For the first time in a while, Scott Pellerin sounded disappointed. Still outmanned, still outgunned, but lamenting a few things that could’ve made a difference.
“When you get to certain moments in a game,” Pellerin said, “when you have a four-minute power play, a scoring chance in the slot, and miss. You have opportunities to get pucks in deep, and you don’t. … All these little things that happen impact the game. That’s how teams can deflect, can support each other. That’s the way games are won.
“It’s not the systems, it’s not the work ethic, it’s not the compete level,” he added. “It’s execution at certain times. And that’s the way guys are evaluated.”
They’re winless in 12, have won one in 19. Bridgeport finished 17-19-1-1 at home, the first time it has ever been under .500 on home ice in 13 seasons. That ice — maligned for a while, foamed to near death this weekend, brought back to something like life for two nights — is being broken down as we type. Concrete’s already visible where the home net would sit.
Not quite summertime. Two practices and two games remaining. But it’s close.
…..
Somebody in 105 yelled “shoot!” at the power play. I don’t think it was Ryan Pulock-specific, but it happened to be when he had the puck, so we enjoyed that up here. Pulock didn’t get a shot on goal. He had two attempts. The second was on that power play and was blocked. The first, I think everyone couldn’t stand to see his stick break on what looked to be a pretty clear shot. Would’ve been interesting. Maybe in Glens Falls. (Story’s on him tomorrow.)
Alan Quine, Andrey Pedan and Mathieu Gagnon are going down to Stockton for the playoffs. Jake Newton’s getting released from his PTO; he’ll see them there, but on the other side, for Ontario. Ryan Walters is also going back to school.
They’re off tomorrow, so more on Wednesday unless warranted. Please give a look at the Fake Team Awards, posted earlier today, if you haven’t already.
Abbotsford has a press conference tomorrow. Different stories about what it’s announcing with Calgary, but one report says the city will terminate its contract with the Heat with an uncertain future past that.
Texas’ Curtis McKenzie is the AHL rookie of the year.
Ex-Beast of New Haven Tripp Tracy works Colorado-Minnesota, Luke DeCock reports.
And didn’t get Mayor Bill Finch into the story on the arrival of the Frozen Hockey Classic in December — Union, UConn, Quinnipiac and Sacred Heart, with Yale coming aboard in 2015 — but here’s a statement: “This is great news for Webster Bank Arena and the City of Bridgeport. We look forward to once again playing host to large crowds of college hockey fans in our downtown, while also furthering the City and the Arena’s relationships with my alma mater UConn, as well as Sacred Heart University and Quinnipiac University.”
More Wednesday. Enjoy the eclipse tonight, if we can see it.