Sound Tigers sign goaltender Madden

The American Hockey League’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers, top affiliate of the National Hockey League’s New York Islanders, have announced the signing of goaltender Chris Madden. The Sound Tigers also announced the signing of left winger David Masse.

Madden, 26, split last season between the AHL’s Providence Bruins and the ECHL’s Long Beach Ice Dogs. The 6-foot-1, 177-pounder from Liverpool, N.Y., was 5-4 with a 1.85 goals against average, .933 save percentage and two shutouts in 13 games with Providence during the 2004-05 campaign. Madden split the 2003-04 season between the AHL’s Toronto Roadrunners and ECHL’s Augusta Lynx.

His five-year, professional career also includes one season apiece with the AHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs (2000-01) and Milwaukee Admirals (2002-03), as well as the ECHL’s Macon Whoopee (2001-02). Madden was 22-27-19 with two shutouts in 68 games during parts of four seasons in his career in the American Hockey League. He was chosen by the Carolina Hurricanes in the fourth round, 97th overall, of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft after earning tournament Most Valuable Player honors while leading Guelph to the 1998 Memorial Cup Finals.

Masse, 22, will be a third-year pro in 2005-06 and should be a familiar name to Sound Tigers fans having played parts of the past two seasons, 2003-05, with the East Division rival Hershey Bears. The 6-foot-1, 191-pounder from Montreal has posted 16 goals, 13 assists, 29 points and 31 penalty minutes in 65 career games in the American Hockey League.

Two years ago, Masse was an ECHL All-Star, the Reading Royals’ Rookie of the Year, and tied for the team’s postseason scoring lead with six goals and 14 points in 14 contests. He also won a Fan Favorite Award while scoring 50 goals for the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Quebec Remparts in 2002-03. Masse played four seasons, 1999-2003, of major-junior hockey in the QMJHL with Quebec and the Victoriaville Tigres.