Sad to miss the first trip to Allentown, where the barn is from all reports gorgeous. We’ll listen to Phil (audio and pay-per-view from AHL Live) and follow Paul, Gary Blockus, Tony Androckitis and Bob Rotruck, among others.
Ryan Pulock was sent back to Bridgeport after warmup on the Island today. Not expected in tonight.
This should be the box. R: Mullen, Mayer. L: Lyons, Ritter. First Bridgeport game for referee Michael Mullen tonight. From what we’re told, it’s this Michael Mullen, former UMass player. Has been reffing college games… and is the son of NYC legend (oh, yeah, and Hall of Famer) Joey Mullen. Neat.
Jonathan Bombulie pointed out this fight last night between Alex Gallant, Brett’s brother, and Patrick McGrath in the ECHL.
Meanwhile, we got mumps in the American League.
The always-fun Atlas Obscura found another gem.
RIP, Bob Montgomery.
More closer to gametime, assuming I finish my Ansonia story and dry off in time.
–Gary says Rob Zepp for the Phantoms.
–Phil’s got Quine moving back up to the top line, Graham back in for Bast, Gallant back in for Courtnall with Vaughan moving back up to forward:
BRIDGEPORT from Phil
F: Mouillierat-Quine-McDonald (A)
Halmo-Stretch-Zolnierczyk (A)
Persson-Sundstrom-Gillies
Gallant-Langkow-Vaughan
D: Ness (C)-Nemec
Pelech-Mayfield
Czuczman-Graham
G: Poulin
Leggio
LEHIGH VALLEY from Gary
F: Leier-Jones-Stortini
Straka-Cousins-Akeson
Powe-Goumas-Gordon
Rosehill-Fyten-Hextall
D: Manning-Alt
Hagg-Delisle
Lauridsen-Petterson
G: Zepp
Stolarz
–Sorry, either AHL Live or my internet is being temperamental. May be in and out here.
–Lauridsen, tossed last night for a boarding major, may’ve gotten an elbow up on Persson; Sundstrom goes after him, Kevin Czuczman hops in, they scrum a bit. They wind up even, but Gallant and Mathers go off the draw. Gallant gets the takedown.
–Hagg, Phil says, cheap-shots Graham. McDonald goes in to defend him.
–Bridgeport kills a five-on-three with Mayfield and Stretch both off. Pelech with a block to end the first shift, Nemec breaking up a pass in front to kill it off.
–No score after one; power plays are 3-2 Phantoms. Phil asks for forgiveness if he calls them “Adirondack.” Heck, I’m surprised I don’t call them “Philadelphia.”
The numerous penalties in the first have left the box a little messy. Sure they’ll come back together eventually.
–Poulin makes a couple of saves on another, shorter, five-on-three, with McDonald off for the weekly goalie-interference minor behind the net and Zolnierczyk called for a hook on the PK.
–Zepp stops Zolnierczyk, breaking past the D, soon after the penalty expires. Not long after, The Phantoms somehow break out two-on-one from a draw in their own zone; Hextall carries up the right wing and beats Poulin to make it 1-0 at 6:08 of the second. I think the goal “horn” is the whistle that starts Billy Joel’s “Allentown,” which is solid. Teddy-Bear Toss night, so it’ll be a while.
–Bridgeport comes back quickly. Zepp covers off a couple of Bridgeport shots, and then Ness scores off a faceoff win with McDonald in front.
–Nemec gets an assist on that, his first AHL point.
–Back and forth — Poulin makes a save, but quick work around the net gets it to Powe, maybe, at the side of the net to make it 2-1 about 81 seconds later.
–Zepp stops Pelech sneaking in for a rebound on an Akeson penalty for tripping Quine.
–Haven’t noticed Persson in the second. McDonald was in his spot on the line’s first even-strength appearance. Now Halmo’s there.
–Phil says Persson’s not on the bench.
–Bridgeport carries a minute of PP time to the third, trailing the Phantoms 2-1.
–Graham to McDonald just inside the left circle to tie it up with 5:21 to go. 2-2. Vaughan has been in Persson’s spot, with limited Langkow and Gallant.
–With 1:32 to play, Zepp comes out to play the puck ahead of Zolnierczyk; Zolnierczyk goes into him and is called for roughing. Phantoms’ eighth power play.
–On to overtime. About 30 seconds to kill on Zolnierczyk’s penalty.
–Graham had his stick held at one end; he’s called for a hook at the other. Phantoms’ ninth power play at 2:46.
–Ness hits a post on a short-handed two-on-one. Stretch stoned in front at even strength.
–Three-on-three with 59 seconds left.
–Manning called for a slash on a Bridgeport two-on-one; the whistle blows with 7.8 to go. Zepp made a couple of stops.
–To the bonus round.
–Poulin stops two of three, Stretch and Mouillierat both beat Zepp: Bridgeport 3, Lehigh Valley 2, final (SO). Solid game, huge job by the penalty kill.
–Man, they were so close to getting the box completely cleaned up. So close.
–Persson, as you’d expect: Upper body, day-to-day. Brent Thompson said he hadn’t seen the hit yet. But he was happy with the way the team stuck up for one another tonight. “It was a great response” after Friday’s third period. “The guys played very, very hard. Special teams was a big factor; the penalty kill stepped up.
“The work ethic, top-to-bottom for 60 minutes was there. And we stuck together. I’m proud of the way our guys stuck together and got our team going.”
Discipline, we’ve been talking about it for almost a month now, obviously. A factor. But the penalty kill was strong. A lot of contributions.
“(Lehigh Valley) played well, too,” Thompson said. “It was a good hockey game to watch.”
Rematch in less than 16 hours. Will be nice to watch a hockey game this weekend. Will be nicer if Phil found a bucket.