Bridgeport had Friday off. Springfield had Saturday off. Am I nuts that I didn’t believe it?
“It did have the feel of a three-in-three,” Brent Thompson said after I put it that way. “Obviously a very tight checking game. Both sides would probably like to see a few things better.”
The crowd (2,539, and the Nighthawks thank you) was quiet. There wasn’t a whole lot of feistiness, and when Bobby Farnham can’t come through and stir the pot for you, who’s gonna?
So you grind these games out, and Bridgeport did it, getting the goaltending from Kristers Gudlevskis and the big play from the new Eansor-St. Denis-Johnston line to do it.
“I guess we’re kind of used to three-in-three, though this obviously wasn’t,” Johnston said. “It’s Sunday. It’s a home game. It doesn’t matter how tired you are.”
…….
Johnston’s first goal since March 26 at Lehigh Valley, which has now come up twice in a week.
Was mumbling to myself before the game that Max Fortunus would’ve been incredibly exempt from the veteran rule under the old, old formulation (where one guy who’d played 450 or more AHL games didn’t count toward the six veterans*). Then I thought harder and realized: We’d heard lots about Fortunus over the years but never seen him until today.
Am I the only weirdo who thinks a (Rob) Hamilton-(Kyle) Burr(oughs) run-in would be fun? Yes? Ah well.
Boston sent Kenny Agostino down to Providence.
Worcester put 27 shots on goal in the second and won 4-1 over Manchester.
Tage Thompson scored a pretty one for San Antonio last night.
Big day — big third period — for Josh Winquist with Orlando.
Saturday Night Live had a skit last night with host Chance the Rapper playing an MSG Knicks sideline reporter pressed, unprepared, into duty on a Rangers game. Brady Skjei’s name played a big role. (As recent SNL hockey references go, I might stick with Drake’s “Black Jeopardy” classic one-liner from last year.)
These Giants can’t even tank right. (Mike Vaccaro counterpoint on those who showed up today.)
Tip of cap to UConn field hockey, national champs again. (Tough finish for Columbia’s other football team.)
And RIP, Pancho Segura, Ann Wedgeworth and Mel Tillis.
*-In checking that 450 was the old number, found this, from our weekly page on Nov. 7, 2002: “There are 15 exempt players on AHL rosters this season. The list, courtesy of Jason Chaimovitch at the league office: (Bridgeport’s Brandon) Smith; Dallas Eakins, Chicago; Patrick Boileau, Grand Rapids; Ken Gernander, Hartford; Mark Freer, Hershey; Sylvain Cloutier, Houston; Dane Jackson, Manchester; Bryan Helmer, Manitoba; Peter White, Norfolk; Mark Greig. Philadelphia; Dean Melanson, Portland; Doug Houda, Rochester; Rob Murray, Springfield; Bob Wren, St. John’s; and Terry Virtue, Worcester.”