…but that means Norfolk (3-1 winner over Philadelphia) moves five points ahead of idle Bridgeport with five games to go. The Admirals’ magic number to clinch third is six.
More pressing for Bridgeport, Binghamton beat Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 6-4 on the road behind Jeff Heerema’s hat trick. The Sound Tigers still need four points gained by them or lost by Binghamton to clinch a playoff spot. A regulation win Friday, for instance, would do the trick. (A Bridgeport overtime/shootout win would clinch a tie, and since the relevant tiebreakers would then dip all the way down to goal differential, the Sound Tigers would be pretty safe.)
The Penguins’ loss prevented them from clinching the East Division. Grand Rapids lost to Cleveland, but the Penguins’ loss makes it harder for them to finish ahead of the Griffins. Grand Rapids’ magic numbers are six points over Portland and three over the Pens.
Rochester’s loss to Toronto clinches the last berth from the North Division for the Marlies and eliminates the Amerks from the playoffs for the first time since 1989. Old New Haven buddy Bates Battaglia scored the game-winner with 5:09 left, and Kris Newbury tacked on a last-minute empty-netter.
And check out the race in the West Division. Iowa’s in fourth with 80 points and 36 wins with seven games to go; Omaha has 80 with 34 and seven; and Chicago, which beat Omaha 3-1 tonight, has 77 with 33 wins and six to play. Only one makes it. Iowa and Chicago play three games in four days beginning Saturday.
Everyone who’s alive in the Eastern Conference plays both Friday and Saturday, so a lot could be determined by daybreak Sunday. Interesting games Friday: Portland at Hartford (Pirates can clinch the Atlantic with a regulation win), Iowa at Omaha, Norfolk at WBS. Saturday: Iowa at Chicago, Hershey at Norfolk (if it didn’t happen Friday, the Bears need just one point from Norfolk to clinch home ice in the first round).