With the lineup as consistent as it was all week, the biggest Sound Tigers question was in net. This time both clues lined up: Christopher Gibson had the Main Street end this morning, and he was first off the ice. It’s his net tonight.
“Gibson’s obviously been here with us the whole time,” Brent Thompson said. “He had a really good game against Hartford. He’s just got a little more experience in the American League. Williams has got to be ready. We’ve got a three-in-four here, and a three-in-three next weekend.”
The Penguins didn’t skate here this morning. Since none of you went to Providence, prescouted and brought me home a pizza, here’s last night’s Penguins box and, courtesy of Seth Lakso (the new Bombulie, and I promise not to call him that too much longer), their Friday-night lines.
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Things will sound different around here this year. Adam Goodman took a step back after 14 years as public-address announcer; Alan Longley, who did a few games last year, takes over.
And there’s a big change in radio, too, where Phil Giubileo won’t be back after nine seasons in the booth. It was a decision, he said, “I necessarily didn’t want to make, but for a number of reasons, I didn’t feel like the offer given to me to return was best for my family.” He wouldn’t elaborate, but we’re told that offer was a drastic pay cut.
PR man Paul Ryan will call Bridgeport’s games. He worked at BU with, and is good friends with, Islanders broadcaster Greg Picker, whose dad, Michael, took over the front office here this summer.
Phil, as you may’ve noticed from his Twitter account, will be doing games for the Connecticut Whale, the local entry in the new National Women’s Hockey League. That begins Sunday at 1:30, where he and Olympian Erika Lawler will call the opener from Chelsea Piers in Stamford. And you’ll still hear him on highlights in NHL arenas.
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And before we head home for the pregame nap (these 9:30 playoff games are killers, but I’ll take ’em if they end like that): First goal in San Jose AHL history? One Micheal Haley.