‘X’ marks the spot: It’s Hershey.
The Bears would have been in anyway after they came back from 2-0 down early. The Sound Tigers almost kept themselves alive a few more minutes (after a rocky start), but the tide went against them.
As someone noted before the game (if you’re reading, feel free to claim it), these guys kept going. The results didn’t always match the effort, but they gutted it out to the end. The heart was there.
The points weren’t. We’ve talked before about where they went. There’ll be time to post-mortem that some more in the next few days.
Hats tipped to WBS, Philadelphia, Albany and Hershey, your 1-through-4 in the East Division.
Maybe some kids tomorrow. Maybe not. Capuano said he’d be playing to win, though he wasn’t going to play the guys who have been banged up.
Either way, it’s Game 80, and for the third time in four years, there won’t be an 81.
BRIDGEPORT
F: Tambellini (A)-Walter-Jackman (A)
Comeau-Smith-Okposo
Regier-Colliton-Keith
MacArthur/Fretter
D: Fata-Ford
Kohn-Spiller
Fraser-Wotton (C)
HARTFORD
F: Korpikoski-Moore (A)-Parenteau
Byers-Anisimov-Jessiman
Gratton-Ouellette-Bourret
Fritz/(M.Taylor-scratch)
D: Sanguinetti-J.Taylor (A)
Potter-Hutchinson (C)
Pock-Sauer
Baranka
Had the Hershey game on the headphones. Morency sat in front so he could get updates. Brennan and Bentivoglio came over a couple of times in the third period. Unfortunately for them, nothing was changing there. So it’s Hershey-WBS and Philly-Albany after a kind-of crazy night. (The latter is the, um, classic, traditional 1-2-2-2. The former is the even-more-classic, traditional, um, 1-2-1-1-1-1. Ah, building availability.)
From what I gathered listening in, Hershey turned its own tide after somebody named Matt Clackson thumped the wrong players. Jason Morgan (him again) took offense and took him on. Just 29 seconds later, Andrew Gordon scored the first of two goals to tie it. Morgan (him again) scored the winner, and the Bears added two more before Jesse Boulerice ran into Daren Machesney and sparked a line brawl — seven-on-six, apparently, because Grant McNeill is dinged for leaving the bench. Philadelphia rested a few regulars, including, it appears, Stefan Ruzicka, Jared Ross, Boyd Kane and Denis Gauthier, and I’m sure the Sound Tigers are thankful.
Despite an overtime loss, Wilkes-Barre is the division champ. Dennis Bonvie wore the ‘C’ in his final regular-season game. He got the Richard treatment and was named all three stars. (They’re still inputted upside-down in the box score.) Jonathan eavesdropped between periods. (Brilliant, buddy.)
Binghamton lost, clinching fifth for the Sound Tigers. For what that’s worth.
Robert Nilsson re-upped with Edmonton. Petteri Nokelainen had an assist. (Alexei Kovalev had a couple of points.)
What a goal. I saw it last night and practically ran out to the kitchen to ask if anyone else had seen it. Good news elsewhere in that game, too (though still not for the squeamish).
One to go. “Awards” tomorrow.