The magic number is two. So, beat the Penguins today, and Bridgeport clinches. (It would not be the first time it happens around lunchtime.) The magic number to clinch a finish ahead of Providence is five (this weekend could get it done) and to finish ahead of Hershey is nine (though the right eight points, detailed in today’s gameday, could get it done by Friday).
But: all those guys who were out yesterday are out today: Christopher Gibson (Mitch Gillam is up from the Railers to back up), Chris Bourque and Otto Koivula, with Mike Sislo remaining out as well. But those combinations appear to have stuck from yesterday, then: Oliver Wahlstrom makes his pro debut alongside Matt Lorito and Jeff Kubiak.
The Penguins, meanwhile, have two C.Browns: Cameron, and Wahlstrom’s BC teammate Christopher.
BRIDGEPORT
F: Lorito-Kubiak-Wahlstrom
St. Denis – Jones – Ho-Sang
Bellows-Stevens-Bernier (A)
R.Bourque-Gionta-B.Holmstrom (C)
(Carpenter-scratch)
D: Aho-Burroughs
Wotherspoon-Helgeson (A)-
Vande Sompel-Hutton
G: Smith
Gillam
WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON
F: Miletic-Lafferty-Haggerty
Lucchini-Burton-Hayes
Cramarossa (A)-Blandisi-Cameron Brown
Christopher Brown-Berger-McGrath
D: Czuczman (A)-Summers (A)
Abt-Prow
Taylor-Erixon
(Kim-scratch)
G: Jarry
Muse
R: R.Anderson, Deckard. L: K.Briganti, N.Briganti.
Bridgeport scratches (believed healthy unless noted): Gibson (inj.), Casto, Rathgeb, C.Bourque (veteran/inj.), apparently Carpenter, Eansor, Koivula (inj.), Sislo (veteran/inj.).
Scoreboard watching: Lehigh Valley at Charlotte tonight, though by the end of this morning’s game, no more than half of that result will matter (Bridgeport can’t catch Charlotte if it loses, and Lehigh Valley can’t catch Bridgeport if the Sound Tigers get a point).