Second-string D? No problem

The Bears refuse to go quietly even once. Down to five defensemen, with Helmer tossed after two periods for a scrum that inclued an almost-goalie fight, with Karl Alzner on recall, with three of their five playing who didn’t start the Bridgeport series, they come back three times and beat Albany, 6-5, in Game 3. Jay Beagle scored the winner. Game 4, with a chance to end the River Rats era, is Thursday.

(Lowell, meanwhile, says it hasn’t given up on the Devils.)

Abbotsford comes back from a 3-1 series deficit and takes Game 7 against Rochester, 2-0. Graham Mink was a veterans scratch. That was in part to get Rory Fitzpatrick into the game, except Fitzpatrick was injured early. Wow.

—–

The live chat today wraps up the regulation season around here. (Blew out my remaining dumb jokes, too.) With the season over, suppose I can reveal my injury issues: shoulder was sore several times, and I was battling a sinus infection for the past month and a half and one vicious virus on the last day of the regular season. That’s on top of the usual post-concussion fun.

(OK, now I’m out of dumb jokes.)

As I said four years ago at this time back in Post 227, hope you’ve enjoyed this little experiment. It began in September ’05, and I had no idea what we’d do with it. Love this li’l community that has developed here.

Thanks as always to the bosses and the colleagues. Thanks to Rick Cohen, Carmine Vetrano, Kimber Auerbach, Seth Sylvan and fellow road warrior Phil Giubileo, and to Jason and A.J. up in Springy and the PR folks all over the league, and to the fellow beat writers around the league, many of whom are linked to the right. Thanks to players, staff, coaches and Mike and Matt and Leni for putting up with me.

And most of all, thank you guys. Nine great years. Playoffs continue, and Worlds are to come, and then it’ll be signing season, and then it’ll almost be time for camp, so we’ll be around.

Michael Fornabaio