NYI: IS IT HARDER MENTALLY OR PHYSICALLY?
Brent Thompson (Bridgeport Sound Tigers Head Coach 2011-12, 2014-20):
"It's three games in two-and-a-half days. It's more mentally exhausting probably than physically. The physical side you're numb to by the third game and guys are in a routine."
Barry Trotz (AHL Assistant 1991-92 & Head Coach 1992-97):
"There were a couple times where we played and then had a seven-hour bus ride, you played in another place and then had a four-hour bus ride after the game and then you played the next day. I do remember how disoriented you were. That was the number one thing, you were numb."
Colin McDonald (Bridgeport Sound Tiger, 12-year AHL Veteran):
"The hard part is everything that leads up to that game. Waking up in the morning. Getting to the rink. Lingering around the locker room, but once you get on the ice, guys are fine. Your competitive juices kind of take over. It's going to bed after the game on Saturday knowing you have to do it again in a couple hours. That's the mental battle you have to get through."
Ross Johnston (Bridgeport Sound Tiger 2015-18):
"You feel like your body goes through a wringer. It's a different game down there too. NHL is obviously more speed and little less hitting than it used to be, but in the AHL you take a step back and it's physically draining. You get hit everywhere you look, guys are trying to make an impression every game, cranking guys, fighting.
It really is insane down there, so you have to give those guys a lot of credit."
NYI: WHAT'S THE CRAZIEST STORY YOU HAVE FROM A THREE-IN-THREE?
Trotz:"When I was in Baltimore we were really the most southern team other than Hershey and we were playing a three-in-three in the New Haven area… Our first game was pretty far and I remember we our third game was a 1 p.m. Sunday in New Haven, and we had played the night before. I don't think we got in until 3 or 4 in the morning, but we played the next day. And I remember this, we won in OT against New Haven.
Everybody was getting on the bus and we had a college player named Mike Boback. Everybody was like 'where's Bo?' 'we don't see Bo?' and they're like 'his clothes are still here.'
He fell asleep on the bench.
At the end of the game, he was so tired cause I played him a lot - he was a good, young player. We won the game he went 'oh thank god we made it through the weekend' and he leaned back and closed his eyes for a second and fell asleep. We basically found him on the bench. He just had a little nap.
He was exhausted and then he had to bus home from New Haven to Baltimore."