Last ones left
All three teams in the East race had home games tonight. Granted, they were home games against some pretty good teams. But still, all three teams lost, and lost ugly. Bridgeport's three-goal loss was the closest of the three.
Since I was crazy enough to start that little project after the last Albany game, the Rats are 3-4-0-1; Bridgeport and Philadelphia are 3-6-0-0.
It's do or die for Philly now. Those two games with Bridgeport give them faint hope of catching the Tigers, but Albany would have to plummet, too, on its own.
Which leaves Bridgeport and Albany. The miracle that is the bonus round means there's no way both teams can lose Sunday. Though you get the feeling they might find a way if they could. These teams are limping to the final weeks, and it doesn't look like fourth will go to the team that wins more, but to the team that clings best.
LINEUPS
BRIDGEPORT
F: Comeau-G.Johnson-Magowan
Pitton-Rank-Crampton
Marjamaki-Ogorodnikov-J. Johnson
Sixsmith
D: Fata-Berry ('A')
Fraser-Wotton (C)
Malec-Wood
HARTFORD
F: Dawes (A)-Helminen-Bourret
Roche-Dubinsky-Byers
Korpikoski-Immonen-Olver
Moore-Lessard
D: Purinton (A)-Reese
Lampman (A)-Degon
Pikkarainen-Potter
Precisely seven of those Sound Tigers started the season here (three of them left wingers, oddly), and one of those spent the past three months in the Coast. One more started the season elsewhere in the AHL. The rest were a mixture of ECHL callups at some point or 'tother, one reassignment from Peoria who'd been in the Coast, and kids out of college.
I half-joked about making Bourret my No. 1 star. Set up three goals and drew two penalties in the last 5:25 of the second, including the one on Pitton that made it five-on-three.
Capuano did not sound like he expected people back tomorrow. Todd Simpson cleared waivers, and Deron Quint is supposed to clear today, according to Greg Logan's blog, as the Islanders keep bringing in veteran defensemen just to try to make the playoffs. Lance Galbraith had one of them lower-body injuries, so he was out and left Bridgeport with 16 skaters.
What might have been: Blake Comeau nearly scores twice on the same short-handed opportunity. Instead of 2-2, Bridgeport took two more penalties quickly -- and no one seemed too happy with Nygel Pelletier -- and gave up two PPGs. That was kind of the theme downstairs. ("The penalty kill has really got to step up the next few games," Comeau said, for instance. "Take away the power-play goals, it's a whole new game.")
Moncton forced a Game 7 Tuesday.
Since I was crazy enough to start that little project after the last Albany game, the Rats are 3-4-0-1; Bridgeport and Philadelphia are 3-6-0-0.
It's do or die for Philly now. Those two games with Bridgeport give them faint hope of catching the Tigers, but Albany would have to plummet, too, on its own.
Which leaves Bridgeport and Albany. The miracle that is the bonus round means there's no way both teams can lose Sunday. Though you get the feeling they might find a way if they could. These teams are limping to the final weeks, and it doesn't look like fourth will go to the team that wins more, but to the team that clings best.
LINEUPS
BRIDGEPORT
F: Comeau-G.Johnson-Magowan
Pitton-Rank-Crampton
Marjamaki-Ogorodnikov-J. Johnson
Sixsmith
D: Fata-Berry ('A')
Fraser-Wotton (C)
Malec-Wood
HARTFORD
F: Dawes (A)-Helminen-Bourret
Roche-Dubinsky-Byers
Korpikoski-Immonen-Olver
Moore-Lessard
D: Purinton (A)-Reese
Lampman (A)-Degon
Pikkarainen-Potter
Precisely seven of those Sound Tigers started the season here (three of them left wingers, oddly), and one of those spent the past three months in the Coast. One more started the season elsewhere in the AHL. The rest were a mixture of ECHL callups at some point or 'tother, one reassignment from Peoria who'd been in the Coast, and kids out of college.
I half-joked about making Bourret my No. 1 star. Set up three goals and drew two penalties in the last 5:25 of the second, including the one on Pitton that made it five-on-three.
Capuano did not sound like he expected people back tomorrow. Todd Simpson cleared waivers, and Deron Quint is supposed to clear today, according to Greg Logan's blog, as the Islanders keep bringing in veteran defensemen just to try to make the playoffs. Lance Galbraith had one of them lower-body injuries, so he was out and left Bridgeport with 16 skaters.
What might have been: Blake Comeau nearly scores twice on the same short-handed opportunity. Instead of 2-2, Bridgeport took two more penalties quickly -- and no one seemed too happy with Nygel Pelletier -- and gave up two PPGs. That was kind of the theme downstairs. ("The penalty kill has really got to step up the next few games," Comeau said, for instance. "Take away the power-play goals, it's a whole new game.")
Moncton forced a Game 7 Tuesday.
posted by Fornabaio at
11:25 PM
5 Comments:
You should have given the kid Rank the third star so he could skate out for the fans after scoring his first pro goal in his first pro game. Why Helminen? He had a decent game, but just one assist. 5-2 or not, give it to the kid at home.
By
OneTigerFan, at 12:22 AM
I think Thompson should have gotten at least third star of the game. Yes he gave up 5 goals, but he had 38 saves. Why give a guy with only 1 assist a star over a goalie with 38 saves.
By
Anonymous, at 10:45 AM
What game were you watching? At least two or three of those goals were on Billy. The first one he let climb over him into the net. Sorry, but a goalie with 5 goals against is a tough sell for a star.
Hey Mike, why the Moncton updates? Does this mean that MacDonald is coming here? Why not O'Neill? For that matter, why bring in any more Dmen? We need forwards!
By
OneTigerFan, at 11:13 AM
If anyone deserved a star, my vote would have been Rank as well. Definitely not Thompson. He was not solid at all. I actually thought they might have put Mole in for the 3rd but then again maybe they are saving him for tonight in Hershey.
By
Anonymous, at 11:46 AM
Good thought on Rank. You've probably seen I voted for Comeau, but Rank would have been a cooler idea. Andy, I've been hearing MacDonald and Kohn for about a month, more even than O'Neill. Whether that was just NCAA-kid paranoia or what, I dunno, but they've said now they're interested in bringing him in. (And Kohn's Wheat Kings can win their series tonight.) No idea whether any of 'em can play the middle (or at least the wing). Thompson is indeed a tough sell for a star, but a deflection, a breakaway and three odd-mans below the circles: Maybe you don't write home about the night, but I've got trouble pinning too much on him...
By
Fornabaio, at 12:58 PM
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