Wade Dubielewicz

Snow, Nolan say disagreement a family matter
by Katie Strang, Newsday, June 5, 2008

What had the potential to be a potentially explosive situation between Islanders GM Garth Snow and coach Ted Nolan turned out to be only a slight disagreement and minor miscommunication between the two over backup goaltender Wade Dubielewicz.

In a Newsday story published Sunday, Snow said that Dubielewicz, who the Islanders will not re-sign for next season, reported to training camp last season in poor condition. Because of that, Snow said, the coaching staff did not have much confidence in him to perform at the start of last season.

In Wedneday's Newsday, Nolan disagreed that he had lost confidence in Dubie. Nolan agreed that Dubielewicz was not in good condition heading into last season.

"Any tight-knit family has good debates, and for us, we're a tight-knit organization and I get kind of a chuckle when you hear certain comments," Snow said during an Islanders Business Club event at Nassau Coliseum last night. "It's not as big of a deal as what people are making it out to be."

Nolan, who arrived to the event late because of a delayed flight, downplayed what initially seemed to be conflicting comments and said he planned on speaking with Snow.

"I don't think there's really a disagreement at all," Nolan said. "We agreed on the conditioning. He was hurt in the offseason, so he couldn't come in. Sometimes that's construed as lack of confidence, but it was maybe a lack of communication more than anything."

While Snow reiterated that "everything's great," and said both he and Nolan are on the same page, he also said that the Islanders organization prefers to keep situations such as these inside "the four walls."

"We're a tight-knit family and we like to keep everything within the confines of our home," Snow said.

Nolan said he reached out to Dubielewicz within the past couple days, but missed his call yesterday morning when leaving for his flight to Long Island. Nolan plans on thanking him, wishing him well, and trying to maintain a friendship.

"The business side is one thing but your relationship with players and how you treat them is different," Nolan said, which is why he wanted to let Dubielewicz know he never lost faith in his ability.

"Wade was one of those players and we wanted to make sure he knew. Sometimes things don't work out, but that doesn't mean we didn't have confidence in him," Nolan said.

Nolan disagrees with Snow on Dubie
by Greg Logan, Newsday, June 4, 2008

On a day when All-Star goaltender Rick DiPietro had a minor knee operation, Islanders coach Ted Nolan yesterday expressed his regret about the loss of backup goaltender Wade Dubielewicz to free agency. Nolan took issue with a recent statement by general manager Garth Snow suggesting the coaching staff "lost confidence" in Dubielewicz at the start of last season because of his poor condition.

Speaking yesterday on Sirius satellite radio to a host known as "Bubba the Love Spunge," DiPietro made a surprise announcement that he was having a minor knee operation later in the day. But that was just the beginning of the Isles' communication problems.

In a recent interview, Snow said "there wasn't much confidence in the coaching staff to play [Dubielwicz]" the first half of the season because he wasn't in shape.

When Nolan was contacted for his reaction to the DiPietro situation, he made it clear that while he agreed with Snow about Dubie's initial lack of conditioning, he never lost confidence in his ability.

"It was news to me," Nolan said of Snow's statement. "I never lost confidence in Dubie. It's unfortunate Dubie didn't agree to terms, but for the things he did for this organization the last couple years, I want to thank him more than anything.

"Unfortunately, he's going to go somewhere else, and we wish him well ... As far as his conditioning coming in, he was hurt in the offseason and it took him a little while to get in shape. But as far as his devotion to the organization and the team, we couldn't have asked for any more.

"I was really appreciative of the things Dubie did while he was here. If it wasn't for him, we wouldn't have made the playoffs the year before. At the end of this season, we had up to 12 guys injured, and it was a very tough situation. He did everything humanly possible."

DiPietro's new backup is Joey MacDonald, whose contract includes a one-way provision for next season. Players on one-way deals can't go to the minors or return to the NHL without passing through waivers. Snow's multiyear offer to Dubielewicz included a two-way contract the first year that likely would have consigned him to AHL Bridgeport most of the season.

Asked if MacDonald's contract prevented the Isles from retaining Dubielewicz, Nolan said: "I'm not too sure if that had a bearing. But as far as I'm concerned, there was nothing wrong with his play."

Snow and Nolan clashed late last season when the GM disagreed with the coach's decision to start Dubielewicz against the Rangers on March 6 after DiPietro returned from missing two games for personal reasons. Snow was unavailable for comment last night.

DiPietro's backup plays a vital role. During the first two years of DiPietro's landmark 15-year contract, he has suffered two concussions and had surgery on each hip. Yesterday, famed orthopedist Richard Steadman fixed what was described by a team spokesman as a "minor meniscus injury." DiPietro's left knee had been bothering him intermittently since he sprained it Dec. 26 and missed three games.

Isles will let go of Dubie, other free agents
by Greg Logan, Newsday, June 1, 2008

Popular backup goaltender Wade Dubielewicz, who helped the Islanders reach the playoffs two seasons ago, is among a group of unrestricted free agents the club plans to let go. General manager Garth Snow said no offers have been made to forwards Miroslav Satan, Ruslan Fedotenko and Josef Vasicek because of the need for roster space for a youth movement, and "Dubie" rejected the offer he received.

"We made a significant offer that he turned down," Snow said of Dubielewicz, who had a 9-9-1 record last season with a 2.70 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage. "We wish him the best."

Dubielewicz did not return a call yesterday, but it's likely the multiyear offer included a two-way provision in the first year that would have consigned him to AHL Bridgeport most of the season. Joey MacDonald, who was 0-1-1 in his two starts with a 3.00 goals-against mark and a .918 save percentage, has a one-way contract next season that positions him as the logical backup to starter Rick DiPietro.

Although Dubielewicz lost his first three starts, yielding 17 goals in the process, he never allowed more than three goals in his last 14 starts. He finished with a better GAA and save percentage than DiPietro, who missed the last nine games of the season to undergo hip surgery.Snow said Dubielewicz reported to training camp in poor shape, which contributed to the decision to start DiPietro in 33 of the first 35 games. "There wasn't much confidence from our coaching staff to play him," Snow said of Dubielewicz. "That's where we ran into trouble playing Ricky too many nights. We need a backup goalie our coaches will have confidence in from Day 1."

2007-08 Update: May 1, 2008: Wade Dubielewicz posted a record of 1-1-0 in 2 games played for the New York Islanders during the month of April. He defeated the NY Rangers on the road 4-3 in an 8 round shootout in what was the season finale Apr. 4th. The previous night, Dubielewicz lost a 3-0 decision vs. the NY Rangers Apr. 3rd. On the month Dubielewicz gave up 6 goals in 2 games for a 2.88 GAA. His season GAA dropped to 2.70 and record to 9-9-1. Dubielewicz becomes an unrestricted free agent July 1st.

April 1, 2008: Wade Dubielewicz posted a record of 3-4-1 in 8 games played for the New York Islanders during the month of March. With Rick DiPietro on the shelf midway through the month following a hip injury, Wade was given the reigns to finish the season for the Islanders. He posted wins against New Jersey Mar. 21st and a convincing win vs. Pittsburgh Mar. 24th. His other win came in a 4-3 win at MSG against the Rangers in a 12 round shootout victory on Mar. 4th. Dubielewicz also saw action in two memorable games of the month. He lost vs. Florida on Mar. 2nd in the "Core of Four" game after the Islanders peppered Panthers' goaltender Craig Anderson with 53 shots and no results. Dubielewicz then made 51 saves in a shootout loss vs. Philadelphia Mar. 29th. His three other losses on the month: 4-1 vs. NYR Mar. 6th (a controversial start over DiPietro), 3-1 vs. Toronto Mar. 18th, and 3-1 at Pittsburgh Mar. 27th. On the month Dubielewicz gave up 17 goals in 8 games for a 2.10 GAA. He improved his season GAA to 2.68 and record to 8-8-1.

March 1, 2008: Wade Dubielewicz did not make an appearance for the New York Islanders or the Bridgeport Sound Tigers during the month of February.

February 1, 2008: Wade Dubielewicz posted a record of 1-1-0 in 2 games played for the New York Islanders during the month of January. His win came Jan. 22nd in another convincing win at Carolina. Dubielewicz lost a 2-1 defensive battle vs. Los Angeles on Jan. 31st. On the month Dubielewicz gave up 5 goals in 2 games for a 2.52 GAA. He improved his season GAA to 3.22 and record to 5-4-0. Dubielewicz also made a two game conditioning trip to Bridgeport in January. He posted a shootout win at Philadelphia on Jan. 18th and the following night lost 4-3 at Albany Jan. 19th. 

January 1, 2008: Wade Dubielewicz posted a record of 3-2-0 in 5 games played for the New York Islanders during the month of December. He lost 4-0 vs. Atlanta on Dec. 1st, but rebounded in late December with convincing wins vs. New Jersey Dec. 29th and at Carolina Dec. 31st. Dubielewicz was in action for those games after relieving an injured Rick DiPietro vs. Toronto on Dec. 26th. His only other loss came at Ottawa on Dec. 27th. On the month Dubielewicz gave up 13 goals in 5 games for a 2.74 GAA. He improved his season GAA to 3.42 and record to 4-3-0.

December 1, 2007: Wade Dubielewicz posted a record of 1-0-0 in 1 game played for the New York Islanders during the month of November. His one appearance came in relief of Rick DiPietro on Al Arbour Night, Nov. 3rd. DiPietro was struck in the eye by the stick of Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby late in the second period which forced Dubielewicz into the game. The Islanders trailed at the time 2-1 but came back with two third period goals by Miroslav Satan to win the game 3-2 and give Arbour his 1,500th win as Islanders coach. Dubielewicz made 7 saves on 7 shots in 26 minutes of play and was credited with the win. He improved his season GAA to 5.09 and record to 1-1-0.

November 1, 2007: Wade Dubielewicz posted a record of 0-1-0 in 2 games played for the New York Islanders during the month of October. His had a miserable season debut as the Islanders backup when he allowed 8 goals in an 8-1 defeat at Toronto on Oct. 11th. Dubielewicz also relieved Rick DiPietro in an 8-3 loss vs. Carolina on Oct. 27th. He gave up 2 goals in 30 minutes of play. Dubielewicz gave up 10 goals in his 2 appearances for a 6.52 GAA. The Islanders posted a record of 0-2-0 in his 2 appearances.

2007-08 Season Highlights

NHL:
* Named second star with 22 saves in 4-3 win vs. Toronto Maple Leafs December 26, 2007
* Named third star with 27 saves in 5-2 win vs. New Jersey Devils December 29, 2007
* Named third star with 28 saves in 4-1 win at Carolina Hurricanes December 31, 2007
* Named second star with 44 saves in 6-3 win at Carolina Hurricanes January 22, 2008
* Named third star with 29 saves in 1-0 loss vs. Florida Panthers March 2, 2008
* Named third star with 34 saves in 3-1 win at New Jersey Devils March 21, 2008
* Named second star with 28 saves in 4-1 win vs. Pittsburgh Penguins March 24, 2008
* Named second star with 51 saves in 4-3 SO loss vs. Philadelphia Flyers March 29, 2008

AHL:
* Named second star with 29 saves in 2-1 SO win at Philadelphia Phantoms January 18, 2008

SOUND TIGERS 2, PHANTOMS 1 (SO)
soundtigers.com, January 18, 2008

Wade Dubielewicz jumped on the team bus this morning after a quick trip down from Long Island to lead the Sound Tigers to their first victory over the East Division leading Philadelphia Phantoms, 2-1 in a shootout.  Jeff Tambellini's bullet of a shot in the shootout proved the eventual game-winner as Dubielewicz stopped four out of the five shots he faced. 

Pete Zingoni, the only player in the American Hockey League born in Bridgeport, CT, always has a knack for coming back to haunt the Sound Tigers.  About half-way through the first period he broke the scoreless tie.  Zingoni skated into the zone and wristed a shot from the top of the left circle, past Sound Tigers' starting goalie Dubielewicz for the 1-0 lead.  Dubielewicz got a piece of the shot but could not keep Zingoni from collecting his 16th tally of the season.  Ryan Potulny and Stefan Ruzicka assisted on the goal. 

Sound Tigers' head coach Jack Capuano stresses the importance of getting sticks in the passing lanes and bodies in the shooting lanes.  With the Sound Tigers on the penalty-kill after Frans Nielsen took a penalty for holding, Ben Walter took his coach's advice and blocked a Phantoms' slap shot from the point.  The puck caromed out to center-ice where Nielsen was just coming out of the penalty box.  Nielsen skated in alone on Philadelphia starting net-minder, Scott Munroe and snapped the puck through Munroe's legs to tie the score at 1-1.  The goal was Nielsen's ninth of the season. 

Both Dubielewicz and Munroe kept either team off the scoreboard in the third period.  Dubielewicz made nine saves while his counterpart, Munroe, had eight stops in the final period.  A scoreless overtime session did not settle the game so the match went to a shootout. 

In the shootout, Trevor Smith gave the Sound Tigers the 1-0 lead when he made a quick deke and slid a shot past Munroe's right pad on the team's third attempt.  Kyle Greentree would tie the shootout score at one on the Phantoms' next attempt when he backhanded a shot over Dubielewicz's glove.  Old faithful, Tambellini, was the next shooter for the Sound Tigers and he did not disappoint snapping a shot over Munroe's glove for the 2-1 shootout advantage.  David Laliberte would have the final opportunity to tie the score but Dubielewicz stopped his shot when Laliberte tried to beat him over the glove, winning the game for the Sound Tigers in a shootout, 2-1. 

Dubielewicz finished with 29 saves while Munroe had 28.  Both teams finished the man-advantage 0-for-4 in the game.

Islanders Re-sign Dubielewicz
islesinfo.com

May 8, 2007: The Islanders announced today they have re-sign G Wade Dubielewicz, last seasons' playoff stretch hero. He has been signed to a one-year, one-way deal to serve as the backup goaltender next season behind Rick DiPietro. Terms of the deal were not announced, but an NHL source said Dubielewicz will earn the same $500,000 that Mike Dunham received as the backup last season.

"Wade really earned this opportunity," said Islanders general manager Garth Snow. "He has developed steadily with each season in Bridgeport and played well whenever the Islanders needed him. And, of course, Wade's play down the stretch was instrumental in our team making the playoffs. We're very excited that he'll be an Islander next season."

"I've been a part of the Islanders family my entire pro career and I had no interest in going anywhere else," said Dubielewicz. "My family and I are thrilled at the opportunity Garth Snow and Ted Nolan have given me, and I'm very appreciative of that. I'd also like to thank everyone involved with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers for helping me along the way. Although it's a big plus knowing I'll be an Islander next year, my plan is to come to camp in the best shape of my life and be ready for a great season for our team."

Switching to a backup role will be a big change for Dubielewicz, who played in the AHL All-Star game last season. Asked after the season if he could handle long periods of inactivity behind DiPietro, Dubielewicz said, "You have to be ready. I've always been very good at coming into games. It's going to be something new. If Ricky goes on these runs where he plays for six weeks straight, something you might see is me going to Bridgeport to play a couple of games to stay fresh.

"We're definitely going to be prepared. If the schedule works, go down and play a few games and stay fresh."

Wade received $495,000 in 2006-07 on a two-way contract.

2006-07 Update: May 1, 2007: Wade Dubielewicz appeared in 4 games for the New York Islanders during the month of April. He filled in for the injured Rick DiPietro during the Islanders last four games of the regular season. With the Islanders needing 4 straight wins to qualify for the postseason, Dubielewicz defeated the Rangers 3-2 in a shootout Apr. 3rd, Toronto 5-2 on Apr. 5th, and the Flyers in Philadelphia 4-2 on Apr. 7th. The Islanders needed 7 steps to work out for them to qualify and thanks to the Maple Leafs defeating the Montreal Canadiens on Apr. 7th the Islanders had a chance to make the playoffs with a win in New Jersey on Apr. 8th. Dubielewicz backstopped the Islanders to a 2-0 lead, only to see the Devils tie the game with 0.9 seconds remaining in regulation. The game went to overtime and eventually a shootout. Dubielewicz used his patented poke check to foil New Jersey's Sergei Brylin to send the Islanders into the postseason for the first time since 2004. The Islanders diminutive third string goaltender became a hero and will forever be remembered for this April Miracle run to the playoffs for the Islanders. In his 4 straight wins, Dubielewicz posted a 1.92 GAA. His performance could very well earn him the Islanders backup job behind DiPietro in 2007-08. He improved his career record with the Islanders to 7-4-2. Playoffs: Wade Dubielewicz played in game 1 of the Islanders Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the Buffalo Sabres. He allowed 4 goals in the Islanders 4-1 loss at the HSBC Arena. Dubielewicz was replaced in game 2 by the returning Rick DiPietro, who finished out the series. The Islanders went on to lose the series 4 games to 1.

April 1, 2007: Wade Dubielewicz appeared in 4 games for the New York Islanders during the month of March. He was first called up on Mar. 14th following an injury (concussion) to Islanders goaltender Rick DiPietro. Dubielewicz relieved Islanders backup goaltender Mike Dunham in the third period Mar. 15th in Ottawa. He played close to 17 minutes and made 8 saves on 8 shots. The Islanders were down 5-0 when Dubielewicz entered the game and the Senators went on to win 5-2. He was re-assigned to Bridgeport on Mar. 19th after DiPietro returned from his injury after missing a week. Dubielewicz was recalled by the Islanders in Mar. 27th after it was learned DiPietro suffered another concussion and would miss more time. Dunham started Mar. 27th vs. New Jersey but Dubielewicz had to enter the game in the third period after Dunham was forced to leave due to dehydration and cramping. He entered the game with the Islanders trailing 3-1 and played almost 13 minutes. Dubielewicz made 4 saves on 4 shots and the Islanders lost the game 3-2. On Mar. 30th in Buffalo Dubielewicz relieved Dunham again after the first period when the Islanders found themselves trailing 5-1. He would go on to allow only 1 goal on 18 shots and the Islanders lost the game 6-4. Dubielewicz started the Islanders game vs. Ottawa Mar. 31st. He made 42 saves on 46 shots on goal in a game the Islanders lost 5-2. With the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, Dubielewicz posted a record of 3-2-1 in March. He allowed 19 goals in his 6 appearances and recorded a 3.31 GAA. Dubielewicz posted his 15th career AHL shutout Mar. 24th vs. Portland.

March 1, 2007: Wade Dubielewicz posted a record of 5-6-0 in 11 appearances for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers during the month of February. It was his first sub .500 month since April of 2006 (1-4-0). Dubielewicz's GAA dipped in February from 2.32 to 2.56 on the season. He had a 3.07 GAA during the month of February. Still, he was named a star of the game in all 5 of his victories, which included the first star 4 times. Dubielewicz now has 19 wins on the season which in one shy of his career high of 20 wins accomplished during the 2005-06 and 2003-04 seasons. His 19 wins is tied for 6th most in the AHL. Dubielewicz save percentage of .926 in currently third best in the AHL. He set a Bridgeport record for most saves in a game with 52 in a win vs. Hershey Feb. 9th. Dubielewicz held the previous record of 51 saves set back at Hershey on Jan. 20th.

February 1, 2007: Wade Dubielewicz posted a record of 6-1-1 in 8 appearances for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers during the month of January. He returned to the lineup on Jan. 10th after missing 11 games with a groin injury in December. Dubielewicz went 12 games without a regulation loss going 9-0-3 which started on Nov. 12th and ended on Jan. 24th. He played the entire second period for the Canadian team in the 2007 AHL All-Star Game on Jan. 29th. Planet USA defeated the Canadian All-Stars 7-6. Dubielewicz gave up 2 goals, one to Drew Stafford and another to Brett Sterling. His GAA was 2.04 during the month of January. Dubielewicz's 2.32 GAA on the season and 10 games over .500 are his best numbers since his rookie season of 2003-04 when he finished 12 games over .500 and posted a 1.38 GAA.

January 1, 2007: Wade Dubielewicz posted a 2-0-0 record in 2 appearances for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers during the month of December. Both his wins came in OT by a 3-2 score Dec. 2nd at Lowell and Dec. 6th vs. Binghamton. He also was credited with an assist in the win over Lowell. In between those two starts, Dubielewicz was called up to the Islanders to back up Mike Dunham on Dec. 5th vs. Ottawa. Wade has missed the Sound Tigers last 10 games with a groin injury that has seen Bridgeport go into a bit of a tailspin with a 2-8-0 record. Wade statistically is on pace to have his best season in the AHL since his rookie year of 2003-04.

December 1, 2006: Wade Dubielewicz posted a 4-1-1 record in 7 appearances for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers during the month of November. He allowed 18 goals in that span. His GAA on the month was 2.72, which is also his GAA for the season. He posted the 14th shutout of his AHL career on November 4th.

November 1, 2006: Wade Dubielewicz was hoping this would finally be the season he graduated to the NHL for fulltime backup duty to Rick DiPietro once Garth Snow retired. But prior to training camp the Islanders had other plans and invited Mike Dunham to camp. Eventually they signed Dunham and Dubielewicz excepted to return to Bridgeport for his fourth season. He was called up to backup Dunham on October 13th when it was announced DiPietro would miss the Islanders home opener the next night with a groin injury. Once DiPietro returned to the Islanders lineup, Dubielewicz was returned to the Sound Tigers on October 20th. Wade played in 5 of the Sound Tigers 7 games during the month of October. He re-signed with the Islanders this past summer after becoming an unrestricted free agent. He is slated to become an unrestricted free agent again in the summer of 2007 if he doesn't appear in 20 NHL games during the 2006-07 season. 

2006-07 Highlights

AHL
* Named Second Star in 2-1 shootout loss with 30 saves at Hartford Wolf Pack October 20, 2006
* Named First Star in 5-2 win with 34 saves at Binghamton Senators November 3, 2006.
* Named First Star in 2-0 shutout win with 31 saves at Portland Pirates November 4, 2006.
* Named Second Star in 2-1 SO win with 33 saves vs. Philadelphia Phantoms January 10, 2007.
* Named Third Star in 5-2 win with 38 saves vs. Hershey Bears January 13, 2007.
* Named Second Star in 3-2 SO win with 36 saves at Philadelphia Phantoms January 19, 2007.
* Named First Star in in 4-3 SO win with 51 saves at Hershey Bears January 20, 2007.
* Named Second Star in 4-1 win with 30 saves vs. Binghamton Senators January 24, 2007.
* Named Second Star in 4-1 win with 38 saves vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins January 27, 2007.
* Named Second Star in 2-1 OT win with 29 saves vs. Worcester Sharks February 7, 2007.
* Named First Star in 4-2 win with 52 saves vs. Hershey Bears February 9, 2007.
* Named First Star in 4-3 SO win with 38 saves vs. Lowell Devils February 10, 2007.
* Named First Star in 4-1 win with 30 saves vs. Lowell Devils February 16, 2007.
* Named First Star in 2-1 win with 37 saves vs. Albany River Rats February 20, 2007.
* Named Third Star in 3-2 SO loss with 36 saves vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins March 9, 2007.
* Named First Star in 2-0 shutout win with 36 saves vs. Portland Pirates March 24, 2007.

NHL
* Named First Star in 3-2 SO win with 36 saves vs. New York Rangers April 3, 2007.
* Named First Star in 4-2 win with 28 saves at Philadelphia Flyers April 7, 2007.
* Named Third Star in 3-2 SO win with 22 saves at New Jersey Devils April 8, 2007.

Final 2006-07 AHL SP% Leaders
as of Apr. 16, 2007

Critics who said Wade Dubielewicz was too small to make it as an NHL goaltender were proved wrong yesterday when the Islanders announced his signing to a one-year contract to serve as Rick DiPietro's backup.

Now that he has achieved his goal, the 5-10, 180-pound goalie who led the Islanders into the playoffs by winning the last four regular-season games when DiPietro was out with a concussion, knows he must find another source of motivation. "It means everything, but the one thing I can't get is comfortable," Dubielewicz said yesterday of his new contract. "The second I'm comfortable is the second I lose my edge.

"I believe I've always had that edge because everybody's always telling me I'm too small or I'm not good enough or not big enough. Now that I'm here, I've got to find a way to keep that edge and keep that underdog mentality."

According to an NHL source, Dubielewicz will make $500,000, which is the same amount Mike Dunham received as the backup last season. Dunham played well early in the season, but he faltered after DiPietro suffered two concussions in a 12-day period in March. The Islanders turned to "Dubie," and he responded with shootout wins over the Rangers and the Devils during the four-game win streak that gave the Islanders the eighth seed.

Dubielewicz was named the NHL's first star for his heroics in the final week of the regular season. In eight appearances for the Islanders, including three mop-up situations, he compiled a 4-1 record with a 2.06 goals-against average and an outstanding .934 save percentage. In their season-ending meeting, general manager Garth Snow and coach Ted Nolan told Dubielewicz he had earned the backup job over Dunham.

Money wasn't the major issue for Dubielewicz, who spent most of the past four seasons playing for the Islanders' AHL affiliate in Bridgeport. "The fact they stepped up and gave me a one-way contract meant everything to me," said Dubielewicz, who is thrilled the team cannot send him to the minors without his permission but still could accept a conditioning assignment at Bridgeport if necessary to stay sharp. "I don't have a heck of a lot of experience at [the NHL] level.

"But if I prove myself this year, then, maybe we can talk about more than one year and maybe some more money. They're giving me an opportunity to prove myself on a long-term scale at the NHL level. That's great. That's all a guy can ask for in my situation."

Undoubtedly, the signing will be popular with Islanders fans. "It's kind of funny, but they've loved me from Day One and I appreciate that more than you'll ever know," Dubielewicz said. "They have a voice. I feel like they almost had a little something to do with me getting this contract, too."

Islanders re-sign Dubielewicz as DP's backup
by Greg Logan, Newsday.com, May 8, 2007

No one can call Wade Dubielewicz a "career minor-leaguer" anymore. The goaltender who saved the Islanders' playoff berth with four straight wins at the end of the regular season has been signed to a one-year, one-way deal to serve as the backup goaltender next season behind Rick DiPietro.

Terms of the deal were not announced, but an NHL source said Dubielewicz will earn the same $500,000 that Mike Dunham received as the backup last season. When Dunham suffered through some rough outings after DiPietro suffered two concussions in a 12-day span in March, Dubielewicz, who spent most of the past four seasons playing for Bridgeport in the AHL, got his chance.

In his first start, "Dubie" played well while facing 46 shots in a loss to Ottawa. With four games left, the Isles had to win them all and get some help from other teams to reach the playoffs. Dubielewicz won all four, including shootout wins over the Rangers and then against the Devils on the last day of the regular season to make the playoffs. Dubielewicz lost Game 1 of the Islanders' first-round series to Buffalo before giving way to DiPietro in goal for the remainder of the series.

Although he is undersized for an NHL goaltender at 5-10 and 180 pounds, Dubielewicz showed he could perform in confidence-inspiring fashion in the pressure of a playoff race to earn the backup job. In eight appearances for the Islanders, including three mop-up situations, Dubielewicz compiled a 4-1 record with a 2.06 goals-against average and a terrific .934 save percentage.

Switching to a backup role will be a big change for Dubielewicz, who played in the AHL All-Star game last season. Asked after the season if he could handle long periods of inactivity behind DiPietro, Dubielewicz said, "You have to be ready. I've always been very good at coming into games. It's going to be something new. If Ricky goes on these runs where he plays for six weeks straight, something you might see is me going to Bridgeport to play a couple of games to stay fresh.

"We're definitely going to be prepared. If the schedule works, go down and play a few games and stay fresh."

Dubie takes seat gracefully
by Greg Logan, Newsday.com, Apr. 15, 2007

BUFFALO - If the past couple of weeks represented his 15 minutes of fame, Islanders backup goaltender Wade Dubielewicz made the most of it. He led the Isles to the playoffs with four straight wins and played well in their Game 1 loss to Buffalo, but Dubie stepped aside gracefully yesterday when Rick DiPietro returned.

"I feel like I was trying to keep us alive in the series as long as they needed me," Dubielewicz said. "Now that Rick's back, he's almost like your wild card. He can steal games. He's a world-class goalie. He gives this team that edge. To have him back is good for this team."

Although he did not give up a bad goal in the Isles' 4-1 loss in Game 1, Dubielewicz called his performance "average. I wouldn't say the goals were my fault, but I wasn't snappy and bang-on. There were a couple screened shots and a bad bounce. On a great night, you find a way to keep the puck out. I played fine, but that's not good enough at this time of year."

Dubielewicz was up from Bridgeport on an emergency basis, but the Islanders made it a full recall yesterday so he can remain the backup ahead of Mike Dunham. Asked if he might have earned a shot at the backup job next season, Dubie said, "I hope so. I have no idea what the organization has in store, but I did my best to make a name for myself and, most of all, to give these guys a chance to get in the playoffs."

Dubie stands up to Sabres’ onslaught
by Arthur Staple, Newsday.com, Apr. 13, 2007

BUFFALO -- The Islanders' game plan was clear during the first few minutes of last night's Game 1. They let the speedier, more talented Sabres take the game to them in hopes of creating chances or power plays on turnovers.

That only works if your goaltender makes all the saves he must. Wade Dubielewicz nearly made that plan stand up.

Dubielewicz did not stand on his head in his NHL playoff debut, but he wasn't shaky, either. The 28-year-old did all he could in the face of the Sabres' superiority, making 31 saves in the 4-1 loss.

"I felt pretty good," he said, "but at the same time, 'pretty good' doesn't cut it in the playoffs in the No. 1 seed's home rink. That third period starts and your goaltender has to make a couple saves to make the difference. We didn't get that tonight."

Dubielewicz might not get another chance. Rick DiPietro will practice today and, surprisingly, could play tomorrow in Game 2. But this loss was hard to pin on the goaltender, especially with the Sabres firing shots through traffic in front of the net on their two power-play goals; in addition, Chris Drury's second goal came after he one-timed a cross-ice pass just after a Sabres power play expired. Dubielewicz had no chance on that one, which gave Buffalo a 3-1 lead and all the momentum.

"We've got to make them earn their goals rather than giving them screened shots," Dubielewicz said. "That's not good enough."

There was only one uncertain moment in the game's opening minutes for "Dubie," who heard boos from the HSBC Arena crowd, though they sounded exactly the same as the supportive "Dooob" chants he gets from the Nassau Coliseum fans. Sabres forward Derek Roy took a sharp-angle shot that Dubielewicz stopped but didn't cover; the puck lay behind him in the crease for a second before Trent Hunter dived in to sweep it away.

The Islanders managed to carry more of the play in the second period, but by opening up a bit, they exposed their goalie to better scoring chances. Dubielewicz made two good saves during an 80-second stretch of five-on-five play, the first a right-arm stop on Roy, then another save sliding across the crease to stop Thomas Vanek on a wrap-around try. Vanek, the Sabres' leading goal-scorer with 43, scored on a similar shot against Mike Dunham on March 30 in Buffalo's 6-4 win.

That Sabres victory 14 days ago was the last time Dunham played. He gave up five first-period goals and was replaced by Dubielewicz, whose strong play was the main reason the Islanders got to face the powerful Sabres.

Dubielewicz did his part last night, but clearly, that won't be good enough if his teammates don't do theirs.

"He definitely gave us a chance to win," Tom Poti said.

Dubielewicz doesn’t wilt in spotlight
by Greg Logan, Newsday.com, Apr. 11, 2007

Just say, "Dubie." Feels good, doesn't it? Maybe brings a smile to your face?

For most of his 28 years, size, or his lack thereof, has mattered tremendously to Islanders goaltender Wade Dubielewicz. He's listed at 5-10 and 180 pounds, but it's hard not to wonder if those measurements were taken standing on his skates with all his gear on. He doesn't fill out the net the way many NHL goaltenders do, which is a big reason Dubielewicz has spent most of the past four seasons at the Isles' Bridgeport farm club in the AHL.

But in the last week of the NHL regular season, no one stood taller than Dubie, who was named the league's No. 1 star after four straight wins, including two shootouts, to get the Islanders into the Stanley Cup playoffs. With starter Rick DiPietro sidelined by a concussion and backup Mike Dunham fighting the puck, the Isles were forced to turn to Dubielewicz when they were on the brink of elimination.

Suddenly, he has become an inspiration with his play, the size of his heart and his sunnyside-up personality. The only hint of irritation he's shown since being thrust into the Islanders' spotlight came after the 3-2 shootout win over the Devils on Sunday that clinched a first-round playoff berth against top-seeded Buffalo.

Someone asked how much it meant to a guy who was supposed to be in Bridgeport, and Dubielewicz said: "If you guys would quit writing that I'm a career minor-leaguer, it wouldn't be so bad. Really, I'm only four years out of college, and I've never really had the opportunity to do anything at this level. So when this chance came, I wanted to make the most of it. For personal reasons, no question, but mostly for this team. I hope this is the start of something special, but who knows?"

It's very special now. Islanders coach Ted Nolan yesterday said Dubielewicz is the likely starter for Game 1 against the Sabres tomorrow night at HSBC Arena in Buffalo. Asked what he can tell Dubielewicz to make sure he's not overwhelmed by the occasion, Nolan laughed and said: "Dubie's just got to make sure he stays Dubie. Just enjoy what he's doing."

See? Dubie has charmed the locker room, as well as the fans and media. Of course, he wouldn't be so charming if he couldn't play. But since he's proven himself, his light-hearted approach has infiltrated a team that sees itself as fitting the same underdog role that Dubielewicz has worn so well his whole life.

"The guy has nothing to lose," forward Ryan Smyth said. "He just goes out and plays. He's not a very big goalie, but he's very flexible and gives us that chance to win. He's gotten us this far with what's gone on. Obviously, Ricky is a huge part of the Islanders with what he's done in the regular season. It's all about the chances and opportunities, and he's taken full advantage of it."

After only 17 career NHL appearances, Dubielewicz now has the job of trying to shut down the NHL's highest-scoring team. It means a lot to a guy from Invermere, British Columbia, who was signed only because an Islanders scout who went to the University of Denver to check out defenseman Ryan Caldwell couldn't overlook the little goaltender.

"I don't know how many guys actually get to start a game in the Stanley Cup playoffs," Dubielewicz said. "So I'm going to cherish it, and I'm going to try to take full advantage of it. Hopefully, we can compete and get a win. Anything can happen after that."

The Islanders' goaltending situation could become a bit awkward over the next few days because DiPietro skated on his own yesterday and is hoping to be cleared to play before this series is very old. Game 2 on Saturday is not out of the question, though Game 3 on Monday is a more likely target.

Dubielewicz understands the situation, especially where a goaltender with a 15-year contract is concerned. "Let's be real," he said yesterday after practice. "He's the franchise player. He's a world-class goalie, and when he's in the net, we've got a better chance to win."

Recalling the Islanders' last playoff series in 2004 against eventual champion Tampa Bay, Dubie said he thought DiPietro played as well as any goaltender in the playoffs except for the Lightning's Nikolai Khabibulin, who recorded three shutouts in that series to one by DiPietro. So Dubielewicz's ego is in proportion to the rest of his body.

But until someone tells him to step aside, Dubielewicz will do everything in his power to come up big against the Sabres. Explaining how he makes up for his small body, Dubielewicz said: "I play fairly aggressive. A guy that's two or three inches taller can play three or four inches deeper in the net. At the same time, it makes sense that I'm a little bit quicker than a big guy.

"And I've always been told by coaches that I do an excellent job of reading the play. The brain between my ears is probably my best asset. I've really got to think the game and be ahead of the play somewhat."

Dubielewicz has one advantage in that he faced the Sabres just 12 days ago. The score was 5-1 after the first period when he replaced Dunham, who had been the victim of a series of atrocious defensive breakdowns. "I was scared," said Dubielewicz, who gave up just one more goal in two periods. "I didn't want to go in. It looked like a summer shinny game. That was almost rock-bottom for us."

Dubielewicz started the next night in a 5-2 loss to Ottawa in which he saved 42 of the 46 shots he faced. Then he played brilliantly in a 3-2 shootout win over the Rangers, stopping Jaromir Jagr at the end of the shootout with the same poke check he used to stop the Devils' Sergei Brylin on Sunday to put the Islanders in the playoffs. Throughout the Islanders' late charge to the playoffs, Dubie maintained his sense of humor and seemed utterly unflappable in the face of the pressure.

He admitted to having a case of nerves before the final game against the Devils, but it was interesting to watch him skating around in his own end during stoppages, checking the crowd and generally looking as if he didn't have a care in the world.

"It keeps you in a good mood and happy," Dubielewicz said. "You see kids smiling, and it's fun."

Why are they smiling? Can't help it. Everyone pulls for the little guy.

Dubie who?

Name: Wade Dubielewicz.

Height: 5-10. Weight: 180.

Uniform number: 34.

Age: 28.

Born: Invermere, British Columbia.

Acquired: Signed by the Islanders as an undrafted free agent out of the U. of Denver on May 25, 2003.

Career record: 7-4-1 with a 2.34 goals against average.

Finest moment: Stopping Devils forward Sergei Brylin in a shootout to give the Islanders a 3-2 victory and send his team to the playoffs.

Worst moment: Allowing a goal to Devils forward John Madden with nine-tenths of a second left that nearly cost his team a playoff berth.

Postseason record: None.

Strange but true: Made his NHL debut for the Isles on March 24, 2005, when he replaced an injured Garth Snow, who is now the general manager.

Basking in the Mask

The goalie mask worn by Wade Dubielewicz has attracted considerable attention since he won four straight games to lead the Islanders into the Stanley Cup playoffs. It was designed by Sweedish artist David Gunnarsson and is titled "Magic Moments of Islanders."

1) Two historic Islanders scenes are depicted on either side. One is a rendition of a Paul J. Bereswill's Newsday Photograph of Denis Potvin hoisting the Cup.

2) The other is a likeness of David L. Pokress' photo of Bobby Nystrom after he scored the overtime goal to beat the Flyers for the Islanders' first Cup in 1980. The lower part of the mask protecting the jaw has "Dubie" written across it.

3) The most controversial aspect for many Islanders fans might be the picture on top of the "Fisherman" logo that was dropped after an outcry of protest. Referring to the traditional Long Island landmark, Dubielewicz explained, "I was tired of lighthouses." But he wished the Fisherman had come out looking a little meaner.

4) On the plate in back is a picture of the "Star Wars" character Yoda. "I don't really look like a goalie," said the 5-10 Dubielewicz, "and Yoda doesn't look like a Jedi Warrior." Also on the back are the initials of Dubielewicz's wife and child. - GREG LOGAN

DiPietro Starts Workouts, but Dubielewicz Will Start
by Dave Caldwell, NY Times, April 10, 2007

SYOSSET, N.Y., April 10 — Islanders goaltender Rick DiPietro practiced Tuesday, but not with the team. He was signing autographs when his teammates took the ice to prepare for their first-round playoff series against the Buffalo Sabres.

DiPietro was encouraged by his half-hour workout, saying he felt no symptoms from the concussion that has sidelined him since March 25. He said he did not know when he would play again, or if he would even accompany the team to Buffalo on Wednesday.

Coach Ted Nolan sounded prepared to stick with Plan B: using Wade Dubielewicz, the stubby, self-deprecating goaltender who led the Islanders to four straight must-win victories in the final six days of the regular season.

“Rick’s not in our pattern right now,” Nolan said.

Nolan said it was more than likely that Dubielewicz would start the series opener Thursday. Dubielewicz spent most of the season with Bridgeport, the Islanders’ American Hockey League affiliate, and he said he knew he was not the team’s first choice.

“He’s a franchise player, a world-class goaltender,” Dubielewicz said of DiPietro, “and when he’s in net, we have a better chance to win.”

Dubielewicz’s N.H.L. experience spans 17 games over three seasons. But he will be facing the speedy, swarming Sabres, who finished with the league’s best record, 53-22-7.

“Dubie’s just got to make sure he stays Dubie,” Nolan said.

DiPietro said Tuesday that he had not recovered to the point of even devising a timetable for his return. He rode a stationary bicycle Thursday. On Tuesday, he faced shots from the injured forward Shawn Bates and the Islanders’ goaltender coach, Gilles Lefebvre.

“If you’re a competitor, you want to get back,” DiPietro said, “but I don’t want to do anything to jeopardize my health.”

DiPietro said he would need to pass a neuropsychological test to resume practicing with the team. He said he had been symptom-free since Thursday and would need to be symptom-free for a full week before he could take the test.

He said he was trying to be patient while he awaited word from Dr. Elliot Pellman, the Islanders’ medical director. (Islanders General Manager Garth Snow would not comment.)

“When they give me the go-ahead and say to take the test, I’ll take it,” DiPietro said.

DiPietro sustained a concussion when Montreal forward Steve Bégin collided with him in the first period of a game March 13. He left the game, missed the next two, then returned for two games without any apparent symptoms.

“I don’t regret coming back at all,” he said Tuesday. “It was a decision we made that we felt comfortable with.”

But on March 24 against the Philadelphia Flyers — his third game back — DiPietro said he was elbowed in the back of the head. The next day, he was jostled in a game against the Rangers at Nassau Coliseum, and he said he felt nauseous.

The Islanders said March 27 that he would be out indefinitely, and they called up Dubielewicz to back up Mike Dunham. The Islanders lost their next two games; Dubielewicz replaced Dunham after the first period of the second loss.

Dubielewicz made his first start of the season March 31 against Ottawa, and the Islanders lost, 5-2. Nolan chastised his team after that loss.

The Islanders have not lost since. Dubielewicz led them to the first of four straight victories, a 3-2 shootout victory over the Rangers, on April 3.

Although his teammates have credited Dubielewicz with playing exceptionally well, he has attempted to pass all of the credit back to them, saying that they have been particularly attentive to playing tough defense.

“We’ve got to play the same way against Buffalo,” left wing Ryan Smyth said. “Dubie’s played well, and he’s made some key saves at the right times. But we’ve got to play with confidence. We’ve got to make sure we do what we do best.”

Dubielewicz has clearly been enjoying the moment. He admitted to being nervous before the Islanders played the Devils in their season finale Sunday — a game that went to a shootout. But he has done well because he has tried to stay loose.

“I don’t know him very well,” Islanders center Mike Sillinger said, “but the kid says to himself, What do I have to lose?”

Dubielewicz was asked Tuesday if any long-lost coaches, teammates or friends had contacted him in the past week. He said his sudden brush with fame had actually given him an excuse to get back in touch with them.

Dubielewicz faced Buffalo for two periods on March 30, facing 18 shots and allowing one goal after he replaced Dunham. He played in seven playoff games for Bridgeport last season and three in 2004.

He grinned when he was asked if his experience in the earlier Buffalo game or in the American Hockey League’s Calder Cup playoffs would help.

“This is the Stanley Cup playoffs — this is it,” Dubielewicz said. “Let’s be realistic. It’s not really the same. It’s the N.H.L.”

But he has taken an N.H.L. team to an unlikely playoff berth, becoming a known quantity in the process. As he said, “Who doesn’t like attention?”

Dubielewicz Earns NHL Star of the Week Honors
islesinfo.com

April 9, 2007: The Islanders playoff run hero Wade Dubielewicz has been named first star of the week starting April 8th by the NHL. Dubie went 4-0-0 last week with wins over the Rangers, Toronto, Philadelphia and New Jersey. He made 114 saves on 122 shots in those four wins. In those four wins Wade posted a 1.92 GAA and a .934 save percentage. He restored confidence to his team in a time of desperation while the Islanders backs were up against the wall. With his play Dubielewicz has helped cement this period as one of the most memorable in Islander history.

Dubielewicz made 36 saves through overtime and three in the shootout as the Islanders defeated the New York Rangers 3-2, April 3. On April 5, he made 28 saves in a 5-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs and stopped 28 of 30 shots in a 4-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers, April 7. On April 8, he blocked 22 of 24 shots and then two of three in the shootout as the Islanders clinched a playoff position with a 3-2 win over the New Jersey Devils.

"It's an honor to receive this recognition from the league," said Dubielewicz. "I'm just happy to be here helping the team reach the playoffs. I give full credit to the guys in front of me who played their hearts out."

Dubielewicz beat out Colorado's Joe Sakic and Minnesota goaltender Nicklas Backstrom for the honor.

Back home, the Dubielewicz family celebrates
Wade's parents are local celebrities in wake of son's triumph
by Jim Baumbach, Newsday.com, Apr. 9, 2007

For all you Islanders fans who could barely bring yourself to watch the shootout against the Devils yesterday in fear of what horror might take place next, just think of what was going through the minds of Wade Dubielewicz's parents.

Watching via satellite television back home in Invermere, British Columbia, the goaltender's parents were absolutely silent, going what felt like hours without saying a word to each other.

"Oh my," Wade's mother, Phyllis, said this morning. "You wonder if you're going to live through it. I've never had a hockey game feel like it lasted that long."

After the Devils tied the score in the final second and the teams got ready for the shootout, Phyllis couldn't stop moving, releasing her nervous energy by walking around the kitchen. "I'm a goaltender's mother," she said. "I pace the floor."

Her husband, Roger, was the opposite. He sat stoicly in his chair, his eyes locked on the television. "He was saying prayers, I suppose," Phyllis said.

It was an awful stretch, when time seemed to stand still. But it was certainly worth the agony, with Wade coming up big by stopping the Devils' Sergei Brylin to clinch the shootout victory, not to mention the Islanders' berth in the playoffs.

Anyone with a connection to Wade felt the same way, it seemed. So many people have called him over the past 24 hours, and everyone wants to tell him how they reacted to the roller coaster ride. When Wade turned on his cell phone after the game, he had 35 new text messages.

"One of my friends was watching the game as he was fixing his truck in his garage, and he said he tore apart his garage," Wade said, laughing. "Most people said they felt like they played the game, too."

Anyone who couldn't get through to him tried calling his parents.

"We probably heard from 15, 20 people," Phyllis said. "And those were only the ones who could get through."

She said the most bizarre call they got was from a former teammate of Wade who now lives in Las Vegas.

With the Islanders given off today, Wade drove back to his Connecticut home last night to celebrate with his wife and five-week-old son. He spent the entire drive on his cell phone. "I'm not going to lie to you," Wade said. "This has been pretty crazy. It's pretty fun to take it in."

That also goes for the people back home in Invermere. This town is so small -- check out this Webcam of downtown -- that when Wade's parents leave the house they almost always bump into someone they know. And everyone these days wants to talk about Wade.

"You can't go anywhere," Phyllis said. "It takes you 10 minutes to do anything."

The local elementary school even has a billboard up promoting Wade, which is courtesy of his best friend's mother-in-law, who is a teacher at the school. When someone from a small town makes it big, it doesn't matter how thin your connection is to him. You celebrate it.

When the Islanders open their first-round series in top-seeded Buffalo on Thursday, Wade's parents will be back in their familiar spots in their home, watching the television and staying silent. But before then, they need to recover from yesterday. Phyllis said, "I took today off."

Wade also said he needs to recover. He is enjoying the ride, but realizes the Islanders won't be putting up a banner for finishing in eighth place. So soon the celebrating will cease. Said Wade, "Tonight I'm going to give myself a bit of a reality check."

Dubie's the man in shootout
The backup goalie's poke check completes Isles' trip to playoffs
by Greg Logan, Newsday.com, Apr. 9, 2007

What is this? "Angels in the Goal Crease?"

You can't make this stuff up. The Wade Dubielewicz fairy tale was in danger of turning into a tragedy of Shakespearean proportions. For nearly 56 minutes yesterday afternoon, little "Dubie" was perfect in net, and two goals by fourth-line hustler Richard Park had the visiting Islanders ahead of the Devils and on their way to the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Then pesky John Madden deflected a shot out of the air, off the ice and inside the far post to make it a one-goal game with 4:13 left in regulation. Cue the ominous music.

With 1:17 left, the Devils pulled goaltender Scott Clemmensen - Martin Brodeur was rested after starting 78 previous games - and put six forwards on the ice, and that man Madden again got to a rebound and scored over a fallen Dubielewicz to tie the game with 0.9 seconds showing in regulation.

Somehow, both goaltenders survived overtime, and the final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference came down to a shootout. Win it and the Isles were in, lose it and Toronto would face top-seeded Buffalo in the first round.

"I thought of that between the overtime and the shootout: 'Gee, this is tough to swallow if we don't make it,'" Dubielewicz said with a smile.

Miro Satan and Viktor Kozlov beat Clemmensen for the Isles, but Zach Parise was the only one of the Devils' first two shooters to score when he made a clever move to swing right and go to his backhand.

It all came down to Sergei Brylin to send the shootout to sudden death, but before he could shoot off his rush, Dubielewicz was out in a flash to make a season-saving poke check and give the Islanders a 3-2 victory.

Suddenly, it was a feel-good story again. "The Little Goaltender That Could" and "The Team the NHL Forgot."

Describing the poke check to stop Brylin, Dubielewicz said: "It was always in the back of my mind. After how bad Parise burned me, I thought because [Brylin] is a lefty, he might try to do the same thing. So if he faked the shot and was going to make the move, I was going to poke it."

Just one week ago, the Islanders looked dead after a lifeless loss to Ottawa. They were without their main man, goaltender Rick DiPietro, who was out with his second concussion in 12 days, and they were looking at a murderous schedule.

But Dubielewicz beat the Rangers in a shootout and then Toronto and Philadelphia before overcoming the odds against a Devils team that had beaten the Isles six straight times.

Now the Islanders have a date with coach Ted Nolan's old team Thursday night in Buffalo.

"I've been waiting for an opportunity like this my whole life, and I wanted to make the most of it," said Dubielewicz, who made 22 saves. "I've done that to this point. If I'm fortunate enough to get the start [Game 1], if Ricky's not ready or what have you, hopefully, I can continue to do the same thing."

They have to be disappointed in Toronto that Brodeur didn't play, but no one seriously can fault Clemmensen's goaltending or the effort of a proud Devils team that refused to go quietly.

When Madden scored the tying goal, the Islanders were close to clearing the puck, but Jamie Langenbrunner knocked it out of the air and fired a shot into Dubielewicz. The goalie accidentally tripped when Isles defenseman Brendan Witt was shoved into his right skate, giving Madden a chance to reach the rebound.

"We could have easily thought 'it's not meant to be,'" Witt said. "But guys battled hard in overtime and got it done in the shootout. A lot of people counted us out because we were injured. The big thing is we didn't quit. Dubie played phenomenal the last four games. It's sweet to get in, and now we've got to focus on a good Buffalo team."

Dubie's got his home cookin'
by Greg Logan, Newsday.com, Apr. 5, 2007

For one night at least, Wade Dubielewicz had what he always wanted - a chance to prove himself. And the 5-10 goaltender made the most of it, coming through to stop the Rangers' Michael Nylander, Brendan Shanahan and Jaromir Jagr in the shootout to give the Islanders a 3-2 win Tuesday night and keep their playoff hopes alive for tonight's game against Toronto at the Coliseum.

Yesterday, Dubielewicz's cell phone was alive with messages from friends and family back home in Invermere, British Columbia, a town of around 3,000 people deep in the interior of the province. His mother managed the local ice hockey rink when Dubielewicz was growing up.

"The whole town was watching the game," Dubielewicz said. "So that's pretty awesome. I got a lot of phone calls and text messages, saying, 'Great job,' and 'Keep it up.' It's nice to know you've got support back home."

Tonight, the Wade Dubielewicz story will be seen on a grand scale in Canada because the Maple Leafs and Islanders are fighting to catch Montreal as the eighth playoff seed in the Eastern Conference. "It's great," Dubielewicz said. "The more people watching, the more fun. All my friends and family won't have to head to the nearest pub to watch the game. They can catch it on local TV."

You would think the pressure of the situation might be tough to bear for a player who has spent most of the past four seasons playing for the Islanders' top farm team in Bridgeport without much hope of being more than an emergency callup. But Dubielewicz said, "I keep telling you guys there's no pressure on me. I've got nothing to lose.

"As a team, our backs are against the wall. Nobody expects us to win the next three games, but we'll go into [tonight's] game with the same kind of attitude and, hopefully, the same kind of effort."

Since starting goaltender Rick DiPietro suffered his second concussion on March 25 against the Rangers, the Islanders had lost three straight games to go with the three they lost after his first concussion 12 days earlier.

Dubielewicz was solid in stopping 42 of 46 shots he faced in his first start against the Devils in the previous game, and he was even better against the Rangers, saving 36 of 38 shots.

It gave the Islanders a much-needed confidence boost, knowing they need to win the remaining three games to have a chance of making the playoffs. "We were bleeding pretty profusely, I think," Dubielewicz said. "This stops the bleeding and kind of gets guys back in a positive mind-set."

Although the Isles have two shootout wins over the Leafs in three meetings this season, Toronto's big forwards have created problems with their size and strength. Dubielewicz said the Islanders must take the same physical approach with the Leafs that they used to beat the Rangers.

"The games we've been successful, we're quick and physical right away in the defensive zone," Dubielewicz said. "When teams get time to set up and get more than 15 seconds of zone time, we're in trouble. When they do gain possession, we have to be physical."

A reporter in early from Toronto asked to see the colorful mask "Dubie" wears showing historic Islanders scenes and the much-reviled former "fisherman" logo - "I was tired of lighthouses," he explained. Noticing the picture of Yoda from "Star Wars" on the back, the visiting scribe asked if "Yoda" is his nickname.

"No," Dubielewicz said. "But I don't really look like a goalie, and Yoda doesn't look like a Jedi Warrior."

Who knows? Maybe the force is with the Islanders.

Dubielewicz, Isles Survive, Beat Rangers
AP, April 3, 2007

UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- The New York Islanders are hoping their third-string goaltender can get them to the playoffs. Wade Dubielewicz, playing because of Rick DiPietro's concussion, helped the New York Islanders stave off playoff elimination by stopping 36 shots, plus three more in the shootout to lead the Islanders to a 3-2 win over the New York Rangers on Tuesday night.

"I'm not going to lie -- I'm very excited right now," Dubielewicz said. "At the same time, I know I have to bring myself right back down to Earth, because we have to do this all over again in 48 hours. Don't feel too good about yourself, because you can't afford to be relaxed in this situation. I'll enjoy this one for a couple of hours, and then I'll put it behind me and get ready for the next one."

Dubielewicz stopped Michael Nylander, Brendan Shanahan and Jaromir Jagr in the shootout. The save on Jagr's shot was the best. Dubielewicz made a diving save as the puck just fell short of the goal line.

"I saw Nylander was going to his backhand, and I like using my stick when I can, so I had the chance to poke it away," Dubielewicz said. "On Jagr, it seemed like he bobbled it at the last second and he didn't get off a real good shot like he wanted to. I still had to make sure to get on it before it snuck over the line."

Islanders coach Ted Nolan was impressed with his goalie's performance.

"He played a great game," Nolan said. "When you look at the three shooters, those are three world-class shooters. The way Dubielewicz played throughout the whole game, plus the shootout, he was sensational."

The 28-year-old Dubielewicz was able to handle the pressure-filled game.

"You know, it probably worked to my advantage that I wasn't here all year," he said. "I didn't have a week to build up to this game. If I had time to think about the build up, I probably would have been nervous."

Miroslav Satan had the only shootout goal. He beat Henrik Lundqvist with a backhand in close in the first round.

Arron Asham and Alexei Yashin scored for the Islanders, who won the season series from their rivals, five games to three.

The Islanders needed a win because Montreal and Toronto won. They are four points behind the Canadiens and three behind the Maple Leafs, with a game in hand on both.

Shanahan and Nylander scored for the Rangers in regulation. The Rangers would have clinched a playoff spot with a win, and wound up falling into seventh place as Tampa Bay won. Both teams have 92 points, but the Lightning have more victories (44-41).

"We're disappointed we didn't do it tonight," Shanahan said.

Nolan used the Rangers clinching possibility as a rallying point for his team.

"We talked about that," Nolan said, "and if they're going to clinch, let them do it somewhere else. We had to keep our chances alive and get two points."

Lundqvist stopped 32 shots.

The teams played their fourth straight one-goal game. The Rangers won the previous three, all by 2-1 scores, and two of them in overtime.

Asham gave the Islanders an early lead with his 10th goal of the season, and first goal in 30 games at 2:52 of the opening period. Moving down the left boards, Randy Robitaille threw a centering pass toward the net that hit Rangers forward Blair Betts and bounced right to Asham, who tucked it in the net.

Asham last scored on Jan. 27 when he had a pair of goals in a 5-3 home victory over Buffalo.

Dubielewicz was busy in the first period, stopping 17 shots. He had to be sharp to stop Ryan Callahan, who poked the puck off Marc-Andre Bergeron's stick and in one motion tried to stuff it between the goalie's pads with 5:50 left. He also made a big pad save at the left post on Martin Straka with two minutes left after Straka stripped defenseman Chris Campoli of the puck in the Islanders zone and went in alone. Just after that, he made a big save on Shanahan.

"Those were two of my bigger saves," Dubielewicz said of Straka's and Shanahan's attempts. "But being around this team now for a while, I notice that our worst period is the first period, and if we can make it through that, we seem to be okay. So I thought about that before the game and knew I'd have to be ready to go right off the bat."

Shanahan said the Rangers weren't sure about Dubielewicz, since they never faced him prior to Tuesday night.

"He seemed to have more of a book on us than we had on him," Shanahan said.

It turns out Rangers coach Tom Renney is no stranger to Dubielewicz.

"He played great; played really well," Renney said. "From a personal perspective, I've known him from a long time ago. He was a little guy who played in my hockey school. I'm happy for him, and give credit to the Islanders -- they played hard."

The Islanders took a 2-0 lead at 5:02 of the second period when, on a delayed penalty call, Yashin broke in with Satan on a two-on-one. Yashin's cross-ice pass was deflected in by Rangers defenseman Jason Strudwick.

Shanahan got the Rangers within 2-1 at 9:02 on their 24th shot with a short-handed goal. Shanahan worked a two-on-one with Straka, and Dubielewicz made the initial save. Shanahan retrieved the puck behind the net and banked it off the back of the goalie's leg and into the net.

Sloppy defensive communication between Sean Hill and Brendan Witt in their own zone led to Nylander's tying goal at 12:52. Jagr picked up the loose puck and quickly crossed it over to Nylander, who quickly flipped the puck high into the net.

The Islanders face Toronto on Thursday night in their final game at home. Forward Ryan Smyth said that the team has to do the same thing they did against the Rangers all over again.

"Our backs are up against the wall, and will be the next three games," Smyth said. "We put ourselves in this situation, and tonight, we got ourselves out of it. We left it all on the ice tonight, and Dubie won us the game. He always gives you that extra added confidence, and we have confidence in him. We've just got to protect the house to -- to give him a chance. We battled hard for him, and he battled hard for us tonight."

Nolan said the Islanders get to fight on.

"It means we live another day," Nolan said.

Sound Tigers Riding Dubielewicz to Victory
by Micheal Fornabaio, connpost.com, Mar. 25, 2007

BRIDGEPORT — The fate of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers has often risen and fallen on the shoulders of goalie Wade Dubielewicz for the past four seasons. In the final dozen games of this season, their playoff hopes may rest on him.

Saturday's performance shows why that's a comfortable feeling.

Dubielewicz put the Sound Tigers back in sole possession of fourth place Saturday night with 36 saves, shutting out Portland 2-0 at the Arena at Harbor Yard.

"We came out in the first and controlled the game," said Dubielewicz, whose 22 wins are a career high despite his missing a month due to injury. "We got the lead, and did what we needed to keep it."

Dubielewicz made 12 saves in the first 15 minutes of the third period to preserve his second shutout of the season and the 15th of his four-year Sound Tigers career.

Most of the last five minutes for Bridgeport was simple, chip-it-in, chip-it-out hockey; they held the Pirates without a shot in that span. Had the Sound Tigers done more of that in the previous 55, Dubielewicz might have had an easier night.

"The third period was tight," Dubielewicz said. "We closed up the neutral zone, got pucks deep and made them come 200 feet."

Bridgeport moved two points ahead of Albany with the River Rats' 3-2 loss at Syracuse. Bridgeport plays its game in hand today, a rematch here against Portland.

Scout Night attendance Saturday was 6,718.

The Sound Tigers goalie was strong throughout, particularly in the second period. Portland peppered him with shots in bunches, 14 for the period.

Allan Rourke cleared one puck notably out of trouble early in the period.

"On a bad night, it's 2-2," Dubielewicz said. "They had a couple of three-on-twos, two-on-twos, one-on-ones where they lost the puck. Any time you get a shutout, there are bounces."

Goaltender Wade Dubielewicz stopped all 36 shots he faced as the Bridgeport Sound Tigers blanked the visiting Portland Pirates 2-0 before 6, 718 fans at the Arena at Harbor Yard on Saturday night. The Sound Tigers improved to 33-29-1-5 and the Pirates dropped to 30-27-3-9. Bridgeport's win coupled with Albany's loss in Syracuse moved the Sound Tigers two points ahead of Albany and into sole possession of the fourth and final playoff spot in the East Division.

Rick Berry and Masi Marjamaki scored first period goals on back-to-back shots just 1:44 apart as the Sound Tigers won their second straight game. Berry opened the scoring with his third goal of the year when he beat Portland goalie Gerald Coleman from the left point at 12:50 of the opening period. Cam McCaffrey and Lance Galbraith assisted Berry's goal. Marjamaki made it 2-0 when he scored his fourth from a tough angle at the 14:34 mark. Gregg Johnson had the primary assist after he forced a turnover and Mark Wotton also had an assist on the goal.

Dubielewicz earned his second 2-0 shutout win over the Pirates of the season - he blanked the Pirates in Portland by the same score back in November. The Sound Tigers are 2-1 against the Pirates this season and the teams will meet for the final time Sunday afternoon at the Arena.

The Sound Tigers were outshot 36-24. Coleman made 22 saves including one on a Johnson breakaway when Ken Magowan connected with Johnson on a long pass as Johnson came out of the penalty box in the second period.

The Sound Tigers were 0-for-3 on the power play and the Pirates were scoreless on five man advantages thanks to the goaltending of Dubielewicz and strong penalty killing led by Jason Pitton.

Dubie's ready to go
by Greg Logan, newsday.com, Mar. 19, 2007

TAMPA, Fla. -- If Rick DiPietro's head injury hasn't cleared up in time for him to return for tomorrow night's game against the Lightning at the St. Pete Times Forum, Bridgeport veteran Wade Dubielewicz almost certainly will be the one trying to hold the fort in goal and rescue the Islanders' endangered playoff chances.

Coach Ted Nolan said as much after the Islanders' 8-5 loss to the Panthers Saturday night. The 18 goals allowed since DiPietro was injured Tuesday in Montreal weren't all the fault of backup Mike Dunham by a long shot, but he was far off the spectacular form he showed earlier this season in wins at Anaheim and Florida.

Listed generously at 5-10, Dubielewicz doesn't exactly fill the net. But once you get past his smurf-like appearance, you find a player who has been very tenacious in his past four seasons with the Sound Tigers and in brief appearances with the Islanders.

Told that Nolan said he's "leaning" toward playing him if DiPietro can't go, Dubielewicz sounded psyched up. "You know, you try to get to this level, and you want to be part of games that mean something," Dubielewicz said. "If he made that decision, I'd be ready to go."

After Dunham allowed three goals in 76 seconds in the third period Thursday in Ottawa, Dubielewicz mopped up and stopped all eight shots he faced. "I felt fine," he said. "It was nice to get a little bite, get a little taste of the NHL again. It's pretty much been a year since I had any [NHL exposure]. If I do end up playing in Tampa, that was a good little sniff before I actually get to start."

Having watched the past two jailbreaks up close, Dubielewicz is under no illusions about saving the day by himself. The odd-man rushes have been coming in waves, and Nolan admitted that DiPietro's outstanding play in those situations all season might have caused him to turn a "blind eye" to coverage problems.

"We had a breakdown in the neutral zone somewhere because they were hitting our blue line with a lot of speed, and it was all on our defense to hold the line," Dubielewicz said of the Florida game.

"There were a lot of three-on-twos, and at this time of year, you can't allow that. Players at this level are going to put pucks away if they get plenty of opportunities, and we just gave them too many."

SOUND TIGERS SET RECORD IN 2-1 WIN
soundtigers.com, Feb. 20, 2007

The Bridgeport Sound Tigers set a franchise record with their ninth consecutive home win and in doing so pulled nine points ahead of the Albany River Rats in the East Division standings, with a 2-1 win over the Rats on Tuesday night.

Eric Boguniecki extended his points streak to seven games with a goal and an assist as the Sound Tigers continued their winning ways before an Arena at Harbor Yard crowd of 2,808. Boguniecki's 17th tally of the season was the game-winner. Bridgeport goaltender Wade Dubielewicz stopped 37 shots as the Sound Tigers improved to 28-21-1-4. Albany fell to 14-25-2-2, nine points behind the fourth-place Sound Tigers who currently hold the division's final playoff spot.

Boguniecki broke a 1-1 tie when he crossed the high slot, shot across his body and put the puck inside the post to the right of Albany goaltender Tyler Weiman 2:19 into the third period. Dubielewicz made the lead stand up with several big saves, including one on Albany's Cody McCormick from point-blank range late in the third period.

The River Rats outshot the Sound Tigers 38-31. Dubielewicz made 16 second-period saves and Weiman made 16 third-period stops. The River Rats were 0-for-3 on the power play and the Sound Tigers were scoreless on just one man advantage as the River Rats were whistled for just one penalty - a minor for interference.

Bridgeport won its second straight one-goal game and has played in 23 one-goal contests this season. The Sound Tigers are 16-5-0-1 since the start of 2007 and have points in 12 of 13 home games during the new calendar year. The Sound Tigers evened the season series with Albany at 2-2.

DUBIELEWICZ SETS TEAM RECORD IN SOUND TIGER WIN
Goaltender Makes Game-High 52 Saves in 4-2 Win Over Hershey
soundtigers.com, Feb. 9, 2007

Bridgeport Sound Tigers goaltender Wade Dubielewicz stopped a single game, franchise record 52 shots in a 4-2 victory over the Hershey Bears on Friday night. Eric Boguniecki and Robert Nilsson both had a goal and an assist - each setting up the other - to give the Sound Tigers their fourth straight win on home ice, before 4,745 fans at the Arena at Harbor Yard.

The Sound Tigers improved to 23-20-1-4 and the Bears fell to 31-10-5-5, becoming the last American Hockey League team to have double digit regulation losses. The Sound Tigers won for the fifth time in six games against the defending Calder Cup champs, the team with the second best record in the AHL.

Boguniecki scored the eventual game-winner when he one-timed a cross ice power play pass from Nilsson past Hershey goaltender Frederic Cassivi for a 3-2 lead at 5:40 of the second period. Nilsson returned the favor after Boguniecki fed him for a one-timer from the slot for the game's first goal, on the Sound Tigers' first shot, just 1:25 into the first period.

The Sound Tigers took a 2-0 lead when Jason Pitton peppered Cassivi with four successive shots on one sequence and finally scored through a screen set by Steve Regier. Pitton's goal, his sixth of the campaign, came 13:35 into the opening period.

The Bears clawed back beginning with Louis Robitaille's fifth of the season less than a minute after Pitton scored. Robitaille backhanded a shot into the top corner of the net to slice the Sound Tiger lead in half to 2-1. Hershey tied the score at two apiece when Jakub Klepis notched his second of the year just 2:21 into the middle period.

Bridgeport's special teams was a strong all around, with the power play going 1-for-3 and the penalty kill shutting down the Bears in five man advantages. Regier blocked two shots and fellow defenseman Drew Fata got in the way of another on one of the Bears' power plays.

Dubielewicz stopped 17 of 18 first period shots, 14 of 15 in the second period and all 21 the Bears fired at him in the third. Dubielewicz broke a record he set Jan. 20 at Hershey when he made a then-high 51 saves in regulation and overtime.

The outcome was in doubt until Jeremy Colliton stole the puck near the boards at center ice and scored into an empty net at 19:26 of the third. Colliton also had an assist on Nilsson's goal and Petteri Nokelainen and Allan Rourke also earned assists in the win.

Nilsson has five goals and five assists for a team-best 10 points in five games of the season series with the Bears.

Dubielewicz Denies Bears
Sound Tigers Goaltender Records Over 50 Saves For A Second Consecutive Game Against Hershey
by Allen Popels, mvn.com, Feb. 9, 2007

He is becoming a thorn in the side of the Hershey Bears this season. Wade Dubielewicz followed up his 51 save performance in a shootout win at Hershey on January 20th with an encore of 52 saves last night in front of 4,745 fans at the Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport.

The Bears resembled their parent team of late when they got off to a sluggish start and spotted the Sound Tigers a 2-0 first period lead. Robert Nilsson recorded his 10th goal of the season, including his 5th against the Bears, just a minute and twenty-five seconds in. Eric Boguniecki won a lose puck behind Hershey’s goaltender Frederic Cassivi and quickly found Nilsson in front who one-timed the puck into the back of the net.

A poor defense display led to Bridgeport’s second goal of the game when forward Jason Pitton was allowed to put four consecutive shots on the Bears net. Cassivi was able to stop the first three but not the last as the shot was roofed short side for his 6th goal of the season at the 13:36 mark of the opening period.

Following that goal Hershey would finally show some signs of life, getting back in the game less than a minute later when Louis Robitaille back handed home a rebound off a Dave Steckel shot for his 5th of the year cutting the Sound Tigers lead in half at 2-1. The second period saw the Bears pull even just 2:21 in when Jakub Klepis followed up a Timo Helbling shot wristing the puck past Dubielewicz. The goal continued an impressive run for the Czech winger since his demotion from the Caps as he now has 2 goals and 5 assists in only 7 games since his return to the AHL.

That would be the last of the celebrating the Bears were able to do tonight as despite greatly outshooting Bridgeport and having plenty of quality scoring chances, they would not be able to beat Dubielewicz again. A Chad Wiseman hooking penalty less than three minutes later would allow Eric Boguniecki to score the game winning goal on the power play following a beautiful cross ice pass from Bear killer Robert Nilsson. Jeremy Colliton would provide the empty net goal with 34 seconds remaining to put the game away for good, 4-2.

The Hershey Bears were unable to take advantage of a night when both of their divisional rivals lost. Norfolk suffered only their second regulation defeat at home this season as the Albany River Rats scored four unanswered goals on the way to a 4-2 win. Meanwhile in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton the Penguins were downed by the visiting Portland Pirates 2-1. With the top three teams in the division all loosing the standings remain the same with Norfolk holding a five point lead over the Bears who hold a five point lead over the Penguins.

Will Dubielewicz ever get a chance?
With DiPietro's 15-year contract, Invermere product is stuck in minors
The Canadian Press, January 31, 2007

TORONTO -- The massive 15-year contract the New York Islanders gave Rick DiPietro over the summer was met with a strong reaction from many in the hockey world, but imagine how the other goaltenders in the team's system felt.

Guys like Wade Dubielewicz.

He spent about eight weeks on Long Island last season and got into seven NHL games. Even though Dubielewicz had no illusions of becoming the team's starter this season, DiPietro's contract all but guarantees that he'll never hold that job, barring something unforeseen like a serious injury to DiPietro.

But Dubielewicz, a 28-year-old who grew up in Invermere, is far from bitter about the situation.

In fact, he sees DiPietro's continued success as the key to getting him out of his current spot in the American Hockey League.

"For me, the better Rick does, the more chance I have to be his backup," Dubielewicz said this week during the AHL all-star festivities. "I think if they're 100-per-cent confident in Rick, they'd have no problem sending a rookie in to be his backup. Until he's that guy, they're going to want someone in there with experience."

The guy with experience is currently Mike Dunham, a veteran of nearly 400 NHL games. As the backup to DiPietro, he occupies the spot Dubielewicz hoped he might be filling this season.

It was his until the Islanders signed Dunham in the days leading up to training camp.

"Nothing was happening throughout the whole summer until the last week so I was starting to actually get excited," said Dubielewicz. "I wanted to protect myself by being realistic about it, but ... what can you do?"

You can start by playing well in the minors, which is exactly what Dubielewicz has done.

He's 14-4-4 this year for a Bridgeport Sound Tigers team that is hovering around .500. Dubielewicz is also sporting a spiffy .930 save percentage.

A positive attitude has worked wonders.

"If you go down and pout and you don't play well, where does that get you?" said Dubielewicz. "That gets you nowhere."

Besides, he's an unrestricted free agent at season's end and has his future to think about.

While leaving the Islanders organization to pursue opportunities elsewhere seems on the surface like it might be the best thing to do, Dubielewicz doesn't see it that way.

He feels a certain sense of loyalty to a team that signed him as a free agent in 2003 after he graduated from the University of Denver. Dubielewicz is relatively small at 5-foot-10 and was never drafted by an NHL club.

"They've seen me grow as a player and as a person," he said of Isles management. "When they did give me a chance it was special. Obviously I'm not the prototypical hockey goalie.

USA TOPS CANADA — Bridgeport Sound Tigers goalie Wade Dubielewicz stopped 11 out of 13 shots Monday night in the AHL All-Star Game at Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto, but his Canadian teammates couldn't hold the lead he helped create in the second period.

Hartford winger Ryan Callahan scored on a rebound with 3.3 seconds left for a 7-6 PlanetUSA victory. Dubielewicz stopped the first 10 shots he faced, but PlanetUSA — players born anywhere outside of Canada — scored two goals in the last 2:13 of the second period to cut Canada's lead to 5-4. Drew Stafford of the Rochester Americans scored on the rush off a feed by Hershey's Tomas Fleischmann. Then with 0.7 seconds left, Chicago Wolves rookie standout Brett Sterling scored on a breakaway set up by Toronto's Erik Westrum. Sterling, who had two goals and an assist, was named MVP. This was Dubielewicz's second AHL All-Star Game. As the starter in 2004 at Grand Rapids, Mich., pressed into 30 minutes of action because of an injury to another goalie, Dubielewicz made 23 saves on 25 shots. Callahan had two excellent chances against Dubielewicz. Alone in front, Callahan lost the puck to a Dubielewicz pokecheck. Later, Callahan hit the crossbar in tight after a Canadian turnover. Dubielewicz denied AHL leading goal-scorer Sterling several times from close range in the next two minutes, also stopping Westrum on a rebound.

In between the goals, a Dubielewicz lead pass sprang Dustin Boyd on a breakaway, but Springfield goalie Karri Ramo stopped Boyd and a rebound chance. Dubielewicz joked on the game broadcast that Sterling's late goal must have been "karma for trying to get an assist."

Bridgeport Sound Tigers' goaltender Wade Dubielewicz stopped 11 of 13 shots in one period of action during Monday's American Hockey League All-Star game in Toronto. Dubielewicz, a Kerrobert, Saskatchewan native, played the second period in the Canadian team's 7-6 loss to PlanetUSA before 7,839 fans at Ricoh Coliseum. Ryan Callahan scored the game-winning goal with three seconds remaining as PlanetUSA overcame a 5-2 deficit.

Dubielewicz made his second AHL All-Star appearance; he previously played in the 2004 All-Star game during the season in which he set AHL records for goals against average (1.38) and highest save percentage (.946).

This year, Dubielewicz ranks seventh among AHL goalies with a 2.37 goals against average. He's 14-4-4 with a .930 save percentage. Dubielewicz has been involved in eight of the Sound Tigers' nine shootouts. He's earned six of the Sound Tigers' seven wins in their last 10 games, including three shootout victories.

HARTFORD — The 37 saves Friday were familiar for Wade Dubielewicz. The result, a 4-2 Hartford Wolf Pack victory over Dubielewicz's Bridgeport Sound Tigers, was not. Well-timed Hartford goals at the Civic Center brought the Wolf Pack back from a 1-0 deficit and let them take control in the second period. "We had a chance to win," said Bridgeport's All-Star goalie, who hadn't lost a game in two months and a day. "I obviously wasn't great (Friday). I'm kicking myself for that first one."

Brad Isbister skated around Kevin Mitchell and slipped a bad-angle shot through Dubielewicz's legs with 2:45 left in the first period. That score answered Masi Marjamaki's deflection goal, his second in two games. Dwight Helminen and Dane Byers popped in rebounds 46 seconds apart to build the first of a pair of two-goal leads.

"If that (Isbister goal) doesn't go in, we go in with a lead," Dubielewicz said. "You never know what'll happen."

The Wolf Pack took double-digit shots in every period and finished with 41. "I don't think they had a ton of chances," Dubielewicz said. "It wasn't like they were all over us."

Dubielewicz had not lost in regulation since Nov. 10 at Philadelphia, playing 13 games since. His only overtime loss in that stretch came here Nov. 25, the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend; he was 8-0-1 after that until Friday.

"It was bound to happen sometime," Dubielewicz said. "We've just got to show up (tonight against Wilkes-Barre) and try to get two points out of the weekend. If we take a night off against that team, it could get ugly."

The Bridgeport Sound Tigers have made a sweet habit of winning in dramatic fashion when they travel to Hershey, Pa. The Sound Tigers overcame an early 3-1 deficit and pulled out an exciting 4-3 shootout win over the Hershey Bears on Saturday night, giving the team two shootout wins and one overtime victory in their three trips to Chocolatetown this season. The Sound Tigers outscored the Bears 3-2 in the shootout to improve to 18-17-1-4. The Bears, meanwhile, earned a point but fell to 27-8-3-5 before a Giant Center crowd of 9,401.

Sound Tiger goaltender Wade Dubielewicz stopped 51 regulation and overtime shots, then denied three Bears in the five rounds of shootout competition to earn his second shootout win in as many nights.

Dubielewicz and the Sound Tigers won in a shootout on the road for the second straight day in a row after handing the Philadelphia Phantoms a 3-2 setback on Friday. Bridgeport has been to shootouts in four of its last six games and has earned at least a point in six of seven games in calendar year 2007. The Sound Tigers are 5-4 in shootouts overall this season.

Peter Ferraro, Steve Regier and Allan Rourke all found the back of the net in the shootout and Hershey's Tomas Fleischman and Matt Hendricks scored in the skater versus goaltender session. After Rourke scored in the fifth round, Dubielewicz stopped Joey Tenute to secure the win.

The Bridgeport Sound Tigers, behind goaltender Wade Dubielewicz's strong return to the lineup, edged the visiting Philadelphia Phantoms 2-1 in a shootout before 3,467 fans at the Arena at Harbor Yard on Wednesday night. The Sound Tigers won their second straight game and improved to 15-16-1-3 and the Phantoms dropped to 14-20-1-2 despite outstanding goaltending by Dubielewicz's counterpart, Martin Houle.

The Sound Tigers scored just once on 40 regulation and overtime shots against Houle, but cashed in on three of their four shootout opportunities. Peter Ferraro, Jeff Tambellini and Blake Comeau all scored in the shootout for the Sound Tigers and Niko Dimitrakos scored the Phantom's lone shootout tally. After surrendering a goal on the first shot of the shootout, Dubielewicz poke-checked the puck from Philadelphia's Denis Tolpeko, then stopped Matt Ellison and got some assistance from the goalpost on Darren Reid's shot. Comeau's fourth round goal sealed the win.

The Phantoms earned a point thanks largely to the efforts of Houle, who made 39 saves after making 40 stops in the first meeting of the season between these teams, a Phantoms win back in November. Dubielewicz, meanwhile, was also stingy between the pipes, kicking aside 33 shots in his return the ice after more than a month out of the lineup while nursing an injury.

In overtime, Sound Tiger defenseman Drew Fata hustled back in the neutral zone to negate a possible Philadelphia breakaway and Dubielewicz robbed John Slaney's one-timer in the waning seconds of the extra session to extend the game into the shootout.

Wade Dubielewicz and Brandon Cullen
Sound Tigers multimedia, Dec. 14, 2006

Click to watch Sound Tigers Wade Dubielewicz and Brandon Cullen's community relations event at BOB’S Stores.  The players met fans and did some shopping of their own with the great “Gift it Up” sales offered by the store.

Eric Boguniecki and Wade Dubielewicz
Sound Tigers multimedia, Nov. 7, 2006

Click to watch Sound Tigers Eric Boguniecki and Wade Dubielewicz at Giaquinto’s Deli in West Haven, CT.  The players were on hand to meet the community, sign autographs, and taste the delicious food.

PORTLAND, MAINE - Goaltender Wade Dubielewicz stopped each of the 31 shots he faced in the Bridgeport Sound Tigers' 2-0 win over the Portland Pirates at the Cumberland County Civic Center on Saturday night. Dubielewicz won his second game in as many nights and earned first star honors in the second game in a row.

The Sound Tigers won their first shutout of the year, got their second straight victory, and improved to 5-3-0-2; the Atlantic Division-leading Pirates, meanwhile, fell to 7-4-0-1.

Dubielewicz and his counterpart, Michael Leighton, were locked in a scoreless battle for two-and-a-half periods before the Sound Tigers struck for two goals just 1:13 apart to quickly seize control of the game. Defenseman Kevin Mitchell scored his first goal of the season at 9:57 of the third period to snap the tie. The Sound Tigers got some insurance at 11:10 of the period when Steve Regier set up Jeff Tambellini for his fifth goal, and second in as many nights. Rick Berry, celebrating his birthday, also picked up an assist on Tambellini's tally.

SOUND TIGERS TOP SENATORS 5-2
soundtigers.com, Nov. 3, 2006

Sound Tigers' goaltender Wade Dubielewicz stopped 31 shots, as the Senators out-shot Bridgeport 33-30 in the game. The Sound Tigers, who entered the night with the league's second-ranked penalty kill, did not allow a man advantage goal on six Binghamton power plays, including a big 5-on-3 advantage late in the second. Binghamton's penalty killers also were strong, holding the Sound Tigers to 1-for-9 performance on the advantage.

Dubielewicz will give Sound Tigers another shot
by Michael Fornabaio - Connpost.com, Oct. 6, 2006

SHELTON — The hole opened up July 18 on the New York Islanders' roster, and Wade Dubielewicz looked like the man to fill it. Once Garth Snow retired as the Islanders' backup goaltender to become general manager, Dubielewicz was next in line in the organization after three seasons with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. "I didn't really get my hopes up, right until the last week of the summer, I didn't," Dubielewicz said. In the last week of summer, right before camp, the Islanders brought in veteran Mike Dunham to fill that hole behind Rick DiPietro. So, Dubielewicz finds himself right back here in Bridgeport. If that's hard to handle, Dubielewicz won't say much about it. He's here, and he and a veteran defensive corps will be vital to any high hopes the Sound Tigers may have. "You've always got something to prove," Dubielewicz said. "This is almost home for me now, which is never a bad thing. Long Island was where my heart was, but this is where I'm going to be this year, and I'm excited about it."

Dubielewicz hopes he can carry over last year's late-season success, including a stellar playoff round against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton that ended in a seven-game loss. After a rough start last year, Dubielewicz discovered a stigmatism in his left eye, corrected it with a contact lens, and turned his season around.

On Dec. 20, Dubielewicz had a 3.84 goals-against average and a 4-13 record. Over his final 28 games in the AHL, he went 16-8-2 with a 2.68 GAA and a .924 save percentage. "He's become a leader of the team," said coach Dan Marshall, who was around the Sound Tigers last year as the Islanders' director of player development. "Not only on the ice, but off the ice. When he speaks, people listen."

Dubielewicz — who would become an unrestricted free agent next summer unless he plays at least 20 NHL games this season — was one of 31 men on the ice Wednesday morning for practice. In addition to 26 players and four coaches, Hall of Famer Bryan Trottier joined them; Trottier is now the Islanders' executive director of player development.

2005-06 Update:

May 1, 2006 Update: Wade Dubielewicz posted a record of 1-4-0 in 6 appearances with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers during the month of April. Two of the losses came in overtime. He allowed 16 goals in those appearances. Because he went 3 games under .500 in April Dubielewicz finished the regular season with an overall record of 20-21-2, one game under .500. It was his second straight season finishing under .500, but it also was the second time he reached the 20 win mark. The 20 wins ties his career high that he set back in his rookie season of 2003-04. His career record after three seasons is now 58-52-8 in 122 AHL games played.

Playoffs: Dubielewicz was in net for all 7 games of Bridgeport's first round playoff series loss to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. He allowed 16 goals in the series for a GAA of 2.21 and record of 3-4. He was named one of the game's three stars for the first 6 games of the series. 

April 1, 2006 Update: Wade Dubielewicz posted a record of 6-3-1 in 10 appearances during the month of March. He allowed 29 goals in those 10 games, posting a GAA of just under 3.00. Had a 3 game winning streak from March 25th to 29th. Was named a star in all three games. From March 17th to 29th he went 4-0-0-1 losing only a shootout game March 24th at Manchester. Dubielewicz was named a star 6 times in March, his second most of the season, including three straight nights from March 24th to 26th. Back in December he was named a 3-star seven times. He won his 19th game of the season on March 29th which is one more win than he had in 2004-05. He is one win away from tying his career high of 20 back in the 2003-04 season. Recorded an assist on March 29th on a goal by Jeremy Colliton. It was the first assist by a Bridgeport goaltender this season.

March 1, 2006: Wade Dubielewicz was returned to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers on February 5, 2006 when Garth Snow returned to the Islanders lineup from two sprained knees and a conditioning stint in Bridgeport on February 4th. When Dubielewicz returned he received the majority of the starts with recent signee Frederic Cloutier also seeing some starts. Riding the momentum of his recent play in the NHL, Dubielewicz had a very good month of February going 5-1-0 in seven starts. Despite his good record his GAA was only slightly under 4.00 as he allowed 27 goals in that span. On February 22nd he stopped Hartford's Alexandre Giroux on a penalty shot at 4:33 of the third period. Bridgeport won the game 5-1 and Dubielewicz was named second star with 40 saves. He won three straight games from February 10th to 15th and allowed 9 goals in that span. 

February 1, 2006 Update: Was called up to the Islanders from Bridgeport on January 2, 2006 to backup Garth Snow following a knee sprain injury to Rick DiPietro in Ottawa on December 30, 2005. Dubielewicz backed up Snow that night vs. the Tampa Bay Lightning. Had to enter a 3-3 tie on January 4th vs. the Florida Panthers when Snow left the game with 8 seconds remaining in regulation. The Islander won 4-3 on a goal by Mark Parrish 2 minutes into overtime. Snow suffered two sprained knees in the game. Wade started the next three games for the Islanders: 4-1 loss at Carolina 1/6/06, 3-0 loss vs. Carolina 1/7/06, 2-1 loss at NSH 1/10/06. Backed up Rick DiPietro, who returned from injury, Jan. 12 vs. Calgary. Dubielewicz relieved DiPietro vs. Vancouver on Jan. 14th and allowed 4 goals in an 8-1 loss. Backed up DiPietro for the next three games. Relieved DiPietro vs. the New Jersey Devils on Jan. 24 and made 11 saves on 11 shots in a 4-0 loss. Started vs. the Pittsburgh Penguins Jan. 26th in what might be his most memorable game as an Islander to date. Dubielewicz allowed a late shorthanded extra attacker goal to John Leclair to force the game into overtime tied 3-3. The game would go to a shootout and Dubielewicz would stone M. Ouellet, Sidney Crosby and Ryan Malone. Miroslav Satan scored the only goal the Islanders would need in the shootout to win the game 4-3 for the Islanders. Dubielewicz would go one to backup DiPietro for the next two remaining games the Islanders played in January. 

January 1, 2006 Update: Wade started the month of December off with a not so good 2-6 record in the first half, but rebounded in the second half with a solid 4-0-1 mark. He only allowed 30 goals on the month in 13 games lowering his GAA into the lower three's. Still on the month he was only .500 with a 6-6-1 record. He posted 3 shutouts in December. In 2004-05 he only had one shutout all season after posting 9 as a rookie in 2003-04.

Hopes were that Wade Dubielewicz would return to his form of 2003-04 when he was named rookie of the year in the AHL and not the below average goaltender he was in 2004-05. Well so far he seems to have picked up where last season left off going 1-5 in October and having his #1 job with the Sound Tigers taken away by offseason signee Chris Madden. In the month of November Dubielewicz only saw action in 3 games and posted a 1-2 record. He was called up for one game with the Islanders on October 15, 2005 in Philadelphia to back up Garth Snow following a game in which Rick DiPietro received a slight concussion in a goal mouth collision. He was also called up to serve as back up to Snow on November 1, 2005 when Rick DiPietro was out with a bruised knee.

Highlights:

* Shared a 4-0 shutout with Chris Madden at Lowell Lock Monsters December 2, 2005. Both goaltenders had 15 saves. Dubielewicz played 40 minutes after relieving Madden early in the second period.

* Posted a 3-0 shutout and named first star with 33 saves vs. the Philadelphia Phantoms Dec. 3, 2005.

* Stopped two penalty shot attempts(Eric Fehr 4:46 of 2nd period and Brooks Laich 13:16 of 2nd period) in one game Dec. 10, 2005 in a 4-1 loss at the Hershey Bears.

* Named third star Dec. 11, 2005 with 32 saves in a 4-2 loss at the Hershey Bears.
* Named first star Dec. 21, 2005 with 26 saves in a 2-1 win vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
* Named third star Dec. 23, 2005 with 44 saves in a 3-2 shootout loss vs. the Hatford Wolfpack.
* Posted a 4-0 shutout and named first star with 36 saves vs. Springfield Falcons Dec. 28, 2005.
* Named second star Dec. 30, 2005 with 26 saves in 4-1 win at Philadelphia Phantoms.
* Posted a 6-0 shutout and named first star with 24 saves vs. Lowell Lock Monsters Dec. 31, 2005.
* Named first star in 4-3 shootout win with 13 saves vs. Pittsburgh Penguins Jan. 26, 2006.
* Named first star in 3-1 win with 32 saves vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins February 12, 2006.
* Named second star in 5-1 win with 40 saves vs. Hartford Wolf Pack February 22, 2006.
* Named first star in 2-1 win with 40 saves vs. Norfolk Admirals March 5, 2006.
* Named third star in 5-2 win with 30 saves at Norfolk Admirals March 11, 2006.
* Named second star in 2-1 SO loss with 32 saves at Manchester Monarchs March 24, 2006.
* Named third star in 6-3 win with 42 saves at Hartford Wolf Pack March 25, 2006.
* Named second star in 5-2 win with 39 saves at Springfield Falcons March 26, 2006.
* Named third star in 5-4 OT win with 38 saves vs. Hershey Bears March 29, 2006.
* Named first star in 2-1 win with 30 saves vs. Hartford Wolf Pack April 8, 2006.

Playoffs:

* Named first star in 2-1 win with 24 saves at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins April 20, 2006.
* Named first star in 3-2 win with 41 saves at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins April 22, 2006.
* Named second star in 3-2 OT loss with 28 saves vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins April 23, 2006.
* Named second star in 1-0 loss with 25 saves vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins April 25, 2006.
* Named second star in 3-2 OT win with 34 saves at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins April 26, 2006.
* Named third star in 3-2 OT loss with 45 saves vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins April 28, 2006.

BRIDGEPORT — He was right back in the nets for Game 5 at the Wachovia Arena on Wednesday night. Just as he had been for Game 4 at the Arena at Harbor Yard on Tuesday and for the first three games of this playoff series before that.

The Bridgeport Sound Tigers are going to ride Wade Dubielewicz as long as they can in these Calder Cup playoffs against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

So far, he's been a great ride — he was sharp again in Game 5 as the Sound Tigers won 3-2 to take a 3-2 edge in the series.

For any goaltender, especially Dubielewicz, facing this type of pressure is what he wants. They want to be the difference. So far in this first-round playoff series, Dubielewicz has thrived, and because of that, he has given the fourth-seeded Sound Tigers a solid chance to knock off the top-seeded Penguins.

Dubielewicz took his place between the pipes Wednesday night, knowing that a 3-2 series lead or deficit rested on how many shots he could stop. Home-ice advantage (what home ice?) had been lost on a fluke goal on Tuesday night, and because of that, a commanding 3-1 lead against the Penguins had been lost, too. Wednesday night at the Wachovia Arena, in front of some of the loudest fans in the league, it was up to Dubielewicz — all 5-foot-10 of him — to get the home-ice advantage, and the momentum, back.

"You can't dwell on what happened," Dubielewicz said in the Sound Tigers locker room Tuesday after an accidental deflection off teammate Jeff Tambellini's knee was the lone goal scored in a 1-0 loss to the Penguins at Harbor Yard. "If you do, you could find yourself down 3-0 in the first period tomorrow night. It was a fluke. That's what happens in playoff hockey. It's over. Time to move on."

One of the key reasons the Sound Tigers have a chance to win this playoff series has been Dubielewicz. In the first four games against the Penguins, he has allowed just seven goals. He made 24 saves in Game 1 and stopped a 41-shot bombardment in Game 2, including 20 saves in the third period, as Bridgeport stole away the first two games at Wilkes-Barre.

He was beaten three times in a Game 3 overtime loss and just once in Game 4, but those four goals were enough to get the Penguins two victories at Bridgeport and pull them back to even in this best-of-7 series.

Dubielewicz made 34 saves on 36 shots Wednesday in Game 5.

"The bounces seem to even out. In their first two games down there, we kind of got the bounces and I think when they came up here, they got the bounces," Dubielewicz said Tuesday. "Hopefully, when we head back there, it'll even out again."

It has to, or else the Sound Tigers will be more concerned with making tee times than trying to figure out how to beat Hershey in the next round.

This season, Dubielewicz took his place as the Sound Tigers No. 1 goaltender, playing in 46 games. Forget about his 1-6 start and his 20-21-2 overall record. Look at the 3.12 goals against. Look at the three shutouts. Look at the 1,362 saves and the .910 save percentage.

Look at the dominating run in late January and early February, when he went 9-1-1 to get the Sound Tigers back into the playoff hunt and keeping them in the thick of that hunt the rest of the season.

"He's showing that he's an elite goalie at this level," coach Dave Baseggio said. "He had a slow start this year and then he came on. He was up for a while in New York and played well for the Islanders (2-3 with a 2.90 goals against) and for the last part of the season, he's been a house for us in there. He's done everything we've asked of him and then some. He got us to the playoffs and he's given us a chance to win every game."

The Sound Tigers' fate is riding on Dubielewicz.

And that's just the way he wants it.

Sound Tigers depending on Dubielewicz- 3/31/06
by Michael Fornabaio - Connpost.com

BRIDGEPORT — After an otherwise spectacular Wednesday night, Wade Dubielewicz wasn't happy with one thing. His positioning on the tying goal was off, he said, so he was thankful his teammates bailed him out with a power-play goal in overtime and a win over Hershey.

After the past few months, and particularly after the past few games, they probably owed him at least that much. Dubielewicz was 4-13 after a game Dec. 18, with a 3.84 goals-against average and a .889 save percentage. That was soon after a visit to the eye doctor corrected a left-eye astigmatism. In his 21 AHL games since then, he's 15-3-2 (with one rough no-decision, followed immediately by his worst loss in the stretch), his goals-against is 2.49, and his save percentage is .927.

Since last Friday, he's gone 3-0-1, stopping 151 out of 161 shots. Bridgeport coach Dave Baseggio has been riding Dubielewicz all month, and that should continue this weekend, beginning tonight in Philadelphia. "We've got eight games left over three weeks, so I'm not too concerned," Baseggio said. "He'll tell me if he's tired, and I'll gauge accordingly. We're still not in (the playoffs). For me to take my foot off the pedal wouldn't be fair to anybody."

Despite playing in 10 of the past 11 games, Dubielewicz said he doesn't feel any wear on him. "I had that month on Long Island where I didn't play hardly at all," Dubielewicz said. "I think that's almost a blessing."

Dubielewicz mentioned feeling like he can have "an impact" on every game, reflected in three-stars selections; he was picked as a star of the game in each of the past four games, and in six of his past eight. "It's great playing a lot when things are going right," Dubielewicz said. At 19-16-2, Dubielewicz is three games over .500 for the first time since December 2004. Until Saturday, that was the last time he had been over .500, period. His record suffered last year after the team was beset by injuries and fell apart. Now, he and the Sound Tigers could clinch a return to the playoffs as early as Saturday.

Quote of the week: "They threw everything but the kitchen sink at us. (Wade Dubielewicz) is in a zone right now. Hopefully, he keeps it up, and I expect him to keep it up." — coach Dave Baseggio, after Saturday's 6-3 win at Hartford.

Player of the week: Bridgeport nominated goalie Wade Dubielewicz, who played three games in three nights, went 2-0-1 and stopped 113 out of 119 shots, plus five of seven penalty shots in a Friday-night shootout. Joe Motzko of Syracuse won the award.

Award Ballots Issued: The Sound Tigers have had a couple of major awards winners. Wade Dubielewicz was the rookie of the year and was the second-team all-star goalie in 2003-04.

BRIDGEPORT — Sure, Wade Dubielewicz gave up four goals Wednesday to the Hershey Bears, but there's no way his Bridgeport Sound Tigers win this game without him. Dubielewicz twice stopped Bears on breakaways in the first two periods. Both times, the Sound Tigers turned around on the same shift to score goals.

"Those kind of get lost in the shuffle," coach Dave Baseggio said. "He was there all night. He's been outstanding of late."

And Justin Papineau's goal in overtime — with Bridgeport enjoying a six-on-three advantage — won it in the left winger's return from November shoulder surgery. The Sound Tigers wake up this morning in third place in the East Division after Norfolk lost to Philadelphia. The Admirals have a game in hand. Dubielewicz made five of his 38 saves on Mario Larocque's major boarding penalty, taken with 6:29 to go, to get the team to overtime. Penalties five seconds apart in overtime to Jakub Klepis and Lawrence Nycholat gave Bridgeport a five-on-three power play, and Jakub Cutta was about to get another two minors. Mike Omicioli came off the bench to replace Dubielewicz on the delayed penalty. Kirk Daubenspeck stopped Rob Collins' initial shot, but on the second whack at the rebound, Papineau chipped the puck into the net for the win. All of the theatrics takes a little away from Dubielewicz's recent brilliance. In the past four games, Dubielewicz has stopped 151 out of 161 shots. Wednesday, in front of 3,462 fans at the Arena at Harbor Yard, he picked up Bridgeport's first assist by a goaltender this year. "I don't think we played well," Baseggio said. "They had the territorial advantage, I guess. We bent a lot but we didn't break."

Bridgeport trailed twice, and Hershey outshot the Sound Tigers from the start, but Bridgeport made its shots count against Frederic Cassivi. Jeremy Colliton, just back from the NHL along with Collins, scored Bridgeport's first two goals. His first goal came on his own rebound on a power play 12:31 into the first, countering Joey Tenute's goal.

Not 45 seconds earlier, Dubielewicz had stuck his right pad up to stop Dave Steckel on a short-handed breakaway. The Sound Tigers' fourth goal, scored when Masi Marjamaki's shot bounced off Steve Regier and in, followed another brilliant Dubielewicz foiling by only 14 seconds; Dubielewicz had pokechecked the puck away from Tenute as he went to make a move in front of the crease. Dubielewicz couldn't stop a third breakaway; Kris Beech's second goal of the game, off Collins' turnover, made it 4-3 early in the third. Tomas Fleischmann tied it. Ryan Caldwell scored with one tick left on a second-period power play. Dubielewicz assisted on Colliton's second goal, a breakaway from the blue line in after Tomi Pettinen hit him with a long lead pass. Bridgeport's Matt Koalska left the game in the first period after a neutral-zone hit from Hershey captain Boyd Kane. The preliminary diagnosis was a hyperextended left knee.

DUBIELEWICZ, SOUND TIGERS EARN POINT IN MANCHESTER
March 24, 2006 - SoundTigers.com

MANCHESTER, NH - The American Hockey League's Bridgeport Sound Tigers, top affiliate of the National Hockey League's New York Islanders, earned a valuable standings point Friday in a 2-1 road loss to the Manchester Monarchs in a seven-round shootout. The Sound Tigers now have a seven-point lead on the Binghamton Senators in the race for the fourth-and-final playoff spot in the AHL's East Division.

Both goaltenders-- Wade Dubielewicz of the Sound Tigers and Adam Hauser of Manchester --continued their brilliant play by keeping the score tied at 1-1 through the third period and overtime then by combining to stop 11 of 14 attempts in the shootout.

Matt Koalska of the Sound Tigers and Noah Clarke of the Monarchs scored in opening round of the shootout. Hauser and Dubielewicz then combined for 11 straight saves before Clarke banked the deciding goal off the cross bar in the bottom of the seventh round to give Manchester the 2-1 win, which clinched a berth in the 2006 Calder Cup Playoffs for the Monarchs.

Hauser was the first star of the game with 29 saves plus six shootout stops. Dubielewicz was the second star with 32 saves and five shootout denials. Daigle was the third star. The Sound Tigers were 1 for 5 on the power play and 3 for 3 on the penalty kill while Manchester finished with a 34-30 shots on goal advantage, including the singular team shot in the shootout.

BRIDGEPORT — Wade Dubielewicz needed to make those two big saves Sunday for more reasons than just the scoreboard and the past week. The two biggest stops of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers' 2-1 overtime victory over Norfolk came almost six minutes into the third period. The Admirals led 1-0 on a Shawn Thornton goal and were threatening more in front of a season-high 5,856 fans at the Arena at Harbor Yard. Bruno Gervais had the puck behind the Bridgeport net, and Dubielewicz told him to rim it around. He did, and star center Mark Cullen intercepted it on the boards, with two players in front of the net. Uh-oh. But Dubielewicz went down and got the glove up to stop Carl Corazzini. Eric Meloche put the rebound into Dubielewicz's chest. "It was basically my fault that it happened, so I don't even feel too good about making 'em. I had to," Dubielewicz said. "If we're down 2-0, maybe we're not going to be able to come back and get two points."

Jeff Hamilton scored a five-on-three goal a little more than two minutes later, and Hamilton scored his 20th on an overtime power play to salvage the last contest of a four-game homestand — and the biggest of the four — after three losses.

Bridgeport moved two points behind the third-place Admirals in the East Division standings, though Norfolk has two games in hand. The teams meet Friday and Saturday in Virginia, beginning the Sound Tigers' seven-game road swing.

"If Dubie doesn't make those saves, it's 2-0, and it might be lights out," coach Dave Baseggio said. "We got a little life off that, drew a couple of penalties and scored some goals."

Those stops were just two of 40 Sunday for the Bridgeport goalie, who had allowed 10 goals in his previous 80 minutes of play. "Two rough games in a row, and I'm supposed to be the starting goalie," Dubielewicz said. "(The win) helps confidence-wise. ... Like the way we started the year, if a team plays without confidence, it's not successful."

Referee Jeff Smith shocked Norfolk with 18.5 seconds left in regulation, whistling Matt Keith for swatting Allan Rourke's loose stick away from him. Hamilton almost won the game with about two seconds left off Jeremy Colliton's faceoff win. He did win it off one of those patented Hamilton goals from the left circle, one-timing Rob Collins' feed. "He was thinking about shooting it the whole time, and the goalie knew it," Hamilton said. "He slid it over to me. If I just hit the net, (Crawford) didn't have enough time to get over."

Norfolk, completing a stretch of eight road games in 10 days, had a 27-14 lead in shots after two periods. Baseggio let his team have it.

"He came in and rattled some guys up," Dubielewicz said. "(He said) we haven't played for the first 40, and we're still in the game. Let's come out and do a good job."

Hamilton scored on a five-on-three, cutting through the top of the slot, after Collins drew the penalty that put Bridgeport up two men. Thornton scored one second after a penalty expired late in the second period. Paul Flache (eye) was scratched and is expected to see a doctor today.

SOUND TIGERS OVERPOWER NORFOLK 2-1 IN OT
March 5, 2006 - SoundTigers.com

BRIDGEPORT, CT - The American Hockey League's Bridgeport Sound Tigers, top affiliate of the National Hockey League's New York Islanders, rallied to beat the Norfolk Admirals 2-1 in overtime at home Sunday afternoon to pull within two points of the Admirals in the East Division standings.

Sound Tigers goalie Wade Dubielewicz kept Norfolk at bay turning away all 11 shots he faced in the first period. In the middle frame, Dubielewicz continued his stellar play making two saves on Mark Cullen during a goal mouth scramble just past the mid-point of the period.

With 1:31 remaining in the period, the Admirals finally broke through when Shawn Thornton wristed a seeing-eye shot past Dubielewicz for his ninth tally of the season just one second after a Norfolk power play expired. Danny Richmond and Pavel Vorobiev assisted on the play giving the Admirals a 1-0 lead.

Early in the third period, Mark Cullen and Carl Corazzini both had opportunities to boost Norfolk's lead to 2-0 but were denied when Dubielewicz made back-to-back saves. He stopped Cullen on a wrister from just inside the right circle then Corazzini on a backhander from the slot on the rebound.

"If Dubielewicz doesn't make those two saves, we're in a real hole," Sound Tigers head coach Dave Baseggio said. "We came to life after that and were able to get two much needed points."

Dubielewicz stopped 40 of 41 shots to earn the victory for the Sound Tigers who were 2 for 6 on the power play and 2 for 2 on the penalty kill while Crawford stopped 32 shots for the Admirals who held the shots on goal advantage at 41-34. The first star of the game was Dubielewicz, the second was Hamilton, and the third was Thornton.

BRIDGEPORT — Few Bridgeport Sound Tigers have been blameless in these past two losses, but goalie Wade Dubielewicz took the brunt of the fans' displeasure Wednesday night.

As Albany scored goal after goal, five in all in the third period, the crowd sprinkled around the Arena at Harbor Yard got more and more restless. Dubielewicz said he didn't hear the jeers, but he didn't blame the fans for them. He couldn't believe the score, either. "We come out after the game and look back at 6-1, it's unbelievable to me," Dubielewicz said. "They're going to happen. We've got to learn from them."

After the horrendous statistical start to his season, Dubielewicz had his goals-against average down to 3.09 last Wednesday. But after giving up 10 goals in four periods, it has hopped back up to 3.30. Coach Dave Baseggio thought Dubielewicz played well enough in the first two periods but could have been more aggressive. "It's a reflection of the whole team, too," said Baseggio, whose team allowed three of those five Albany third-period goals on breakaways. "I don't know what we drank between the second and third periods. It was caffeine free, because we fell asleep."

These back-to-back defensive debacles — Bridgeport trailed Binghamton 6-1 before losing 6-5 Sunday — bother Dubielewicz, too, with 18 games remaining in the regular season and an 11-point lead for a playoff berth. "If we're together, if we have a full lineup, I think we have a pretty impressive team," Dubielewicz said. "If we play .500 hockey the rest of the way, we might not be in the playoffs."

BRIDGEPORT — In the first game of the regular season back in October, Wade Dubielewicz gave up six goals in 28 minutes against Wilkes Barre/Scranton before coach Dave Baseggio mercifully pulled him from the nets. Three nights later, he gave up six goals to Norfolk. Then he gave up four to Portland, five more to Wilkes Barre/Scranton (before being pulled again), three to Hartford and six to Manchester.

Clearly, something wasn't right.

Seven starts had produced just one win, six losses and one very disappointing goals against average of 5.35. The Bridgeport Sound Tigers were struggling and so was their top goaltender.

Dubielewicz couldn't put his finger on the problem. He was supposed to be the next great Bridgeport goaltender. First, Rick DiPietro, then Steve Valiquette and, ta da! Dubielewicz. He would make his mark in the AHL — like he had in 2003-04 when he went 20-8-5 with nine shutouts and a 1.38 goals against average — and his next stop would be across Long Island Sound to the Islanders and the NHL.

Only it wasn't that simple.

His confidence was getting battered. He struggled to find his rhythm toward the end of the 2004-05 season and finished with an 18-23-1 record. And over the summer, when he sat down with Islanders general manager Mike Milbury, Dubielewicz was told in no uncertain terms that, this season, he had to open some eyes within the organization.

But it was Dubielewicz's eyes that were causing the problem. It took a routine eye exam in December to discover that the goaltender was suffering from a stigmatism that slightly blurred the vision in his left eye. "I was having trouble in my left eye seeing the puck. I mean, I could see it, don't get me wrong, but when I was going to catch it, it would be going off the palm or I'd be batting it back out and I couldn't really control the pace of the game," Dubielewicz said. "Obviously, it cost me a couple of games here and there."

As soon as he was fitted for a set on contact lens, things suddenly got a lot clearer.

Dubielewicz stopped 26 of 27 shots in a 2-1 win over Wilkes Barre/Scranton on December 21. A week later, he shut out the Springfield Falcons. He allowed just one goal in a victory at Philadelphia on Dec. 30 and then shut out Lowell on New Year's Eve. He opened some eyes, all right. The Islanders called him up on Jan. 2.

After a month with the big club, Dubielewicz is back with the Sound Tigers, and both team and goaltender are still riding that hot streak that started in December. Dubielewicz stopped 40 of 41 shots in Wednesday's 5-1 win over the Hartford Wolf Pack at the Arena, including stoning Alexandre Giroux on a third-period penalty shot, to lift his record to 9-1-1 in his last 11 starts.

"I think he's seeing the puck real well, looking it into his glove. He's really on top of the puck, on top of the play and he's alive in the net, moreso than he was earlier in the year," said coach Dave Baseggio, who's stared Dubielewicz six times in the last eight games and received five wins. "I guess he couldn't see earlier in the year, that's what he was saying. Whatever it is, he's seeing the puck better."

From that 1-6 start, Dubielewicz is 13-14-1 and that 5.35 goals against is down to 3.09. And the Sound Tigers, who were 11-18-2-0 when Dubielewicz was 4-13, are now 30-24-3-1 and are in third place in the East Division.

"It (the streak) has been broken up a bit ... it doesn't feel like it's that big of a run, but the team's got a little bit of a roll going and we've kept it going," Dubielewicz said. "When I came back in February, this team has a lot of confidence and even when we get down two goals we can come back. And that's a good feeling for a goaltender, knowing that he can give up a couple of goals and still win."

It's also a good feeling to find out there was an actual problem surrounding his disappointing play and not simply some kind of mental block or confidence question.

"I was having issues ... confidence issues from last year, so I was really almost hoping that it was something wrong, so I could point the finger at that a little bit," he said. "It's nice to be able to recognize that something was up."

During his month with the Islanders, Dubielewicz went 2-3 with a 2.90 goals against in seven games. That might have opened some eyes, too.

"Whether I am or not, I don't know," he said. "It's not something I think about very often. But in the big picture, I hope so."

Right now, the Sound Tigers are hoping that Dubielewicz continues to see, and stop, the puck like he has been in their quest toward the playoffs.

"He's on a pretty good run," Baseggio said. "When you got a thoroughbred like that and he's playing like a No. 1 goalie in the American (Hockey) League and an NHL goalie."

BERGENHEIM, SOUND TIGERS SOLVE HARTFORD 5-1
Four-goal hat trick powers first win of season vs. Wolf Pack
February 22, 2006

Hartford spoiled Sound Tigers netminder Wade Dubielewicz's shutout bid with exactly four minutes remaining in the second period, when Alexandre Giroux pushed a lose puck in for his 24th goal of the season on assists from Hugh Jessiman and Jarkko Immonen, cutting the Sound Tigers lead to 4-1 heading into the final period.

Dubielewicz kept the Sound Tigers in front by three goals when he denied the Wolf Pack's Alexandre Giroux on a penalty shot 4:33 into the third period. The Sound Tigers have never allowed a goal on a penalty shot since joining the AHL in 2001.

Bergenheim was the first star of the game, Dubielewicz the second with his 40 saves and Nilsson was the third. The Sound Tigers were 2 for 5 on the power play and 3 for 3 on the penalty kill. Hartford had a 43-25 shots on goal advantage.

Wade Dubielewicz Named AHL Player Of The Week
01/03/06 - American Hockey League (AHL) Bridgeport Sound Tigers

BRIDGEPORT, CT - The American Hockey League's Bridgeport Sound Tigers, top affiliate of the National Hockey League's New York Islanders, have announced goaltender Wade Dubielewicz has been named the CCM Vector / AHL Player of the Week for the period ending Sunday, January 1st. Dubielewicz allowed just one goal in posting a 3-0 record, two shutouts, a 0.33 goals against average and a .989 save percentage in three games last week. He has also stopped 156 of 160 shots in leading the Sound Tigers to a five-game, unbeaten-in-regulation streak at 4-0-0-1.

In recognition of his achievement, Dubielewicz will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming Sound Tigers home game at Bridgeport's Arena at Harbor Yard.

Dubielewicz began his award-winning week by stopping all 36 shots he faced in a 4-0 home win over the Springfield Falcons Wednesday. He turned aside 26 of 27 shots in a 4-1 road win over the Philadelphia Phantoms Friday. The week concluded with Dubielewicz making 24 saves Saturday afternoon in a 6-0 home win over the Lowell Lock Monsters. He was then recalled by the Islanders on Monday.

Dubielewicz is 8-13-1 with a 3.12 goals against average, .908 save percentage and three shutouts in 23 appearances with the Sound Tigers this season. The three shutouts rank him second among the AHL's leading goaltenders and push his Sound Tigers career total to 13, which breaks a franchise record he originally set in 2003-04. In addition to the 13 shutouts, Dubielewicz is 46-44-7 and has one assist and six penalty minutes in 99 career AHL games as a Sound Tiger. He is 1-0-1 with a 1.73 goals against average and a .940 save percentage in two career NHL appearances with the Islanders.

Dubielewicz first signed as a free agent with the Islanders in May of 2003 and won the AHL's Garrett Award as the Rookie of the Year in 2003-04 when he set league records with a 1.38 goals against average and .946 save percentage. He also notched nine shutouts to set the Sound Tigers career mark and tie the AHL's single-season rookie record in 2003-04. Dubielewicz played four seasons (1999-2003) at University of Denver before turning pro.

BRIDGEPORT — Mention the Bridgeport Sound Tigers' recent defensive success, and Wade Dubielewicz's teammates keep pointing to goaltending as a big reason.

After a 36-save shutout Wednesday night in a 4-0 victory over the Springfield Falcons, all Dubielewicz has done in the last three games is stop 106 out of 109 shots, earning two wins and a tough shootout loss. In 2003-04, Dubielewicz set AHL records for goals-against average and save percentage. That year hasn't looked closer than it has in the past two weeks.

"He looks like the guy I played with my first year, and that's not to say he hasn't played well the last couple of years," said third-year defenseman Cole Jarrett, who scored Bridgeport's second goal Wednesday. "He's finding ways to make every save. That's helped his confidence tremendously."

Two goals late in the third period made it an easy win over the Falcons, who have lost five in a row. Attendance was 3,278 at the Arena at Harbor Yard. Rob Collins assisted on Bridgeport's first two goals, tying Justin Mapletoft's career team record of 83. Robert Nilsson, looking as slick as he has looked since his first few games in Bridgeport, also had two assists. Dubielewicz only needed one, notching his second shutout of the month. Springfield came no closer than Jason Jaspers' shot off a post in the first, by which time Bruno Gervais' power-play goal had given Dubielewicz a lead. "I think, the last bunch of weeks, he's been right at the top of his game," coach Dave Baseggio said. "He's challenging. He's out. He's very confident in there. He's taking charge, and he's playing great."

2004-05 Update:

After an incredible rookie season in the AHL, Wade Dubielewicz struggled in his sophomore campaign. If it wasn't for the NHL lockout, Wade would have most likely been the Islanders backup to Rick DiPietro. Instead he returned to a Bridgeport lineup that was not as strong or deep as it was in the previous season of 2003-04 when he was named rookie of the year after posting a record of 20-8-5, allowing only 45 goals for a stellar 1.68 GAA, and posting an incredible 9 shutouts. With the Sound Tigers missing the playoffs for the first time in franchise history in 2004-05, Dubielewicz struggled this time out to an 18-23-1 record, allowed more than twice as many goals with 113(he did play in 10 more games), posted a still respectable 2.67 GAA, and only recorded 1 shutout all season. Still, Wade has the current inside track on the Islanders backup job and hopefully he will be competing for that position come September of 2005 instead of facing the prospect of returning back to Bridgeport for a third season.

BRIDGEPORT — Only two season series out of 13 finished in the Bridgeport Sound Tigers' favor this non-playoff season. One was against Binghamton, the East Division champions. The other was against the Manchester Monarchs, the Atlantic Division leaders, and Bridgeport clinched that one with a 2-1 win Saturday night at the Arena at Harbor Yard, courtesy of goalie Wade Dubielewicz.

Dubielewicz made 40 saves, 15 in the second and 16 more in the third, to keep Manchester from clinching the division in front of 5,232 fans. Finishing an up-and-down season — he's 17-23-1 — Dubielewicz stopped Brad Smyth repeatedly in the second period, then stoned Dustin Brown and Jim Steckel repeatedly in the third. "My contract's up next year. My future's up in the air," Dubielewicz said. "I definitely want to make an impression on the organization."

Dubielewicz has appeared in six games in a row because of a neck injury to Dieter Kochan, but none of the previous five were as impressive as this one. "His credibility and reputation as a potential backup goalie in the NHL, I think, has been put to the test because of the inconsistency he had all season long," Bridgeport coach Greg Cronin said. "If he plays like that, he's got (New York Islanders coach Steve) Stirling sitting up there, he makes a case for himself."

The victory gave the Sound Tigers a 3-1 record against Manchester; they won five out of eight games against Binghamton. In comparison, they split two games with Springfield, the last-place team in the Atlantic, and lost on points to Albany, the team behind them in the East. "You can say we had injuries; the list goes on, we had excuses, but we didn't get the job done against teams we could have beat," Dubielewicz said. "It shows, if you can beat the best in the league, you can beat anybody."

BRIDGEPORT — Things would be a lot worse for Wade Dubielewicz, he said, if the Bridgeport Sound Tigers were losing.

Since the All-Star break, Dubielewicz mostly has kept watch from the bench as Dieter Kochan has clutched onto the role of Bridgeport's No. 1 goalie. Dubielewicz has played only one of the past 10 games, and he's likely to be the backup again tonight when the Sound Tigers host the Providence Bruins. One year after breaking a 66-year-old league record with a 1.38 goals-against average, Dubielewicz has a 2.79 GAA and has had to find ways (with help, he credits, from his teammates) to keep a positive frame of mind.

He's got to adapt to the environment he's in right now, Bridgeport coach Greg Cronin said. I think if he handles it properly, if he can stay focused, he can learn a lot about himself, and also learn by watching the other guy play.

Cronin had said for a while he would stick with a hot goalie as long as that streak lasted. Dubielewicz had a couple of good runs, but he never got past warm. Somebody, obviously, would eventually step up and give us the job in goal we need to be successful, Dubielewicz said. I had plenty of opportunities to run with the starting job.

Kochan has gone 6-3 since the break, recording 34 or more saves in four of those games. He set a team record Saturday with 49 stops against Norfolk in a 4-1 win. In Dubielewicz's only game in that stretch, he lost to Portland 3-2 on 25 saves. The Pirates scored on a two-on-one and a two-on-none in that game, and they also took a 2-0 lead when Dubielewicz hit Graham Mink with a pass at the side of the net. He rates his performance against Portland as not bad, but that turnover sticks with him.

It was a playoff game for us. We needed to win, Dubielewicz said. Cronin hopes this period will give Dubielewicz some good perspective, and that he'll gain something from the experience. Ultimately, the moment of truth will be when he gets back in the net, you know? Cronin said.

Sophomore Slumper
By Mike Scandura, hockeyjournal.com
January 17, 2005

New York Islanders coach Steve Stirling has one word for Bridgeport Sound Tigers goalie Wade Dubielewicz: kiss. Actually that's four words in one, an acronym ‘for keep it simple, stupid.’

A year ago Dubielewicz was the toast of the Islanders' minor league system when he was voted the AHL's Rookie of the Year after he posted a 20-8-5 record with a 1.38 goals-against average, a .946 save percentage and nine shutouts in 33 games. He led the league in GAA and save percentage and was voted an AHL Second Team All-Star.

That's heady stuff for the former University of Denver All-American who missed six weeks of his senior season because of a torn hamstring, and who eventually signed a one-year free agent contract. But an erratic sophomore season has left Stirling perplexed.

"It's been a combination of things," he said. "He has not played as well as he played a year ago. Has he played poorly? No. Early in the year he went through a tough stretch where he was playing okay … trying to do too much, worrying about making the big save instead of just playing and letting the puck come to him.

"Throw in the fact we're so young on 'D' and I think some of that plays into where I think he thinks too much and thinks he has to do too much. He needs to relax and not worry about what's in front of him because he can't control that."

Through Jan. 16, Dubielewicz was 9-13-1 with a 2.68 GAA and a .909 save percentage in 23 games. But as Stirling indicated, Dubielewicz's stats aren't solely the result of problems he's created for himself.

"Last year we had veteran ‘D’ like Brandon Smith, Alan Letang and Alaine Nasreddine," said Sterling. "This year we have so many young ‘D’ (i.e. Ryan Caldwell, 23; Chris Campoli, 20; Bruno Gervais, 20, Cole Jarrett, 22). You've got to get help. When “Duby's” playing well then he's getting help from the young kids.

"But, again, it isn't just all the young kids. There are times when he's got to do a better job with rebounds, a better job of controlling where the puck goes."

In retrospect, Stirling might have predicted some of what's transpired given Bridgeport's makeup.

"We knew going in that with this young team and him playing a lot there might be some rough spots," said Stirling. "He was going to play another 30, 35, 40 games so we could get a true indication of what kind of goalie he was while playing on a different kind of team.

"But he'll be the first to tell you he's thinking too much and concentrating on too many things instead of just worrying about staying in the crease, worrying about his position and stopping that little black thing. Fortunately, he's a good kid. He works hard in practice and is coachable. I think he's going to be fine."

Excerpt taken from: Hockeygoalies.org (check out for complete bio & games played log)

Wade made his National Hockey League debut, and earned his first league victory, on March 25, 2004 at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. With starting goaltender Rick DiPietro out because of the flu and backup Garth Snow leaving the Islanders-Flyers game after one period with a groin injury, Dubielewicz was told late in the first intermission that he would be starting the second period. "If I had all day to think about it, I probably would have psyched myself out or got too fired up," said Dubielewicz. "It was a nice, quick introduction to the National Hockey League." Wade stopped all fourteen shots he faced over the final two periods as the Islanders knocked off Philadelphia by a 4-2 score. Dubielewicz made three sprawling saves in the second and reached back with his stick to stop two of the shots from crossing the goal line. He stopped two more shots on a 1:52 five-on-three advantage early in the third. Said Islanders coach Steve Stirling: "What you saw is what you get. He wasn't nervous. That's not his style. He's a real composed kid. That's how he plays."

Dubielewicz reaches deal with Islanders - 5/25/03

By Mike Chambers, Denver Post Sports Writer

Former University of Denver All-America goalie Wade Dubielewicz has signed a free-agent contract with the New York Islanders. The deal is for one year, the maximum allowed for an undrafted 24-year-old.

Terms were not disclosed by his Denver-based agent, Kurt Overhardt.

Dubielewicz, who left two offers on the table to return to DU for his injury-plagued senior season, likely will play next season in Bridgeport, Conn., for the Islanders' American Hockey League affiliate.

The British Columbia native, who was not available for comment, is represented by KO Sports Inc. The company's clients include NHL goalies Ty Conklin (Edmonton), David Aebischer(Colorado), Steve Shields (Boston) and Marty Turco (Dallas).

"Based on our experience with goalies, we feel pretty good he'll be playing in the American (Hockey) League next year," Overhardt said of Dubielewicz. "From our perspective, it's a great opportunity to prove himself, to go in and possibly be a starter in the American (Hockey) League."

The 5-foot-10, 180-pound Dubielewicz holds the highest career save percentage in DU history (.926). He is tied for first in goals-against average (2.20) and is second in shutouts (eight). Dubielewicz went 20-4 in his All-America junior season, with a 1.72 GAA and .943 SP. He went 9-8-2 with a 2.43 GAA and .912 SP last season. He missed six weeks because of torn hamstring and rotated starts with senior-to-be Adam Berkhoel.

The Islanders have goalies Garth Snow and Rick DiPietro, who was the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2000.

Isles Sign Goalie, Hobey Finalist
by islesinfo.com

May 25, 2003: The Islanders today reached terms on a one year deal with University of Denver goaltender Wade Dubielewicz. The length of the contract is the maximum an undrafted 24 year old player can be signed to as per NHL bylaws. The signing of Dubielewicz, a Hobey Baker Finalist in 2002, raises questions regarding the Isles goaltending situation.

- The belief is that Dubielewicz is good enough to play for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in 2003-04. So what does that mean about the status of Stephen Valiquette, who is an unrestricted free agent? Valley reportedly had a meeting with GM Mike Milbury following Bridgeport's defeat by Binghamton to discuss his status with the team. Valiquette did backstop the Sound Tigers to a three game sweep of Manchester in a best of 5 first round series before Rick DiPietro was returned to Bridgeport following the Islanders defeat to the Ottawa Senators.

- But this raises an even bigger question as to whether the Islanders plan to sign OHL star goaltender Andy Chiodo before next Sunday's June 1st signing deadline for 2001 drafted juniors. It was believed Chiodo could at least challenge for a spot with Bridgeport next season, yet perhaps his asking price has been too rich for the Islanders.

Dubielewicz Named JOFA/AHCA All-American

Record-setting season nets junior goaltender to the West second team

April 3, 2002

University of Denver junior goaltender Wade Dubielewicz (Invermere, B.C.) has been named West Second Team JOFA Division I Hockey All-American, announced today by the American Hockey Coaches Association.

Dubielewicz set numerous school and league records and led the country in winning percentage and saves percentage. After allowing a mere 1.79 goals against in league-only action--the fifth lowest GAA ever posted in Western Collegiate Hockey Association history--Dubielewicz earned his second-straight WCHA goaltending title. Dubielewicz also finished the league slate with a .943 saves percentage, setting a new single season mark and shattering the previous best of .934 set in 1963-64 by former Pioneer Buddy Blom.

Dubielewicz led Denver to its first MacNaughton Cup--awarded to the WCHA regular-season champion--since 1986 and helped Denver capture the Broadmoor Trophy as playoff champs as well. It marked the first time since 1990-91 that a team won both regular-season and playoff titles outright in the same year.

Dubielewicz and the Pioneers capped an outstanding season with an appearance in the NCAA Tournament, facing Michigan in Ann Arbor in the West Regional. Despite a 5-3 loss in Michigan's home arena, the Pioneers put together one of the best seasons in school history, finishing the year 32-8-1. Dubielewicz closed his junior campaign with a 20-4-0 record, the top winning percentage (.833) in the nation, and a 1.82 goals against average, which also paced the country. He also finished the season with a .943 saves percentage to close the year third in the nation in that category. His goals against average and saves percentage set new Denver single-season school records. He topped his own single-season saves percentage of .921 set last season, and bettered the previous best GAA of 1.84 set in 1960-61 by George Kirkwood.

Currently, Dubielewicz is Denver's all-time leader in career goals against average (2.14) and saves percentage (.927) and stands in fifth place all-time with five career shutouts.

Michigan State junior netminder Ryan Miller, the 2001 Hobey Baker Award winner, earned the first-team nod in the west.

Dubielewicz's profile from Denver University site

2001-02: Posted one of the best seasons in Denver and WCHA history… played in 25 games, posting a 20-4-0 record and an NCAA-best .833 winning percentage… notched a stellar 1.72 goals against average and a .943 saves percentage… led the nation in saves percentage and was second in goals against average… won his second-straight WCHA goaltending title after notching a 1.80 goals against average in league-only action… also set a new conference single-season mark with a .943 saves percentage in WCHA action, shattering the previous mark of .934 set by former Pioneer Buddy Blom in 1963-64… notched just one shutout on the regular-season (Jan. 4 vs. Wisconsin) and added his second of the year in the post-season, blanking in-state rival Colorado College 3-0 in Denver's first game at the Dodge WCHA Final Five… never allowed more than three goals against in any game… lost just once on the road this year, that coming in the season finale (Mar. 2) at North Dakota… is currently Denver's all-time career leader in goals against average (2.14) and saves percentage (.926) and is on track to shattering his single-season saves percentage record of .921 set last season… ranks fifth all-time in school history with four career shutouts… named to the All-WCHA first team and was announced as a top-10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, the fourth in Denver history and the first-ever goaltender. Longest Shutout Streak: 158:26. (Mar. 8-16).

2000-01: Had an outstanding sophomore season and won the WCHA's goaltending title, posting a 2.24 goals against average in league games… was the first goaltending title for a Pioneer since Ernie Glanville won it in 1977-78… named to the WCHA second team… helped the Pioneers to an 11-game unbeaten streak as he notched an 8-0-2 mark, a 1.28 goals against average and a .953 saves percentage in that stretch… also helped Denver to its first-ever back-to-back shutouts, blanking Alabama-Huntsville, 3-0 (Jan. 28)… led the league in all games during the regular season with a 2.15 goals against average… finished the year with a 2.30 goals against average, the third-best in Denver history… was second in the league with a .926 saves percentage in all games and a .923 saves percentage in conference play during the regular season… closed the season with a .921 saves percentage to post the best single-season saves percentage in Pioneer history, topping former All-American Ron Grahame's .920… posted two shutouts, tying for eighth all-time in single-season shutouts… has notched three shutouts in his career, placing him sixth all-time in the Denver record book… is on track to break Denver's career marks in saves percentage and goals against average… earned WCHA all-academic accolades. Longest Shutout Streak: 61:56 (Oct. 29-Nov. 5).

1999-00: Posted a 3-5-1 record, a 2.72 goals against average and a .902 saves percentage in 13 games… made eight starts for the Pioneers… over his last seven games played he recorded a 2-2-1 record to go along with a 2.09 goals against average and a .925 saves percentage… had a 1.83 goals against average and a .927 saves percentage in five relief appearances… became the first Pioneer goaltender to notch a shutout in his first career start when he backstopped a 7-0 Denver win at Michigan Tech on Oct. 29… allowed three or fewer goals in each of his last four starts… stopped a career-high 32 shots in a 3-1 loss at St. Cloud State on Feb. 18. Longest Shutout Streak: 85:41 (Jan. 19-Feb. 3).

Before Denver: Played for the Trail Smoke Eaters for 1 1/2 seasons before being traded to the Chilliwack Chiefs just before the trading deadline… played in 1998-99 BCHL all-star game… named to the first team Coastal Division all-star team… in 1997-98 was named a first team Interior Division all-star after posting a 3.18 goals against average… in 1996-97 was named a first team all-star for the Fernie Ghost Riders and was named the league's most valuable player and league top goaltender.

Personal: Aspires to play professional hockey… enjoys playing golf, tennis, baseball, and is an avid hunter and fisherman… recreation management major... son of Roger and Phyllis Dubielewicz… born January 30, 1979.

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Wade Dubielewicz - hockeygoalies.org

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