Not expecting much of a different lineup this weekend, though the cast of characters got a little bigger today with the arrival of Kyle Schempp, who arrived the dressing room about 10 minutes after practice wound down. There were a couple of others on but off early: Marc-Andre Cliche and Kyle Burroughs skated this morning. (Paul got the photographic evidence.)
“Burroughs, Cliche, listen, they’re still going week-to-week,” Brent Thompson said. “Their physical conditioning, they haven’t taken contact — they’re on the ice skating. That’s a positive. They’ll be reporting to the doctors and trainers. … There’s no set date for either one.”
(Hadn’t asked in a while about Joe Whitney and Andrew Rowe, so figured I’d ask: They’re both still in casts, so still long-term if at all.)
Bridgeport’s magic number fell to 11 last night with Hartford’s loss to Albany. The long-winded, more complicated version: Bridgeport has already clinched a finish ahead of Binghamton, St. John’s, Lehigh Valley and Springfield. To clinch a playoff spot, the Sound Tigers need to secure a finish ahead of two of the other three North Division teams involved (Utica, 15 points gained by them or lost by the Comets; Syracuse, 9; Rochester, 5) and one more team in the East Atlantic (Providence, 20; Portland, 15; Hartford, and there you go, 11). Some of those numbers may dwindle by an extra one along the way if the Sound Tigers secure themselves an edge in the first tiebreaker, non-shootout wins. They make sure to keep themselves in the Atlantic if they finish ahead of two out of three of Providence, Portland and Hartford.
Florida called up Rocco Grimaldi from Portland. Providence had Austin Czarnik and Seth Griffith called up to Boston. (Nobody in the AHL’s Eastern Conference plays until Friday.)
And Jimmy Vesey’s representatives fired back at the Predators.