeport)

The Bridgeport Sound Tigers’ most memorable playoff series dates back to 2002 against the Hamilton Bulldogs. The two teams met in the regular season splitting the series, although like Saint John, the Sound Tigers did gain points in every regular season meeting with the Bulldogs. Bridgeport took an early 2-0 series lead heading to Copps Coliseum, where the Sound Tigers hadn’t been since the long three-week road trip spanning over 3,000 miles. The Bulldogs scored four first period goals to beat the Sound Tigers. Then, in game 4, Justin Mapletoft and Chris Armstrong each scored two points to give the Sound Tigers a 3-1 series lead. Hamilton would win Games five and six forcing an all decisive Game Seven in Bridgeport. Raffi Torres scored with 90 seconds left to bring the Sound Tigers to their first and only Calder Cup Final. The two teams would meet the next season, twice, including a homecoming for Raffi Torres who was traded to the Oilers two weeks prior on April 2nd. Bridgeport won 6-0, but the Bulldogs would advance to the Calder Cup finals and lose to Houston.

Manitoba Moose

(2001-02 Playoffs, Four games, Bridgeport 3-1)

The Sound Tigers only saw the Manitoba Moose on the way to the 2002 Calder Cup Finals. Another IHL team that moved to the AHL, the Moose had a good core of players who had been around for a long time. Bridgeport won the first two games at home, then lost game 3 before winning Game 4 at Winnipeg Arena. This is the only time these two teams have ever met.

San Antonio Rampage

(2002-03, 2008-09, Six games, 3-3)

The San Antonio Rampage joined the AHL in 2002-03 after the Dragons and Iguanas failed to stick. The Rampage played out of the new AT&T Center and when Bridgeport played against the Rampage, the Rampage Dominated, winning 3 of the four games. The two teams would play again in 2008-09 and Bridgeport won both games, including the game shown above.

Houston Aeros

(2002-03, 2008-09, Six games, 2-2-1)

The Sound Tigers had to play in Houston if they were going to San Antonio, so both times the Sound Tigers went down south, they went to both Texas teams. Bridgeport won and tied when Houston came to Bridgeport, Houston won both games at home, and would go on to win the Calder Cup. The two teams met again in 2008-09 and one of the memorable moments was Mitch Fritz fighting future NHL All Star Game MVP John Scott.