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Soundin' Off -- the lifeboat

Thursday, November 30, 2006

What home drought/power-play issue/scoring...

Perfect game, no. But you've got to love this team when the power play works. Peter Ferraro goes to the net, bang. Nifty Jeremy Colliton setup to Jeff Tambellini, bang. Drew Fata (yep, Fata: a big body in place of Steve Regier, who was in place of Robert Nilsson) in front for a good passing play to Chris Campoli, bang. Sergei Ogorodnikov goes to the net, bang.

Possibly more on the power play in Friday's paper.

Joe Ferras pointed out that they're up to 20 PPGs in 20 games, which isn't bad, except that they've scored 14 of them in five games.

And then Berry hits Colliton for the fifth goal, and then Colliton and Nielsen feed Regier for a nice behind-the-backhander from the red line into the empty net, and Bridgeport, ladies and gentlemen, has actually won a home game.

Oh -- and Jeremy Colliton might have hit the scoresheet a couple of times.

LINEUPS
BRIDGEPORT
F: Comeau-Colliton (A)-Regier
Tambellini-Nielsen-Ferraro
Marjamaki-Nokelainen-Pitton
Ogorodnikov/Aquino
D: Fata-Berry
Mitchell-Wotton (C)
Campoli-Rourke (A)

NORFOLK
F: Brouwer-MacDonald (A)-Blunden
Bickell-Nordqvist-Burish
Durno-Fraser (A)-Keith
Berti-Bolland-Low
D: Munn (A)-Rogers
Richmond-Hendry
Barker

The major on Bolland was the first in a Bridgeport game this season that created a power play for either team.

The Little Punk in Illinois visited the United Center tonight and was impressed to see a bunch of Norfolk Admirals. A man after my own heart, he was also impressed not to see a shootout.

Feelin' like a jerk moment 1: Brandon Nolan, coming home from Europe, has to clear waivers. Supposedly that'll take until Saturday. I should have remembered that, given that I constructed a joke around that rule almost a decade ago, involving the Pope and the Rangers. (Long story/not that good a joke.)

One issue concerning bringing back Chris Ferraro, by the way, is that he would be a fifth veteran for now, and if Boguniecki comes back, that would create an actual veterans problem, as opposed to the unofficial one under which they've operated through one quarter. That veterans problem is precisely why Hartford let CF go.

Feelin' like a jerk moment 2: I have to go re-read my weekly feature. It's a delicate difference, but the angle I took on Colliton will either make me look prescient or idiotic. (The latter is usually favored, and that's the way I'm leaning.)

Here are the past three attendances at AHY: 6161, 3363, 2424. OK, the middle one's not that curious, but... The other two are either impressive odds-beating or something else.

Little update: Interesting thing over at the Press-Herald site: Former NHLer and Portland assistant coach Eric Weinrich has a blog going. Some really good stuff over there. (Hat tip to Eric McErlain of Off Wing Opinion and, indirectly, ol' buddy Joe Tasca)

And finally, though I can't remember from whom I'm stealing this line: If any ol' Norfolk player is an Admiral, how can their leader be a captain*?

*-But after 10 years, any Beast of New Haven reference is a good BoNH reference.

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Just in

The Sound Tigers are adding Brandon Nolan, Ted's older son, on a PTO. He skated this morning. He's been in Sweden, split the past three years between Manitoba and Columbia (ECHL).

Sunday, November 26, 2006

Home cooked

Answered an e-mail Saturday night about the home-ice thing. After running through the first six, my capper at the end was something about, "The common thread, if anything, is probably ol-reliable-cliche 'playing 60 minutes.' Other than that? Maybe young team without killer instinct."

I'm not even sure about that anymore.

Seven home games without a regulation victory, in a barn that has traditionally been good to the home team. Some may talk about the crowds, but teams have won here with substantially smaller (and quieter) crowds. Some may talk about the sweaters... no, that's just me. Dan Marshall thinks maybe the kiddies are worried about what brass may be in the crowd (Bryan Trottier tonight, for instance). Hey, maybe so. But each of these games has had its own little disaster moment. Each one has happened differently.

"Maybe we've got more respect when we play away," Frans Nielsen said. "We keep to our system. We get the puck deep, skate, that kind of stuff. (At home), we do too many passes, then it's a turnover all the time."

That's kind of the theme tonight. Tonight, even while falling behind 4-0, they hit the post five times. Even while giving up two goals in the first period, they had a mad scramble in between that could have tied the game. The head-scratcher is that this has happened seven times, so it looks like a movement.

When several of these Albany players were Lowell Lock Monsters last season, Bridgeport won all eight games in the season series and didn't even trail 19 minutes out of over 480 played. It took about 25 minutes for Albany to top last year's Lock Monsters.

LINEUPS
BRIDGEPORT
F: Comeau-Colliton (A)-Regier
Nilsson-Nielsen-Boguniecki
Pitton-Ferraro-Nokelainen
Tambellini-(Ogorodnikov-scratch)-Marjamaki
D: Fata-Berry
Mitchell-Wotton (C)
Campoli-Rourke (A)

ALBANY
F: Murley-Aucoin (C)-Willis
Estrada-Guite (A)-Dwyer
Barnes-Kelman-Petruzalek
McLeod-Steeves-(Boulerice-scratch)
D: Cumiskey-Finger (A)
Love-Boychuk
Carson-Conboy

No postgame update on Drew Fata, who left in the second period after getting dumped to the side of the net, it appeared on replay. Saw him walking out under his own power, though.

Providence and Portland did their part for the AHL last night; for the NHL, Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe (cap tip to Patrick Williams) has just a modest request today: bring back fighting:

Think anyone down here in the Lower 50 today would turn away from one of the buckets o'blood we witnessed in the early '70s? Can you imagine the ratings that something like the Bruins' first-round sweep of the Maple Leafs in 1969 -- Pat Quinn's likeness hanged from the second balcony after his hit on Bobby Orr -- would bring today? Absolute guarantee: that kind of NHL would not be on the Vs. network. No, sir. We'd be watching that kind of hockey strictly via pay-per-view. And the third period might cost more than the first.


And finally, it is, of course, always good to see Ben Guite. Someone dropped off for him a 1976-77 New England Whalers program from a game against Cincinnati, a team that included Ben's dad, Pierre. Pretty neat.

Saturday, November 25, 2006

Notable quotables

That just made me dizzy (much easier as of late), so here's stuff from Dan Marshall tonight. We started off talking about getting one point versus two. Jack is Jack Capuano, associate coach.

"Jack just said 'take it, Dan,' but I'm not satisfied. Again, I think the confidence level has to be elevated by us believing we can get the job done, put up more shots, drive the net. We're giving up one or two goals every game for the most part, unless we get a little sloppy here and there. Look at Norfolk, the game today, last night: It's one or two goals.

"The PK's good. The power play, we've got to focus on stripping it down, just get bodies to the net. Regier is going to be a big part of the revamped power play, getting bodies to the net for the tip*. If we get confidence -- Robert's kind of carrying the torch. The defense, I think Campy's going to come around, Fata's going to come around, Mitch. It's something we can definitely improve on."

Then, getting guys to the net in the third:

"We went in there, we stressed F2, getting guys driving to the net. Just shoot, shoot to a spot, get rebounds. Guys bought into it. It's unbelievable when you buy into it. It seems our confidence is a little fragile at times. Everyone, forwards, defense, have to be hungry to get shots through. We're still too fancy. Even in the third, we made nice passes, and they were saves. Look at the ones that went in. For two periods, we had two high guys. We were screaming for guys to go to the net. We threw it at the net with a guy going to the net, it's funny what happened."

And all that said, one big line from Eric Boguniecki:

"Any time you score at the end to tie it up, especially on the road, it's a big point."

Borderline miraculous, tonight.

LINEUPS
BRIDGEPORT
F: Comeau-Colliton (A)-Ferraro
Nilsson-Nielsen-Boguniecki
Pitton-Nokelainen-Regier
Marjamaki/Aquino
D: Fata-Berry
Mitchell-Wotton (C)
Campoli-Bouchard

HARTFORD
F: Korpikoski-Helminen-Weller (C)
Isbister-Dubinsky-Moore
Dawes-Immonen-Callahan
Purinton (A)/Byers
D: Liffiton-Richter
Baranka-Degon
Lampman (A)-Girardi

What you may read in first edition is more or less the third game story I wrote Saturday night. What's in second edition and on the Web is the fourth. Something about this building: I wrote at least four stories here in the Beast of New Haven's first playoff game, a come-from-ahead disaster.

The Ferraro boys will wait to face each other again, but they haven't faced each other since Feb. 11, 2001. Chris' Albany River Rats were 2-1-1 against Peter's Providence Bruins that year; Chris had an assist in all four games, while Peter was 2-1-3 in the series. I'm not sure if they ever faced each other in the NHL.

On press row at the Civic Center, there's a spot set aside in memory of Jack Lautier of the Bristol Press, who passed away earlier this year. A very nice touch.

They don't play Brass Bonanza at Hartford anymore, but when they open the doors, the first song over the system always seems to be something from the Rat Pack. They opened with Sammy Davis' "Candy Man" today. If anyone from the Civic Center's reading: Can I request "Memories are Made of This" for Jan. 26?

Some Sunday -- you know, not on deadline -- a game like this might be different. If I did the math right, that's four guys on the bench and three on the ice for the Bruins at the end?

Interesting note from Peoria on Dave Eminian's blog: a lineup-card snafu left the Rivermen a man short Friday. It's reminiscent of one of the weirdest games the Sound Tigers ever played, Nov. 23, 2003, against Binghamton. Cole Jarrett banked a pass off Dieter Kochan into his own net for the first stoppage of the game, at which point John Paddock pointed out that Greg Cronin had circled Rob Collins' number on the starting lineup instead of Mattias Weinhandl's. A little later, Peter Smrek shot a puck through the net for Bingo and didn't get the goal; Bridgeport won 2-1. Ah, memories. Neglected to ask in the postgame, but it appeared the Wolf Pack was looking for something like that out of the Sound Tigers; nothing came of it.

The B-Sens have signed martial artist** Mike Sgroi to a PTO. Sgroi was last seen in the AHL fighting in the penalty box.

*-Sound familiar?
**-"Bart, don't use the Touch of Death on your sister." --7F23, a font of the quotable.

Friday, November 24, 2006

Searching for reasons

Four home games with All That Orange, one point. Two home games without, three points.* I'm just sayin', is all. (Or maybe they just miss that "Rock and Roar" jingle...)

Spotty power play, check. Not getting pucks through, check. Lousy bounces at the end, check. (Good goaltending to no avail? Check.)

One turnover leads to one goal, and that's all there is for the evening.

And now a trip to Hartford to face the signs-of-life Wolf Pack. The best part about that, the way things have gone this year: It's a road trip.

This was Bridgeport's first 1-0 game since Jan. 29 against Syracuse, Francois St. Laurent's night to shine. Speaking of referees, David Banfield has already worked six Sound Tigers games; he only worked five last year.

LINEUPS
BRIDGEPORT
F: Comeau-Colliton (A)-Marjamaki
Nilsson-Nielsen-Boguniecki
Pitton-Nokelainen-Regier
Ogorodnikov/Aquino
D: Fata-Berry
Campoli-Bouchard
Rourke (A)-Wotton (C)

BINGHAMTON
F: Maloney-Ebbett-Bois
Potulny-Payer (A)-Hennessy
Pecker-Vesce-Heerema (A)
Fitzpatrick/Robins
D: Petruic-Allison (A)
Barinka-Hedlund
Malec-Komadoski

SLAM's AHL correspondent Patrick Williams has started up a new blog. PW will be spending way too much time around the Sound Tigers the next two nights. I'll try not to be a bad influence.

Had the Islanders-Penguins game on in the kitchen this afternoon. That promo commercial came on, with the car horns bleating out the "Let's go, Islanders" tune. Mom started chanting "Puff, puff, cocoa puffs." I think I'm gonna chant that from now on.

Loved Malkin picking up the puck and tossing it into the net. I have a vague memory of someone -- Ulf Samuelsson, maybe -- doing the same thing in the first NHL game I ever attended. Good gravy, that's a long time ago. Life palely imitated life at the end of warmup tonight when Allan Rourke batted a puck past Wade Dubielewicz with his glove. Dubielewicz waved it off, then proceeded to stop another 10 shots or so, getting in his usual 30 saves a night.

And sticking with the Islanders for a second, it's all well and good if they want to keep this zero-tolerance standard up, but then when they ignore a player running shoulder-to-head into a goaltender, then there's just something very, very wrong out there. (Unless they want to change that rule, which is a very different discussion.)

*-EDIT: In fairness, they did wear ATO on the road once and won in a shootout at Hershey.

Thursday, November 23, 2006

Jive turkey

I'm thankful for the renovations at Immaculate. Did the on-field interviews in about five minutes in the rain, and emerged soaking wet. Wouldn't have been fun to run the sidelines for two hours, trying to keep a notebook dry. Thanks to the Mustangs faithful for a spot in the box.

Over at the Web site, the new weekly is up. At final check, the previous sitepoll (What's Bridgeport's best rivalry?) was something like WBS 20, Hartford 15, Philly 2, Bingo 1 and other 1. If that "other 1" is out there: Comment anonymously if you want, but I'm just curious who you'd pick. The Pack was making a late charge, but at this point, especially with this alignment, I rather agree with the majority. (BTW, if you have an idea for a sitepoll, please feel free to e-mail it over. We're shooting for one poll per week.)

Just in time to wreck all the weekly stuff about Norfolk, the Ads finally lose at home, in OT to Manchester. At least Krog and Haydar snuck onto the scoresheet again. (Plus-5?)

Funky little stat in Wednesday's Lowell-Hershey game. The first three goals were power-play goals; then Hershey scored short-handed, and then Lowell scored four-on-four. Because the same Lowell four were on the ice for both goals, only one Lowell player had a plus/minus that wasn't even. (Happens to be Justin Papineau.)

From a couple of days ago, Pam Dawkins has a story about the beginnings of development in the vacant lots across from the barn and the Ballpark.

Answer to the question in yesterday's header, BTW: four. (Kind of surprised myself, reading back, to find an inadvertent Paul Simon reference in the body, too...)

OK, enough, before Mom kills me; I'm off (and I hope you are, too.) Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, again, unless you're Canadian, in which case I'm a month and a half late again.

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

How many days does it take to hitchhike from...

Erie traded Ryan O'Marra to Saginaw today. That moves him from worst to first.

Unrelatedly, just noticed this now. Translate all those shootouts back to ties, and going into Hershey, the Sound Tigers would have been 5-5-5. Weird. Let's hope against hope they're not 26-26-26 near the end. (Though that would probably translate to something like 39-26-0-13 for 91 points, so maybe they'd hope for it.)

Sorry about not posting Campoli yesterday, BTW. Blogger wouldn't let me log in until late in the evening. It has been that kind of fall, technologically.

Monday, November 20, 2006

Nilsson wins POTW

The league in the past half-hour named Robert Nilsson the player of the week. He had four goals and three assists in the three games last week.

That keeps a streak alive: Bridgeport has had one and only one POTW in each of its six seasons.

Rumor No More: notes from the West

Soundin' Off's Western Conference correspondent, The Little Punk in Illinois, took a ride to Peoria for Saturday's game against Milwaukee. He filed this report:

The night was sultry.. No, wait, that's different.

The drive to the game last night was an interesting one as we tooled down I-55 -- yes, your eyes do not deceive you. I am Matt Fornabaio, AKA TLP, the Western Conference correspondent for Soundin' Off, reporting on the November 18th 5-4 OT win for the Peoria Rivermen over the visiting Milwaukee Admirals.

This is the part of the world where people can readily identify dents made by cattle on the INSIDE of a pickup bed; where one looks forward to a lot of snow, because that's when he and his drunken buddies go fishing off the back of his boat, towed around his backyard by a pickup driven by his wife; where an entire town in central Illinois is privately funding the construction of a rocketship which will transport the entire town's population to heaven.*

I wish I was joking about any of this.

So, from Interstate 55 we switched over to I-74, bringing us to the Illinois River Valley. This allowed us to look down on the vast city of Peoria. Immediately I thought, "Yikes! Topography!" In most parts of Northern / Central Illinois, you could watch your dog run away all day: It's that flat! Peoria, being similar in size and appearance to Bridgeport, really seemed out of place out here amid the cornfields and nuclear plants. I remember thinking: "I would like to see this town in the autumn."** Surely they must have a hockey team!

Have one they do! The Peoria Rivermen, two time Turner Cup champions and one-time Kelly Cup champs, have been skating as a St. Louis minor-league affiliate for quite some time, and have just recently joined the AHL after a long-time with the IHL and a stint with the ECHL. At this particular game, the team was wearing throwback jerseys from their 1984-85 Turner Cup winning season. The jerseys were auctioned off after the game for charity, something that the Rivermen apparently do with some frequency. Walking through the arena, I saw Christmas jerseys, Halloween jerseys, psychedelic tye-dyed, disco jerseys, and even a chrysanthemum-encrusted Independence Day jersey! I suppose charity really does begin at home.***

The Peoria Civic Center, home to the aforementioned Rivermen, is actually a rather nondescript building from streetside, simply because from the parking garage, one is looking at the back of the Carver Arena. The actual Civic Center is quite nice and is currently undergoing a big renovation to include a museum and bigger administrative offices. It's just not quite visible from the street! The arena serves as home for the Rivermen, as well as for the Braves of Bradley University.

The place was cozy, looking smaller than it actually is. Walking in, I wasn't sure if I was there for a hockey game or a swim meet. The strange hexagonal layout of the arena, coupled with the high concrete walls, made me want to reminisce about other old barns like the New Haven Coliseum or the old Hersheypark Arena, but I was reminded more of the old War Memorial in Charlestown. This is not really a bad thing.

The ice crew proved to be as entertaining as the game itself, as one of the squeegee fellows slipped and fell, exposing his backside to the crowd, followed by an unbelievable third period startup during which the on-ice officials ordered all players off the ice to allow the Zamboni drivers to try again. (After this, Peoria netminder Marek Schwartz attempted to move a goal net, which the crew had forgotten about in the far corner.)

Peoria skated out during introductions through the now-commonplace inflatable mascot-arch thing. The image of Captain Crazy, the Rivermen's mascot, graced the top. Captain Crazy looks like a cross between the Gorton's Fisherman, Fred Flintstone, and the guy from American Dad.

Some fun notes about the evening:

--The people sitting behind me, in Peoria and St. Louis jerseys, rooting for Milwaukee.

--The Commerce Bank Blimp, which flew through the arena during intermissions, which reminded me of that little blimp they had at the Whalers games.

--The guy with the T-Shirt cannon, who aimed several shots at the Commerce Bank Blimp and hit it once.

--Talking briefly with Dave Eminian without knowing who he was at the time.****

--Announced attendance of 4193, and realizing the guy who drove lives in a town with a population of only 200 more than that.

--Trois Etoiles: 3) 29 Charles Linglet, Peoria; 2) 23 Trent Whitfield, Peoria; 1) 25 David Backes, Peoria

--Three Stars were announced over Madonna's "Lucky Star"

--The goal lights stopped working during the second period. Goal judges had to wave towels to signal a goal.

--The usher asking me why the game was over. "There's still time on the clock!"

--Dave Baseggio and Lane Lambert, Peoria's head coach and Milwaukee's assistant coach respectively, once shared a bench in Bridgeport.

--Peoria's normal mascot, Captain Crazy, was not in attendance, making way for the mascot of the 84-85 season: Buddy. Buddy looks like Todd McFarlane's image of Alvin the Chipmunk, but he is apparently a beaver.

--"It's time for an Ameren Power Play!!" Ameren being the local energy company. It took me halfway through the game to realize he wasn't saying "ADMIRALS power play".

Trent Whitfield drew first blood for Peoria with an unassisted goal at 35 seconds. Milwaukee tied and eventually took a 2-1 lead to end the second period, and after a hard-hitting, fast-paced third period, the teams were tied at four. Peoria's David Backes scored 2:41 into the overtime period, giving the Rivermen the win.

In all, a very good trip. I look forward to another jaunt some other time, but for now, I'll have to live vicariously through the (far) better writer in the family. So, until I make it out to Omaha to see whatever the heck an Ak-Sar-Ben Knight is, This is TLP, Soundin' - - - er - Signing off. We now return you to your regularly scheduled blog.

* - Non-residents are escorted to the town's limits at 8 p.m.
(Ed. note: This has not been independently confirmed but is way too good to take out.)
** - "A Mighty Wind"
*** - Ba Dump Bump
**** - http://www.pjstar.com/php/index.php?/eminian

Saturday, November 18, 2006

Point given

Hugs all around for Matt Koalska in the hallway after the game. Had he converted on a couple of big chances, the reception might not have been so chummy. (Well, probably even then.) The man was going end-to-end, deking around guys, going to the net. No luck, though.

His teammates -- the current ones -- had just enough to get a point out of this one, though not the bonus point.

It's not a three-goal lead, but you don't want to give up a two-goal lead with eight and a half to play. Take these three games -- Philly, Worcester at home, and here -- and that's two points lost themselves, two points given to Philly, one point given to Worcester and one point given to Hershey. Heck, just take tonight and the 2-0 lead given away here last month, and that's two points Bridgeport has given the Bears already; the Sound Tigers could be just two points out of third, giving two games in hand.

Is it too early to be talking standings? Probably. But too many points start slipping... Anyway.

Time of possession would be a fun stat to have tonight. Most of the game was spent down in the Bridgeport end, as the shots attest. Bridgeport scored on two five-on-threes, a giveaway behind the net and an overtime breakaway. (It almost scored another empty-netter on a delayed penalty, which would have just been creepy, but the puck rolled wide.)

Robert Nilsson wouldn't play along with the line of questioning, but it seemed like he was really getting himself to the net more. He has four goals in two games, all from in tight.

And Billy Thompson kept going. Made some big saves (one really nifty glove save on Steckel out of the corner late second, when the game was tied), directed his rebounds about as well as he could. As Binghamton's goalie last year, Billy Thompson was 0-5-1 against the Bears. "That's a lot better team in front of him," Bruce Boudreau said. Man's got a point.

So does his team; just not two.

LINEUPS
BRIDGEPORT
F: Tambellini-Colliton (A)-Comeau
Nilsson-Nielsen-Ferraro
Pitton-Nokelainen-Regier
Marjamaki/Aquino
D: Fata-Berry
Mitchell-Wotton (C)
Bouchard-Rourke (A)

HERSHEY
F: Giroux-Tenute-Fehr
Wiseman-Hendricks-Johansson
Laing-Steckel (A)-Bourque
Robitaille-Koalska-(Werner-scratch)
D: Sloan-Arsene (A)
Nycholat (C)-Busenburg
Schultz-Helbling

Best Koalska interaction I caught: Marjamaki, lugging a bag, walking past with his head down, feigning lack of interest. Yeah, right. The ol' linemates greeted each other warmly. (Doesn't look like we'll be nicknaming too many lines this year, by the way. Most of them aren't staying together three shifts, let alone three months.)

In case Friday's story piqued your interest for some reason...
SOUND TIGERS WHO HAVE STARTED GAMES WITH NINE DIFFERENT LINEMATES (out of the 13 active here): Tambellini (hasn't played with Marjamaki, Aquino or Ogorodnikov); Regier (Nilsson, Ferraro, Ogorodnikov; also played with Koalska); Nilsson (Marjamaki, Pitton, Regier)
EIGHT: Nielsen (Comeau, Aquino, Colliton, Ogorodnikov); Marjamaki (Tambellini, Nilsson, Comeau, Boguniecki; also played with Koalska); Colliton (Nokelainen, Ferraro, Nielsen, Ogorodnikov); Comeau (Marjamaki, Nokelainen, Nielsen, Ogorodnikov); Pitton (Nilsson, Aquino, Boguniecki, Ferraro).
SEVEN: Aquino (Tambellini, Pitton, Nokelainen, Boguniecki, Nielsen); Ferraro (Pitton, Colliton, Nokelainen, Regier, Ogorodnikov); Boguniecki (Marjamaki, Pitton, Aquino, Nokelainen, Ogorodnikov); Nokelainen (Comeau, Aquino, Colliton, Boguniecki, Ferraro; also played with Koalska)
FIVE: Ogorodnikov (Tambellini, Comeau, Nokelainen, Boguniecki, Regier, Ferraro, Nielsen)

(Ogorodnikov's number is pushed lower because he's spent a lot of his time on the fourth line, with usually only two players.)

These numbers are out of 12, of course, because you can't play on a line with yourself. Nielsen and Colliton's numbers should basically be out of 11, because, as the top two centermen, they're highly unlikely to start on a line with each other.

Anybody else like "Atomic" by Lit? Been playing it a lot on the road this weekend. Not "Revolver" or anything, but a solid little 2001 poppy/rock album. "Lipstick and Bruises" got some airplay. The record was received so well that their label dropped them.

When interstates narrow to one lane in Pennsylvania -- and it's happening a bit out on I-78 -- the signs instruct drivers to "use both lanes to the merge" and then to "merge here -- take your turn." Hurray for Pennsylvania. If we've got to instruct people to do it the right way, then let's instruct 'em.

And finally, Hershey is the westernmost outpost on the Sound Tigers' schedule, and thus the westernmost point of coverage on this blog. Or is it?.....

Friday, November 17, 2006

All in

Hadn't done much on either Jason Pitton or Billy Thompson yet. That kind of thing bugs me. It was kind of nice that they both had big nights in the same game.

As did Jeff Tambellini. As did Robert Nilsson. As did Frans Nielsen. As did...

Well, it'd be shorter to tell you who didn't.

(long pause)

Dimitri Patzold?

Bridgeport remains road warriors with a short-hander (first one not into an empty net), a four-on-four goal on a breakaway (first four-on-four goal not into an empty net), a five-on-three goal (no empty net there, just hard work around the cage), a great bounce that would otherwise have been shot into a wide-open net, and one of those garbage goals you've heard so much about lately. Pitton talks about it in the morning, and it's about time I got his voice in the paper again, eh?

LINEUPS
BRIDGEPORT
F: Tambellini-Colliton (A)-Comeau
Nilsson-Nielsen-Boguniecki
Pitton-Nokelainen-Regier
Marjamaki/Ogorodnikov
D: Fata-Berry
Mitchell-Wotton (C)
Halvardsson-Rourke (A)

WORCESTER
F: Darche-Pavelski-Stevenson
Plihal-Macho-Armstrong
Valette (A)-Cavanagh-Iggulden
Kaspar/(Olson-scratch)
D: Gorges-Biron
Ferguson (A)-Stafford
Evans-Staubitz
Kurtz

Dan Marshall said Bouchard was more a precautionary thing; "he played hard the other day," they don't want to push it. Halvardsson missed the third; Marshall hadn't received the details yet, but it didn't sound too serious.

Penalties with... Reggie the Roving Reporter does indeed appear to be online; thanks, Stan. My work-issued computer says it doesn't have the right program and can't get that program. Thanks, compy. No capital-c for you.

After the second period, Bridgeport had hit seven posts in its previous five periods.

The curtains at the Centrum DCU Center make it a much cozier building and a better atmosphere. Plus, we've been moved down from the upper reaches to the concourse level, which makes for a better view (except when people are walking up from below us, but whatcha gonna do).

Came up early for the morning skate... the Toronto Marlies' morning skate. The Marlies played in Manchester on Wednesday and in Springfield tonight, and former IceCats coach Greg Gilbert stopped them off here for two days. They skated here in the morning, then bused to Springy. And if you know the Marlies' roster at all, you can probably guess the story that's coming soon to a paper near you...

(And yes, the first thing I did when I finished my story was do a find-and-replace on any "IceCats" references...)

The Marlies' helmets have their leaf logo, and the McDonalds arches next to it. From a distance, the 'M' almost looked like some funky alternate logo.

To kill time in the afternoon, stopped at the movies and saw Borat. The man is sick. Some laugh-out-loud moments, some uncomfortable chuckles, some disturbing images. Worth the viewing, but you could probably wait for the DVD/HBO showing.

Jose Antonio Rivera, the WBA light middleweight champion and a Worcester resident, was in the house. He took the ceremonial first shot (and it might've won Score-O). Marjamaki and Fata took inspiration and finished the night with the unceremonial last shots. Fata vs. Evans was a heck of a back-and-forth tilt. Marjamaki vs. Staubitz was lots of emotion, some good shots. (Hey, remember hockey fights?)

Matt Koalska faces his old mates Saturday night for the first time. Tim Leone e-mailed me a sneak peek; check out the Patriot News in the morning for some very Matt-like quotes.

Thursday, November 16, 2006

And then you get free

Best part of Cool Fun 202 101: A short film that Kimber Auerbach took for the video board, airing during a promo timeout. It featured Steve Regier deadpanning the definitions of penalties... and then it cut to Regier acting them out on a hapless "Penguin." The big kid walked in Tuesday after the wrap, calling it the "Most fun I've had in Bridgeport."

Been lax in posting links to the weekly stuff. As mentioned earlier, a lot of the rail stuff has migrated to the Web. Fortunately, it's all available at our revamped Sound Tigers page, courtesy of online editor Jeff Bustraan. The weekly and the feature are both there. Give it a look.

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Cool Fun 202

PHYS/SOCI 6202 - W 11AM AHY Marshall - An intensive 65-minute session (plus bonus time). Subjects include holding leads, power plays, hamstrings and the psychology of the shootout. Prerequisites: Cool Fun 101-102, 201; $6 activities fee

Taking a break from grinding out the weekly feature... boy, this was a weird one. Dead for one period; Bridgeport comes alive in the second and moves at will on a power play; Wilkes-Barre takes over in the third (except for Halvardsson's goal -- the last Sound Tigers shot of regulation, with 12:34 to go -- which gives him a goal and an assist in the past three games, the same offensive totals he had last year for HV 71 in 37 games) Bridgeport hits the post four times, and it's...

...it's another shootout.

The best thing (OK, not really) about covering the Sound Tigers the past two years was 11 shootouts in 167 games. The pace is frightening this time around.

LINEUPS
BRIDGEPORT
F: Comeau-Colliton (A)-Boguniecki
Marjamaki-Nokelainen-Regier
Tambellini-Nielsen-Nilsson
Pitton/Ogorodnikov
D: Bouchard-Berry
Mitchell-Wotton (C)
Halvardsson-Rourke (A)

WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON
F: Stone-Christensen-Filewich
Mikhnov-Pouliot-Brodziak
Carcillo-Dixon-Petrovicky
(Bonvie-scratch)-Schremp-James
D: Nasreddine (C)-Skolney
Lannon-DuPont (A)
Gilbert-Carkner (A)

Couple of new ads on the AHY ice over the past week. While the traditionalist in me shudders, it's good to see, if it's bringing in money.

If my eyes didn't deceive me from this distance, much credit to the kid in 114 who was wearing a dark Devils sweater with the old green trim.

Actually watched a UHF signal last night, with the cable plugged into the VCRs (mostly for Mom, though I wasn't missing House). Nostalgic. Static! Fine tuning! Any longer and I'd have wondered why the picture wasn't black-n-white.

--------------

OK, so while I was waiting Tuesday for an interview that never happened, I had time to jot down the lineup for each of the five team photos hanging on the dressing-room hallway wall. And you know I love sharing junk like that. Enjoy picking out which guys were photoshopped in. Here goes:

2001-02: back row: Ken Sutton, Justin Mapletoft, Raffi Torres, Juraj Kolnik, Ben Guite, David Morisset, Evgeny Korolev. Middle row: Trainer Garrett Timms, Eric Godard, Matt Higgins, Ray Giroux, Jason Podollan, Scott Ricci, Trent Hunter, equipment manager Vinny Ferraiuolo. Front row, seated: Stephen Valiquette, Marko Tuomainen (A), Jason Krog (A), director of hockey ops Gordie Clark, president Roy Boe, coach Steve Stirling, assistant coach Dave Baseggio, Chris Armstrong (A), Ray Schultz (A), Rick DiPietro

2002-03: Back row: Blaine Down, Kevin Mitchell, Dan Tetrault, Jeremy Adduono, Daniel Tkaczuk, Justin Mapletoft, Mike Souza, Jeff Hamilton. Middle row: Equipment manager Jeff Camelio, Matt Higgins, Trent Hunter, Konstantin Kalmikov, Alain Nasreddine (A), Alan Letang (A), Stephen Valiquette, Tomi Pettinen, Martin Chabada, trainer Garrett Timms. Front row, seated: David St. Germain, Eric Manlow (A), NYI assistant director of pro scouting Kevin Maxwell, coach Steve Stirling, president Roy Boe, assistant coach Dave Baseggio, Brandon Smith (A), Scott Stirling.

2003-04: Back row: Martin Kariya, Rob Collins, Blaine Down, Mattias Weinhandl, Cole Jarrett, Derek Bekar, Ben Guite, Cail MacLean, Kevin Colley, Jeff Hamilton. Middle row: Equipment manager Jeff Camelio, assistant equipment manager Josh Zygmont, Jody Robinson, Mattias Timander, Tomi Pettinen, Graham Belak, Alain Nasreddine, trainer Garrett Timms, skating coach Bernie Cassell. Front row, seated: Wade Dubielewicz, Ryan Kraft (A), Alan Letang (C), assistant coach Dave Baseggio, president Roy Boe, executive vice president Todd Boe, coach Greg Cronin, Eric Manlow, Brandon Smith (A), Dieter Kochan.

2004-05 (Taken at Nassau Coliseum, March 23, 2005): Back row: Rob Collins, Blaine Down, Matt Koalska, John Morlang, Jeff Hutchins, Jason Sessa, Jeff Szwez. Third row: Sean Bergenheim, Justin Papineau, Graham Belak, Eric Godard, Steve Regier, Vince Macri, Barrett Heisten, Kevin Colley. Second row: Equipment manager Jeff Camelio, trainer Garrett Timms, Keith Aldridge, Ryan Caldwell, Jody Robinson (A), Chris Campoli, Bruno Gervais, Cole Jarrett, skating coach Bernie Cassell, assistant equipment manager Tom Sideris, broadcaster Bill McLaughlin. Front row, seated: Wade Dubielewicz, Ed Campbell (C), assistant coach Dave Baseggio, general manager Mike Milbury, owner Charles Wang, coach Greg Cronin, goaltending coach Sudarshan Maharaj, Justin Mapletoft, Ryan Kraft (A), Dieter Kochan.

2005-06: Back row: Bruno Gervais, Mark Lee, Matt Koalska, Sean Bergenheim, Harlan Pratt, Jeremy Colliton, Jody Robinson, David Masse, Joe Tallari, Justin Papineau, Mike Omicioli. Middle row: Assistant equipment manager Mike Latham, equipment manager Paul Camelio, Robert Nilsson, Tomi Pettinen, Steve Regier, Paul Flache, Ryan Caldwell, Chris Thompson, Masi Marjamaki, Evgeny Tunik, trainer John Sullo. Front row, seated: Wade Dubielewicz, Cole Jarrett (A), Allan Rourke (A), assistant coach Pat Bingham, president Howard Saffan, coach Dave Baseggio, assistant coach Lane Lambert, Rob Collins, Jeff Hamilton (A), Frederic Cloutier.

(C's and A's indicate the letters are present in the pictures. 2001-02, 2002-03 and 2005-06 are in white; 2003-04 is in black; 2004-05 is in blue.)

While hanging out, also noticed another hard-to-believe shot on the wall, along the lines of the aforementioned Ricky in 1... In the changing area, there's a picture of Dieter Kochan and Jeff Hamilton in the old blue alternates. But these sweaters have the old-style, bubble-numbering with gold trim, which makes it clear that this picture was taken during one of the only three games those were worn, most likely Dec. 13, 2003, the 19th game of the 20-game unbeaten streak. The second set of blues had bare-bones white numerals, closer to what was worn the following season (though not exactly, if I remember right).

Totally copying JB...

...with the liveblog, but in case someone's actually checking in...

Amazing stuff on the special teams. Bridgeport had sleepwalked through two power plays in the first period. No shots. The Sound Tigers actually had more short-handed chances than power-play chances, 2-0, by the midpoint of the second.

And then came this Robbie Schremp penalty, and they took six shots, hit two more posts, and drew another penalty. And then Tambellini contorts to tip home Allan Rourke's shot.

Go figure. 3rd's underway.

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Only one thing to add...

With Campoli back up top, Joel Bouchard is on his way here for conditioning.

Sunday, November 12, 2006

Dreaded for a reason

Planning to write on the off day after this one, so I'll leave this kinda short... Impressive special-teams effort, almost a catastrophe, and the bonus round makes this a lot better for Bridgeport than it would otherwise have been.

Dan Marshall has talked a lot about focus, and you see what he means in the young kids the past few nights. When the attention to detail is there, it's a solid team. When it's not? Hang on tight, even if the opponent is finishing three-in-three...

LINEUPS
BRIDGEPORT
F: Tambellini-Nielsen-Boguniecki
Marjamaki-Colliton (A)-Regier
Aquino-Comeau-Nilsson
Nokelainen/Ogorodnikov
D: Campoli-Berry
Mitchell-Wotton (C)
Halvardsson-Rourke (A)

WORCESTER
F: Darche-Pavelski-Stevenson
Plihal-Macho-Armstrong
Valette (A)-Cavanagh-Iggulden
Olson/Rome
D: Spang (A)-Biron
Ferguson (A)-Stafford
Kurtz-Evans
(Staubitz-scratch)

Sergei Ogorodnikov has played 17 shifts in two games. He had two assists Friday and clinched tonight's shootout. That's making 'em count.

Higgins has scored for Canada.... Not quite the same ring to it when it's just to take bronze at the Deutschland Cup.

The alternate sweaters are 1-0. If not for the blown lead tonight, I might have speculated something about All That Orange being behind the 0-2-0-1 start.

Saturday, November 11, 2006

Around the league

Matt Koalska makes his Hershey debut... and scores in the first period. (And Hershey scores twice on the same penalty kill.) (And man, I hope the shots stay as they are on the official final, because it's a magical Bingo night: Manitoba scores a goal in each period, and shots in each period are 11-7 Hershey...)

Peter Zingoni gets back in the Phantoms lineup... and records his first pro hat trick, forcing a rewrite (that hopefully makes your morning paper).

Conrad Hache gives Hartford 13 power plays against San Antonio... and the Pack score on five of them. (But the Stampede Rampage get Bingo.)

And if you're interested in Bridgeport's next opponent, the Land Sharks cool off the PBroons... and Justin Kurtz and Brennan Evans go a mere plus-4 (Evans without a point).

One's on the way

Greg Logan reports that Sunday is Chris Campoli's last day in Bridgeport.

Friday, November 10, 2006

Old Scottish saying (or was it Russian...)*

"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me thrice..."

Seven shots in, it's 3-0 Bridgeport, and you wonder how high it can go, and how many more road wins they can put together before...

You want a dumb-luck explanation for how it started? The first Philly goal was a rim by someone that hit a stanchion, came to the defenseman for a point shot that Tapper swatted home on the rebound.

You want a hockey-cliche explanation? Dreaded three-goal lead.

Simpler explanation? Philly kept going to the well at the back door, and the Sound Tigers didn't cover it. This is troublesome. Dan Marshall's reckoning was about 10 back-door chances, and four went in. I've got three (Philly's second goal is the difference, and I think he's probably right), but the point is made. You can throw in some general loose coverage on the first two Phantoms goals, too.

Good things for Bridgeport include Johan Halvardsson's first point on these shores, Frans Nielsen's first goal since opening night, the returns of Halvardsson and Petteri Nokelainen (whose hit on Niko Dimitrakos appeared to stop time until the Phantoms shrugged and put the puck in the net), a couple of more assists for Eric Boguniecki, and two assists for Sergei Ogorodnikov -- on his first two shifts (out of 11).

But after a 3-0 lead, even after tying it up, there's no bow on this one.

LINEUPS
BRIDGEPORT
F: Comeau-Ferraro-Nilsson
Pitton-Colliton (A)-Regier
Tambellini-Nielsen-Boguniecki
Nokelainen/Ogorodnikov
D: Campoli-Berry
Mitchell-Wotton (C)
Halvardsson-Rourke (A)

PHILADELPHIA
F: Voce-Potulny-Dimitrakos
Tapper-Ellison-Reid
(Zingoni-scratch)-Cabana-Davis
Tolpeko-Cullen (A)-Ruzicka
D: Jonsson-Baumgartner (A)
Grenier (A)-Printz
Timonen-Guenin

Yep, no southern-Connecticut reunion. But more on Peter Zingoni for Sunday's paper, since the Sound Tigers aren't skating in the morning...

Been talking to a couple of coaches from high school teams lately. They're interested to see how the New Rules work out there. Some are excited -- mostly the ones with young, smaller, faster kids -- and some are anxious. I'm curious, too.

Since he's sitting next to me, here's the latest from Patrick Williams on SLAM! Check out the metric conversion at the bottom.

*-Ohh, that Scotty. Fiendishly clever, picking out fake distress calls, using chess gambits to pick out the fake captain, not remembering he's not Jack the Ripper... And that Chekhov, looking ready to bust out with "Cheer up, sleepy Jean"** at any moment...
**-It's fun to footnote the footnotes but not explain yourself, isn't it?

Thursday, November 09, 2006

Probably not-too-tough trivia

The truly obsessive among you may have noticed that when Matt Koalska left for home Oct. 26, he was 10th on the Sound Tigers' all-time scoring list. Now, he's 11th. Who passed him in the meantime?

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

On the move

Matt Koalska has been loaned to Hershey, the Bears announced today.

And Chris Campoli is indeed still here.

Sunday, November 05, 2006

Did that really...

I don't think I've ever seen that live. TV, maybe. Live? If so, don't remember it.

I'd love to see stats on the ol' empty-netter-on-a-delayed-penalty bit. Obviously, that's how Billy Smith scored. The Rangers did it (to the Islanders, maybe?) almost 20 years ago, memorable in part because the goal was originally credited to Bob Froese (it was changed to James Patrick) and in part because I heard it while on the way home from a Nighthawks game. It happens.

Just not often.

Masi Marjamaki told me something that, on second thought, I think I'd heard before, but it didn't come back until later: In Europe, that goal wouldn't have counted. The team about to be penalized can't receive credit for a goal.

Anyway. The story of the night is those two early shifts, without which this is another pretty good game for the Sound Tigers, especially at the end of a long, long week of travel. Just got to find ways to 1) Score, 2) Score at home, 3) Score in front of Billy Thompson.

Two quotes that got left out:

"It's a mental game, and we had a couple of mental breakdowns, but overall, we played well. We just kind of ran out of time." --Jeremy Colliton

"I'd like to get some garbage goals. I like garbage goals; I don't like the pretty goals. Pretty goals are nice sometimes, but I'd take garbage goals." --Dan Marshall

LINEUPS
BRIDGEPORT
F: Comeau-Ferraro-Boguniecki
Marjamaki-Colliton (A)-Pitton
Tambellini-Nielsen-Regier
Aquino-Ogorodnikov-Nilsson
D: Fata-Berry
Mitchell-Wotton (C)
Campoli

HARTFORD
F: Korpikoski-Helminen-Callahan
Byers-Dubinsky-Weller (C)
Falardeau-Petruzalek-Moore
Purinton (A)-(Immonen-scratch)-Jessiman
D: Liffiton-Degon
Lampman (A)-Girardi
Kasparaitis-Richter

Allan Rourke said he'd have his foot checked out Monday after blocking a shot with it Saturday, but he figures he's OK. Dan Marshall said he expected Johan Halvardsson to be ready for next week's games, and he hopes Petteri Nokelainen will be 100 percent this week.

Fastest goal for a Sound Tigers opponent: 12 seconds, Oct. 12, 2001, Ken Gernander of Hartford. (Bridgeport won 6-3.) Purinton, even if his first shot had gone in, missed by seconds.

Notorious Pirate hunters

Here's some of the names who mattered the last time Bridgeport beat Portland:

  • Justin Mapletoft (three assists, killed a five-on-three with Keith Aldridge and Cole Jarrett)
  • Sean Bergenheim (two goals, one on the power play)
  • Dieter Kochan (25 saves, five on the five-on-threes)
  • Kevin Colley (empty-net goal)


Does that seem like a million years ago to anybody else? It was just shy of two, to Nov. 7, 2004, a 3-1 victory, the first road win of a season that got rough.

Same margin tonight. Fifth road win already. Different outlook.

Wade Dubielewicz said tonight didn't feel much different from usual, but for the second night in a row, he stopped everything thrown at him, some wild redirections, some tough shots from tough spots. There he was.

Kevin Mitchell picked a good time for his first of the year. Lots of power-play time went for naught, including some Jeff Tambellini shots that didn't work out, but when he went to the net, he scored to put it away.

Hey, there was even a scrap at the end. How do you go wrong?

LINEUPS
BRIDGEPORT
F: Comeau-Ferraro-Boguniecki
Marjamaki-Colliton (A)-Aquino
Tambellini-Nielsen-Regier
Ogorodnikov/Nilsson
D: Fata-Berry
Mitchell-Wotton (C)
Campoli-Rourke (A)

PORTLAND
F: Chistov-Konopka (C)-Parenteau
Miller-Carter-Melin
Glencross-Wirtanen-Genoway
Gillies-(Rome-scratch)-Ferguson
D: Wilson-St. Jacques (A)
Huskins-Skinner
Salcido-Moran

Modem wouldn't work (in Portland or Binghamton) for some reason; Internet went down at the CCCC. Thanks to Jessica Plourde for taking dictation -- story and agate -- by phone...

Stopped for lunch in Massachusetts today. "Every Breath You Take" by the Police came on the piped-in music. "I love this song," the waitress said, going in the back. The music got louder. MUCH louder.

Nobody complained.

Nice to drive through Worcester today -- twice -- and know I'd be stopping there very soon...

"Invasor"? Since when do they let robots run horse races?

Hey, should I start a running count of deer spotted on road trips? Up to 15...

The Pirates honored the late Frank Fixaris tonight, naming the broadcast press box after the longtime Portland broadcaster (and Torrington native).

Friday, November 03, 2006

Play the man

I'll let tomorrow's lead speak about Peter Ferraro. The streak lives -- it stayed alive on the first shift -- and it's tied for the longest goal-scoring streak in team history right now.

This was a pretty solid effort start to finish. One goal against was borderline; the other, fortuitous. Wade Dubielewicz was outstanding. All kinds of contributions from people up and down the lineup. Some big plays from key people. Look, Steve Regier had a goal and an assist and I couldn't find a place for him in the three-stars-and-an-unsung-hero box.

They talked a lot about the forecheck today, apparently, and Ferraro made the point that keeping pressure up and supporting the first forechecker is especially valuable in this building, where the rink is a little smaller. It worked quickly. Comeau (who appears to love playing here) fed Ferraro for the first goal. Power play clicked for the second goal. Third goal was a product of an excellent keep by Wotton. Fourth goal was hard work at the end of a power play. And the fifth goal was a nice buzzer-beating roll. In between, Dubielewicz kicked everything out.

Very good start to what should be a grueling trip.

LINEUPS
BRIDGEPORT
F: Comeau-Ferraro-Boguniecki
Marjamaki-Colliton (A)-Pitton
Tambellini-Nielsen-Regier
Ogorodnikov/Nilsson
D: Fata-Berry
Mitchell-Wotton (C)
Campoli-Rourke (A)

BINGHAMTON
F: Pecker-Hennessy-Bois (A)
Maloney-Payer-Luutinen
Potulny-Vesce-Heerema (A)
Ebbett/Robins
D: Malec-Allison
Barinka-Hedlund (A)
Komadoski-Cook

No word on why Robert Nilsson didn't play the first period, though there's an unilluminating quote about it tomorrow.

It's Word of Life night here, if I sound a little more spiritual than usual. When you're trying to write a gamer and a blog entry while surrounded by thousands of screaming people, that's when growing up and going to school next to a subway line really comes in handy.

Today, NYDN reporter Adam Rubin's Mets blog featured a fascinating piece of Japanese culture. Check it out.

According to research in statsblog On the Forecheck, Trent Hunter led the NHL last year in something interesting: hits (and hits+takeaways) that led to offensive chances.

Changeup

This came over late Wednesday afternoon and doesn't seem to have made it in, so here it is, in the interest of completeness:

CHANGES -- Scoring changes came through Wednesday from Friday's game at Providence. Change the second goal from Chris Campoli to Luch Aquino; Aquino also gets an assist that Blake Comeau loses, though that comes as a net result, with Steve Regier gaining one assist and losing another. That phantom power-play goal for Providence was also corrected, putting Bridgeport into the league penalty-kill lead.

Thursday, November 02, 2006

Elite company

Evgeni Malkin's feat -- a six-game goal-scoring streak to begin his NHL career -- is neat enough, but I don't think it has been made clear enough that the "rookie" record deserves to be his alone.

When Joe Malone, Cy Denneny and Newsy Lalonde did it and kept going in 1917-18, it was the first NHL season; all three had played in the National Hockey Association, which through a messy divorce (to simplify it ridiculously) became the NHL. (Morey Holzman's and Joseph Nieforth's Deceptions and Doublecross: How the NHL Conquered Hockey is a great read on that era, if you're interested.)

And what's also worth noting is that, if you were asked at gunpoint to name three players who skated in that season, those would probably be the three you'd name.

So not only has Malkin essentially annihilated the rookie record, the people who did it earlier by accident of timing are three legends of the game.

Makes you understand why they're litigating over the guy, eh?

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Where is everybody?

It's weird when you cover a team and don't go to cover a game. The rhythms are all off. (Though I was on assignment yesterday, the products of which don't appear to be online yet.)

Stuff keeps happening, though. Sean Bergenheim signed with Frolunda Indians, where he'll play with Tomi Pettinen. Bergenheim apparently debuterar mot Brynas tomorrow night. (I'm telling you, you look at it, and there's lines like that where you're sure you can read the language if you try hard enough.)

Lotsa conditioning news for upcoming Sound Tigers opponents: Darius Kasparaitis joins the Wolf Pack for an interesting 10-day assignment. And Portland picked up Ian Moran and Stanislav Chistov from Anaheim for 14 days or fewer.

And a nice read from Kevin Oklobzija up in Rochester on the 17-man lineup.

Hmmmm. Webcast or Lost tonight? (Yeah, Webcast.)