No Helgeson, Fritz, Dal Colle: WBS (1) pregame

A momentous day: Seth Helgeson sits out today. Believe it’s from blocking that big Ian McCoshen shot on the five-on-three in last night’s second period. Helgeson misses his first game as a Sound Tiger after playing his first 104, two shy of Devon Toews’ apparent team record for defensemen. That’s 105 overall for a guy who plays tough minutes and a physical game. Not bad.

Tanner Fritz (lower) is also out today after missing the last 11 minutes or so last night. And Michael Dal Colle’s eyelid is reportedly pretty well swollen, so he’s out today.

(I mean, there was no way this team could go three games in a row without a man-game lost to injury, was there?)

Helgeson’s absence means Bridgeport can plug in another veteran forward; Steve Bernier returns. Ryan Hitchcock comes back up from Worcester (eight points, 56 shots in 11 ECHL games) and goes into Dal Colle’s spot; Travis St. Denis goes to Fritz’s.

Meanwhile, the Penguins have won five in a row, and Bridgeport’s 13-game home points streak is on the line. Remember who ended the first one, Dec. 17, 2003, in the very first Cool Fun 101?

BRIDGEPORT
F: Hitchcock-Koivula-St. Denis
C.Bourque-Gionta-Sislo
Bellows-Jones-R.Bourque (A)
Eansor-Kubiak-Bernier (A)
D: Toews-Burroughs (C)
Vande Sompel-Aho
Wotherspoon-Rathgeb
G: Gibson
Smith

WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON
F: Di Pauli-Blueger-Angello
Johnson-Lafferty-Sexton
Cramarossa (A)-Olund-Haggerty
Josephs-Burton-Hayes
D: Czuczman (A)-Erixon
Taylor-O’Neill
Abt-Prow
(Erkamps-scratch)
G: Peters
Jarry

R: Tarnaris, Schlittenhardt. L: N.Briganti, Pincus.

This should be the box.

Bridgeport scratches (believed healthy unless noted): Casto, Helgeson (lower/veteran), Dal Colle (eyelid), Fritz (lower), B.Holmstrom (veteran).

Also a momentous day in any schedule: Last regularly scheduled time Bridgeport wears the whites at home.

Michael Fornabaio