Sound Tigers try to rediscover scoring touch

BRIDGEPORT -- After eight losses in 10 games, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers got three days off.

The all-star break, for all but the team's two representatives in Providence, meant a few days to recover from a rough weekend in Norfolk, Va.

"We haven't been playing as good," forward John Persson said. "It was good to get a break away from the rink."

The break ended at practice Wednesday night at Webster Bank Arena, where the Sound Tigers will play Providence on Thursday to begin three games in three nights.

"It all starts in practice. It's going to come in games," Persson said.

After Bridgeport won five of six to end December, January hasn't been kind.

The team lost its first five after New Year's Day, dropping the last two despite playing with its full complement of players bound for the NHL. It won two but has lost the last three by a combined score of 11-2.

The Sound Tigers scored 73 seconds into Friday's 2-1 loss and lost 5-0 Saturday, so they're on a 118-minute, 47-second scoreless streak.

"It's funny. I'm still upset about the weekend," coach Scott Pellerin said. "I didn't want that to be the message.

"I wanted the guys to come back, regroup, refreshed and refocused," he said.

From afar, they at least looked loose Wednesday as they got back to the grind, trying to figure a way back to the success that ended last month.

"Probably just playing more like a team," Persson said. "The (defensemen) are there, the forwards are there. Play tighter, play harder."

One thing that will help: The Sound Tigers appear set to get Matt Watkins back from injury. He adds depth at center after missing four of the past five games.

Johan Sundstrom, another centerman, practiced Wednesday night but without taking contact after missing three games. Pellerin termed him day-to-day, but it's not likely they'll throw him back into action without a full-contact practice.

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