About as strict a matchup as we’ve seen, especially this early in a season, in a while: Pelech-Mayfield against Khokhlachev, Frank Vatrano and Zack Phillips. They combined for nine shots, six of them Phillips. And for the first time this year, Vatrano didn’t score. None of them got on the scoresheet.
Bridgeport’s 5-0. Our ol’ buddy Brandon DeFazio got one on second effort after Noel Acciardi stepped in front of Pelech’s clearing attempt and knocked it down, but that was about it for the Bruins, between Bridgeport’s defensive effort and Stephon Williams’ 30 saves.
“I think we have an outstanding group of defensemen in general,” Thompson said. “With our quality of players, there’s a healthy competition, but they all pull for each other. They’re all playing for a common goal, and that’s getting wins and getting better every day.
“Pelech and Mayfield are two guys who lead us on the back end in those situations. They take pride in their own end.”
Wins, yep. Five of them without yet trailing (a really quick count, and you know I can’t add in base 60, suggests Bridgeport has led for 179:30 and been tied for 120:30). Getting better, seems it.
“There are a lot of things we need to get better at,” Thompson said. “One thing I’m happy with is the guys’ effort level. They’ve worked hard from training camp to now.”
The team they started with comes back tomorrow. This is already uncharted territory for this team. Win tomorrow, and you stop talking about starts to seasons and start talking about longest winning streaks, period.
……
Adam Pelech, sniper. A relief to get that first one. He and Mayfield went almost a full season without a goal; now they’ve got three in two games. “Three times as many as last year,” Mayfield pretended to boast, telling Thompson that Pelech wanted to play in front of the net on the power play now.
James Wright is, in fact, injured: upper body. Thompson said he’ll be evaluated tomorrow. Connor Jones skated this morning without the redshirt, so he’s close to availability.
Parker Milner looked tired. “It was crazy,” he said. He got the call last night in Anchorage and flew out at 11:30 Alaska time, which is apparently 3:30 in the morning here: Anchorage to Chicago to Newark. “With the time difference, it was a quick trip right here,” Milner said. Quick as it gets. “I’m excited for the opportunity,” he said. “It’s always exciting to get that call.”
Double milestone tonight for Frans Nielsen, born in Bridgeport. (Well, Denmark, actually, but…)
His old liney can still put ’em in, too.
Prescout. #Itwas3-0 The Phantoms are somewhat banged up, too, including Andrew MacDonald.
And a fond farewell to two old friends. Sandy Sulzycki, who’d been working at the Connecticut Post and its predecessors for over 40 years, has retired; we sent him off with, hopefully, a good day yesterday. And Tim Leone announced that Friday was his last day at the Patriot-News. He’ll be missed dearly on that beat.