ROSEMONT, Ill. — With just about a minute left in regulation Thursday, Matt Higgins’ glove popped off and into the Chicago Wolves’ net. It was the first thing the Bridgeport Sound Tigers put past Pasi Nurminen all night.
That was how the Game 3 gamer opened as Bridgeport fell behind in a series for the first time, shut out for the first and only time in 20 playoff games this season*, a 4-0 loss at Allstate Arena. Dan Snyder** scored in the first period, taking a missed Bob Nardella shot behind the net and wrapping it in before former Wolves goalie Rick DiPietro could get to the post. (Ricky took plenty of razzing from the 5,000 and change in the house.) Rob Brown had a goal and an assist in the second period (the latter during a Juraj Kolnik high-sticking major), and Ben Simon deflected in Kirill Safronov’s shot in the third. Game 4, no rest, was Friday, May 31.
*-They were also shut out in five of the next 37.
**-RIP