Coming back last night against Charlotte would’ve been symmetry, but symmetry’s for math class: Stephen Gionta plays his first game in over a month today against the ThunderCougarFalconBirds. Looks like he slots right in for Kyle Schempp. Parker Wotherspoon comes back in for Mitch Vande Sompel; keep rotating the kids, though Brent Thompson liked Vande Sompel’s game last night.
The Thunderbirds, winners of four in a row, are coming off a night off. Florida sent Curtis Valk back this morning, but he’s not in. They’ve added veteran Max Fortunus in the past week, too. Edit: Denis Malgin a late scratch for the T-birds.
BRIDGEPORT
F: Bourque-Fritz-Bernier (A)
Eansor-St. Denis-Johnston
Dal Colle-Stevens-Bailey
C.Jones-Gionta-B.Holmstrom (C)
(Schempp-scratch)
D: Lafranchise-Aho
Toews-Burroughs
Helgeson (A)-Wotherspoon
G: Gudlevskis
Gibson
SPRINGFIELD
F: Farnham-Lammikko-Grenier (A)
Mamin-(Malgin-scratch)-Greco (A)
Haapala-Byron-Hawryluk
Turgeon-Aagaard-Buckles
Beauchemin
D: Erixon (A)-MacKenzie
Bystrom-Fortunus
Hamilton-Schemitsch
G: Montembeault
Sateri
R: R.Anderson, Gouin. L: N.Briganti, Pincus.
Bridgeport scratches (believed healthy unless noted): Cullity, Vande Sompel, J.Holmstrom, apparently Schempp.
First game in Bridgeport for ref Reid Anderson. He worked the Sound Tigers’ games in Toronto and Rochester last March just after the trade deadline.