Looking back, forward, everywhere

Looks like Bridgeport goes with the same lines and pairs, basically, that ended Sunday’s game (with the exception note that Niederreiter and Backman switch sides).

The goaltender might draw a little more interest. He plays his first game in Hartford since Feb. 21, 2003, the fourth-to-last AHL regular-season game before he went up for something resembling good. He beat the Wolf Pack 4-2 (Mapletoft, Torres, Hunter, Weinhandl), making 25 saves. He had been up with the Islanders with Chris Osgood out but hadn’t played in 17 days. “It was good to get back in a game,” DiPietro said back then. “It’s good to come back, come back to the boys. I have a lot of fun down here.”

He’s in tonight. One to scratch each way.

BRIDGEPORT
F: Persson-Nelson-Kabanov
Niederreiter-Watkins (C)-Backman
DeFazio-Campbell-Riley (A)
Halmo-Combs-Costello
D: Donovan-Wishart (A)
Ness-Landry
Jackson-McIver
(Hill-scratch)
G: DiPietro
Reiter

HARTFORD
F: Kreider-Newbury (A)-Segal (A)
Mashinter-Ferriero-Thomas
Haley-Tessier-Palmieri
Yogan-Jean-Carroll
D: Vernace-McIlrath
Pyett-Collins (A)
Klassen-Parlett
(Niemi-scratch)
G: Talbot
Missiaen

R: J. Hebert. L: Baker, Colby.

….

Holding up the equipment staff this morning was the last guy off the ice, not until almost noon after a 10 a.m. skate: Johan Sundstrom. Guess you can’t blame the guy. Out since a Jan. 19 blow to the head, he was maybe making up for lost time. How’d he feel? “Really good. A lot of fun. I’ve been waiting for a bit. … It’s progress, getting things back where they were.”

He’s still getting his conditioning and stickhandling up to speed; he’ll leave it up to the staff to determine when he gets back in. “Every time I’m on the ice, it’s a step forward. It’s a matter of time when the coach decides” he’s ready, Sundstrom said.

“It’s frustrating when you’re not with the team. It’s a great feeling now.”

….

Meanwhile in Providence…

March 22 there, April 20 in Bridgeport.

Michael Fornabaio