And that’s it (till Thursday)

Big assist to bus driver Donnie Polek, who pointed out the change at the bench: Pat Bingham last night, and Lane Lambert tonight, running the bench. Dave Baseggio’s reasoning is in the paper tomorrow, and it gave me a lead, because jeez, who wants to write about this kind of game?

There’s many decisions to be made about lines, lineups, D-pairings. Baseggio professed not to have any decisions yet, and I honestly believe him. There’s still some wild cards (18, 26).

Hartford deserved to win it, but some weird stuff happened on the way. The Pack’s first goal was a fluky one, a David Liffiton shot that seemed to bounce off Cole Jarrett and get a bump-assist from Craig Weller on its way into the net. Then Daniel Girardi got a high-sticking major for clipping Masi Marjamaki with his stick no more than waist high; Marjamaki was on his knees at the time but got cut. No matter — after Rob Collins tied it, Greg Moore scored on a short-handed breakaway, shrugging off Jarrett on the way. That was the lead — shots were 26-11 at the time, Bridgeport didn’t take a shot in nearly the last four minutes of the major, and the Pack were on their way.

The third-period goals were a little sloppy; guys missing their man, guys fanning on clears, stuff like that. The final goal came with 3.7 seconds left, and hey, by that time, what the heck, keep playing…

LINEUPS
BRIDGEPORT
F: Thompson-Tsimikalis-Collins (A)
Marjamaki-O’Marra-Masse
Tunik-Miles-Lee
D: Kohn-Pettinen (A)
Jarmuth-Jarrett (A)
Barr-Pratt
Tormey

HARTFORD
F: Dawes-Helminen-Genoway
Giroux-Wiseman (A)-Smyth
Byers-Korpikoski-Weller (C)
Falardeau/Moore
D: Liffiton-Girardi
Grenier (A)-Degon
Purinton-Taylor

Tunik didn’t play (“groin, head, something” was I think Baseggio’s line). Pratt moved up to that line, played one shift at center and the rest at right wing, good and regularly.

Still nothing concrete on Jeff Hamilton’s status.

Bridgeport wore the whites because Hartford was giving away their Rangers-style blues.

Hartford still doesn’t know who it’s playing, and thus when it’s starting the playoffs. Providence needs a point against Lowell tomorrow to pass Manchester and take third; if the Bruins lose in regulation, Manchester gets third and plays Hartford. Loser gets Portland, and good luck to you.

Philadelphia’s overtime loss locks the Phantoms into sixth. Binghamton has fifth sewn up despite a losing streak and can, for whatever that’s worth, move to within five points of Bridgeport at the end with a win tomorrow against Albany.

Portland clinched first in the Eastern Conference with a win over Springfield.

Milwaukee won, and Houston lost, so the Admirals have clinched the West Division and will play Iowa. Houston gets Peoria. Chicago’s win and Omaha’s lost makes the Wolves the fifth-place team out there. (So Providence/Manchester is the only unsettled ordinals left.)

Michael Fornabaio