Ryan Bourque and Connor Jones return tonight for Bridgeport; Stephen Gionta skated again this morning. Bit of a different-looking alignment as Jones returns.
Returning, in a different sense, are the Charlotte Checkers. (Aaron Ness’ pro debut, that.) They have been on the road since Halloween and have lost three straight; this’ll be their third game in four days.
BRIDGEPORT
F: Bourque-Fritz-Bernier (A)
Eansor-St. Denis-Johnston
Dal Colle-Stevens-Bailey
C.Jones-Schempp-B.Holmstrom (C)
D: Lafranchise-Aho
Toews-Burroughs
Helgeson (A)-Vande Sompel
(Wotherspoon-scratch)
G: Gibson
Gudlevskis
CHARLOTTE
F: Zykov-Poturalski-Miller (A)
Foegele-Saarela-Kuokkanen
Tolchinsky-Roy-Gauthier
Stortini-Bishop-Brown (C)
D: Carrick (A)-Kichton
Samuelsson-McKeown
Ganly-Wesley
G: Nedeljkovic
Smith
R: Reneau, Bruggeman. L: K.Briganti, E.Ernst.
Bridgeport scratches (believed healthy unless noted): Cullity, apparently Wotherspoon, Gionta (lower), J.Holmstrom.
First Bridgeport game for ref Andrew Bruggeman, who has officiated at several different levels on the way up here.