The State of the Sound Tigers

Last season is a bit of a sore subject around Webster Bank Arena. By all accounts, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers had a pretty good year. They went 44-28-3-1, making them the fifth best team in the AHL's Eastern Conference.
But when the season ended on April 15 in Wilkes-Barre, the Sound Tigers were outside of the playoffs, falling victim to the AHL's division-based playoff format, where only the top-four teams in each division make the postseason. They had 92 points, which was two more than the North Division leading Syracuse Crunch, but left them fifth in the Atlantic Division and ultimately watching the postseason.

"It's kind of a sore subject to be honest," Thompson said. "The guys here from last year don't like it that we were as good as we were and didn't get that chance to at least go as far as we could during the playoffs. I thought we had a really good hockey team, I thought we had a good makeup, character and a lot of solid pieces. To be shunned from the playoffs was disappointing."
Just over halfway through this season, the Sound Tigers find themselves in a similar position. They're 18-15-4-2, fifth in the Atlantic and like the Islanders, find themselves battling in a brutally tight division.
"It's the same thing this year," Thompson said. "There's no crossover this year and our division is a challenge and we're in the same situation battling and clawing for every point we can get. Moving forward we just need to make sure we get points every day. We can't focus on that, but we have to focus on how we play. I really believe the results will take care of themselves."
They lost back-to-back games against the fourth-place Charlotte Checkers this week and currently sit five points back with a game in hand. There's little room for error, but Bridgeport has nearly half a season to close that gap.
!Sound Tigers Special Teams
On the ice, Bridgeport's been one of the stingier teams in the Atlantic, allowing the third-fewest goals in the division (111) with the top penalty kill (87.2%) in the Atlantic. That's their identity and how they plan to win after losing a few of their top players, both to the Islanders and injury.
With a wave of injuries hampering the Islanders, the Sound Tigers have been sending reinforcements. Just in the past three weeks Sebastian Aho, Tanner Fritz and Michael Dal Colle have made their NHL debuts. All three have been key to Bridgeport's start this season, but losing some top players for stretches is a fact of life for an AHL affiliate.
"This is a good step in their development," Thompson said. "This is what we're here for. We want to make sure we build these guys in the right direction."

Fritz and Aho were both having all-star caliber seasons in Bridgeport before their recalls and were named to the AHL All-Star Classic, taking place in Utica on January 28 and 29. Fritz, who spent time in the ECHL two years ago, is the team's leading scorer with 35 points (10G, 25A) in 30 games.
Aho came in as a 21-year-old rookie defenseman and has transitioned his offensive game well after playing professionally in Sweden for four seasons. Aho had 20 points (9G, 11A) in 29 games before his first recall and scored his first NHL goal on Sunday and added an assist to jumpstart a rally for the Islanders 5-4 SO win over the New Jersey Devils. Both were returned to Bridgeport during the Islanders' bye week, but have been brought back up to the NHL.
"Who would have thought that a late round pick would be as dynamic as he is offensively," Thompson said of Aho. "His hockey savvy down there, especially at our level is incredible. If he puts five or 10 pounds of muscle on, he'll be a dominant force."

Dal Colle made his NHL debut in the Isles 7-2 win over the Rangers on Saturday. The Isles' 2014 first-round pick had 18 points (5G, 13A) in 34 games, which was tied for fourth on the team at the time of his recall. While his numbers have dipped slightly from his rookie season, Thompson said Dal Colle's all-around game has improved over the past year.
"He's way further ahead. He plays with better pace, he's more engaged and he wins those wall battles," Thompson said. "There's a lot of subtle improvements that we notice as a coaching staff and that's what has earned him that opportunity."
A lot has been written about Aho, Fritz and Dal Colle, but there are some other Sound Tigers making an impression this season beyond the three recalls.

DEVON TOEWS

Defenseman Devon Toews was one of the top offensive defensemen in the AHL before an upper-body injury ended his season prematurely. Toews scored 22 points (8G, 14A) in 30 games this season, already surpassing his goal total from an impressive rookie year (5G, 40A), that saw him win the Fastest skater at the AHL All-Star Game. The 23-year-old is still Bridgeport's second-leading scorer, so his presence and offense will be missed on the blue line. Rookie Parker Wotherspoon has shifted up to play alongside Kyle Burroughs in Toews' spot.
"It's an unfortunate situation, but I view it as another challenge to overcome and a chance to come back better, stronger and in a position to succeed," Toews said in a press release. "I look forward to contributing to the team next season and for many years to come."

SCOTT EANSOR

Scott Eansor has burst onto the scene in his rookie season and leads the Sound Tigers with 14 goals. Eansor went undrafted after four years with the Seattle Thunderbirds in the WHL, where he was teammates with Mathew Barzal, but turned a mini camp invite from the New York Islanders into an AHL contract. Eansor's scoring has slowed after seven goals in his first six games with the Sound Tigers, but his relentless hustle has made him one of Thompson's favorite players to throw over the boards.
READ: HOW EANSOR WORKED HIS WAY TO BRIDGEPORT
"He's kind of a Casey Cizikas replica with that energy and intensity, that shift after shift you know what you're getting, 100% every time," Thompson said. "He's a little workhorse, he's a buzzsaw."
Thompson said he didn't expect this much offense from Eansor, who is living with Dal Colle this year, but will happily take it. As for Eansor, he said he's focusing more on how he plays, which is what's leading to the results.

MITCHELL VANDE SOMPEL

Mitchell Vande Sompel is another pleasant surprise for Thompson this season. The rookie defenseman is tied for fourth in team scoring with 18 points (3G, 15A) in 30 games. Vande Sompel is taking on more responsibility with Toews out and Aho spending time with the Islanders.
READ: VANDE SOMPEL MOVING UP IN BRIDGEPORT
"It's been good for the most part. There have been ups and downs obviously your first pro year," Vande Sompel said. "All of our D are pretty good. It's nice to have something like that, it's competition, but everyone is pushing each other to get better and to be the best that they can."

CHRISTOPHER GIBSON

In goal, Christopher Gibson has come back strong after missing nearly all of the 2016-17 season after suffering a knee injury on Nov. 5, 2016. It was a brutal injury after getting off to a 6-0-0 start and he went almost a year without playing a game, but has returned to form this year. The trilingual Finnish goalie is 14-8-2 this season and was on a tear earlier this year, winning eight of nine starts from Oct. 27 to Dec. 1.
"He is still battling," Thompson said. "Right now I think he's starting to really find the form that he had when he got injured. Now he's really at a point where he's starting to find that. Missing a full season, it takes a lot for a goalie."
The Sound Tigers have also gotten some help from a few Islanders this season. Alan Quine and Shane Prince both did conditioning stints in Bridgeport, while Anthony Beauvillier recently played three games with the Sound Tigers. Josh Ho-Sang has split his season between Long Island and Bridgeport and is currently with the Sound Tigers. Ho-Sang has 13 points (4G, 9A) in 19 games.
For the latest updates on the Sound Tigers, follow

on Twitter and check The Bridgeport Report every week.