St. John’s 2 Sunday liveblog

Quick turnaround (well, for me, anyway). Believe Brian Rogers’ pregame show begins at 2 (audio here or via “listen live” link at the team’s site/pay-per-view). Follow the Telegram’s aces, Brendan McCarthy and Robin Short, and of course Bridgeport and the IceCaps.

Here’s Robin’s gamer from last night. Looks like the Caps are short-handed from the start again. Reminiscent of 2002, when the Sound Tigers went up there with 16 skaters (in the 17-skater era), nine forwards and seven defensemen, for a game, coincidentally, Oct. 25. In that game, they lost J.F. David and Jeff Hamilton and had Tomi Pettinen suspended, so played Oct. 26 with 13 skaters, eight forwards and five D.

Leggio vs. Budaj, per the Caps.

–Brian says Jordan Hill’s taking warmups at least.

–Managed to miss Bridgeport’s scratches, but Hill is back in.

–Looks like Gillies for Collberg, Courtnall for Gallant, defense pairs as they finished last night.

–One of the IceCaps seemed to be saying Stretch dove at one point last night. He gets a diving penalty today midway through the first, though Walker goes with him.

–I’m well behind as my computer froze a couple of times, but Sundstrom (four-on-four) and Ryan Olsen (on the rush) have traded goals.

–Reinhart, going to the net on the rush, gives Bridgeport back the lead with 3:33 left in the period.

–2-1 Bridgeport after one. They’ll carry a power play into the second period after Scooter Vaughan had his stick knocked out of his hands with 8.9 seconds left.

Box is here.

–One of Bridgeport’s better periods. That 15-8 shots on goal total seems reasonably indicative.

–Pulock makes a pretty move to go through the four IceCaps defenders, but Aaron Ness behind the play appeared to get his skates tied up with John Albert and was slow to get up. Hellebuyck replaces Budaj here seconds into the second with a 3-1 Bridgeport lead. We’ll see what happens with Ness.

–Langkow scores on his own rebound to make it 4-1 in the slot.

–Ness back on the ice midway through the period.

–Nice PPG for Balisy with Vaughan in the box for a high stick that ran up into J.C. Lipon’s face. Balisy from the right circle, maybe a bit of traffic.

–Bridgeport leads 4-2 after two. Two points apiece for Reinhart and Pulock.

–So Pulock’s first pro goal is a power-play goal… Not the cannon from the point, but a nifty dash to the net. Obviously.

–All IceCaps in the early going of the third. Blair Riley deflection over Leggio on Chiarot’s shot makes it a 4-3 game with 16:30 to go.

–Hellebuyck stops a clean Halmo breakaway (with Vaughan trailing him) with about 13:30 left, blocker save. John Albert to the box for a hook soon after. Bridgeport’s third power play.

–Mouillierat for a trip with 9:47 to go.

–Big save on Chiarot in tight gets Bridgeport through that penalty.

–The Caps pull Hellebuyck with about 2:15 left. Halmo scores into the empty net with 1:54 to go.

Bridgeport 5, St. John’s 3, final, but Colin McDonald took an errant stick to the face at the buzzer.

–Don’t know if we’ll hear back from anyone tonight; will pass on word if so. otherwise, probably more Tuesday.

–Word through the team is that McDonald “is fine.”

Michael Fornabaio