Rules of engagement: Charlotte postgame

“The last game, you could kind of just coast, but we stuck to the game plan all year,” Seth Helgeson said. “ Unfortunately, the result was not what we wanted.”

Well, that was easy. Exit meetings Tuesday.

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(Did I use that one this year? Can’t let the year end without it, can I…)

Like I told all three of Ben Holmstrom, Helgeson and Brent Thompson, it’s tough to tell when you’re not there, but Sunday felt a lot more engaged than the past few games: blocking shots, physicality, a real edge. Holmstrom more or less agreed; Helgeson and Thompson thought last night’s game had raised the level somewhat.

“Even last night (Saturday), two teams that weren’t making the playoffs, and last night was a grinding game, tough,” Helgeson said. “That game Friday (a 5-2 loss at Lehigh Valley), I think, we didn’t play our game. We kind of bounced back last night.”

“Tonight, there was a little more bite to our game, a little more emotion in our game,” Thompson said. “I thought the last two games were a little more like us, but still not the level we’re used to, our team, which is disappointing.”

Bridgeport took a lead, gave it back on a five-on-three. Creative officiating. Warren Foegele took it hard around the net to break the tie.

It took two empty-netters to finish it.

“I think we wanted to try to prove we could hang with them, that the season was not a fluke,” Holmstrom said. “We came out and competed.”

After being competitive for 70 games, they wind up on a five-game losing streak, and they wind up 15 points out of a playoff spot. It’s a lot less pretty than it played all year.

“It’s been a pleasure playing for Tommer,” Helgeson said. “Our team was a great team, the character, the way we played. … It’s tough saying you’re done. No one wants to end like this.”

…….

Bridgeport will have its exit meetings Tuesday, starting in the morning. We’ll hang out as usual. We’ll also do our silly usual Real Standings sometime in the next 24 hours or so. Edit: Did some typing while waiting for Bartolo: This year’s “Real Standings.”

Casey Bailey got credit for one shot, tying Jason Krog for 10th on Bridgeport’s single-season list with 207. (Krog played fewer games so technically has the spot, but still.) Most by a Sound Tiger since Nino Niederreiter’s 230 five years ago.

Travis St. Denis (who won the fake Three Stars Award) finishes as the team scoring leader, 23-21-44. That’s the lowest total ever to lead Bridgeport. Rhett Rakhshani was 20-29-49 in 2011-12, and Ryan Strome was 13-36-49 two years later. (Strome did that in 39 games, of course.) Tanner Fritz had 38 points in 35 AHL games. Bailey was smack in between them at 18-23-41.

The Playoffs start Friday in both Atlantic series, both of them 2-3s. Also Binghamton got a point at Utica, and Belleville lost late in regulation at Toronto, so the Devils finish fifth in the North, in case the pregameblog had you wondering anxiously for several hours yet you somehow were not moved to check.

Worcester fell behind 2-1 in the series, though Jeff Kubiak scored. Kellen Jones, Josh Holmstrom and Pat Cullity are eligible to go to Worcester. Sounds like they’ll make at least a couple of those official tomorrow.

Brad Schlossman on hockey officials and the costs they incur for injuries.

And RIP, Milos Forman and Thomas Ullmann and R. Lee Ermey.

Michael Fornabaio