This one put the Sound Tigers on the brink. Derek MacKenzie beats Justin Mapletoft cleanly on a faceoff, Brad Tapper deflects in a point shot to break a tie, and the Wolves go on to win on this Friday night, 4-2, at Rosemont. Chicago leads the series 3-1. “In playoff hockey, it’s not usually pretty goals,” Chris Armstrong says afterward. “Very seldom is it a cute back-door pass. Usually you throw it out and bounce it off of someone’s head or hand.” An Andreas Karlsson empty-netter seals it. Bridgeport scores both goals on power plays, Armstrong and Jason Podollan; in between, Rob Brown scores a couple of power-play goals of his own.
Game 5 is Monday, June 3. Perhaps chasing quotes in the Bridgeport room, I miss this John Anderson gem: “Bring everybody,” Anderson, the former New Haven Nighthawk and Hartford Whaler, was quoted in the Daily Herald. “Bring your dog if you want because we’re going to win.” In the meantime: Saturday’s a day off, which we’ll spend watching maybe the best pitching matchup we’ve ever seen from way closer than we should’ve, then enjoying a nice day in Chicago with a fine little posse; then going to Addison for practice on Sunday and meeting an old college buddy somewhere southwest of town.