Can’t fault the defensive effort. Can’t fault the PK. Sure can’t fault the goaltending. They got one. So did Wilkes-Barre. Pretty much how Wilkes-Barre games go, but still.
And they haven’t won in six games. (Though technically the losing streak ends, for what that’s worth.)
Scott Pellerin tinkered with the top two lines twice, trying to get the combinations juiced and get something going. There were some scoring chances, sure, but only once did it wind up going.
“Our movement away from the puck to get into open space, find those open areas, to create those smaller two-on-ones: We’re waiting for the puck instead of attacking the puck,” Pellerin said. “That’s something we’re going to work on next week.”
It wasn’t awful. They were competitive with a team that’s ahead of them, a team that plays well defensively every night. The effort was there.
“In the meeting, I told the guys, people that work hard will get rewarded eventually over time,” Pellerin said. “Sometimes it doesn’t happen right away, but if you keep believing in yourself, do the things you’ve got to do to take care of yourself, you’re going to get rewarded.”
Six points back with 24 games to go… if the rewards would like to show up, it would help Bridgeport quite a bit.
….
Brett Gallant will see the doctor about his injury tomorrow (an off day, by the way); Max MacKay skated this morning. But nothing further on the injured. Pellerin said he believes Rick DiPietro will be here Tuesday.
Count Trevor Smith among those disappointed that the Mark Wotton bobblehead doesn’t have a wood stick.
Prescout. They played two men short tonight.
Holy cro, Dax. And while we’re upstate: If I’m betting, I’m betting this Utica-Flames report is at best premature. It’d be fun, but it doesn’t sound like there’s a done deal.
And a good read from Joe Posnanski on the rise and fall of Alex Rodriguez (hat tip: Ol’ pal Chris Rukan).