As I sat in the press lounge of the continental Airlines Arena getting ready for Game 2 of the New Jersey Devils playoffs, I came to think of what could’ve been for the Sound Tigers if all of the injuries didn’t occur. For those of you who haven’t heard, last night the Bridgeport Sound tigers were eliminated from playoff contention last night with a 3-0 loss to Hartford and coupled with a Albany OT loss to Binghamton. The most Bridgeport can do is tie Albany in points, but unfortunately for the Sound Tigers, Albany owns the tiebreaker in the season series.

It’s been a very up and down year for the Tigers. It started with the rough opening to the year and struggling to win at home. Then the winning streak came and gone in January - six straight games and nine straight at home. That’s when the injuries started happening…Jeremy Colliton out with the shoulder problem, Brandon Nolan out with the ribs, Blake Comeau out with the ankle, Petteri Nokelainen out with the finger, Brandon Cullen not being able to go all year with the concussion, Frans Neilsen with a concussion, Eric Boguniecki, it just never stopped. Add to it with Wade Dubielewicz getting called up to finish the season with the Islanders, it was just way too much for the Tigers to handle.

Overall, it was a GOOD year for the Sound Tigers, I think, but it could’ve been much better.  It was a lot of bad luck just tumbling in the Sound Tigers direction and it was too much at once.

It’s been a fun year, my first FULL season covering a team and I took a lot out of it.  I’d love to thank Mike Fornabaio, I learned a lot by just watching him work.  He’s one of the best writers in the AHL and it shows.  Also I’d like to thank Patrick Williams as well for helping me get my first paying job up in Binghamton.  It meant a whole lot to me and he really played a big part in me getting my start in this industry.

It’s onto the NHL Playoffs and covering the Devils now.  Lightning tied the series 1-1 so it’s looking to be a helluva series.  I’ll be back tomorrow as Mother Nature destroys NY with rain for more NHL Playoff thoughts.

Take care guys.  Thanks for reading