Bridgeport Sound Tigers at Utica Comets

WHEN: Friday, 7 p.m.

WHERE: Adirondack Bank Center at the Utica (N.Y.) Memorial Auditorium

WEBCAST: www.soundtigers.com

RECORDS: Bridgeport 21-11-4-2; Utica 20-17-2-1

SEASON SERIES: First meeting of two. The teams split two games last season.

LAST MEETING: The Comets won 2-1 in a shootout Dec. 2, 2017, at Bridgeport.

ABOUT THE SOUND TIGERS: Entering the mathematical second half of its season, Bridgeport is on its first three-game winless streak. ... This ends a season-long six-game road trip (2-2-0-1). ... Those who missed practice Thursday include G Christopher Gibson (undisclosed injury), D Sebastian Aho (upper, day-to-day), C Jeff Kubiak (upper, “improving”) and RW Mike Sislo (upper, “week-to-week”). ... C Otto Koivula has a goal in five games in a row.

ABOUT THE COMETS: Not saying Utica has been streaky, but Wednesday’s 6-3 loss to Toronto snapped a four-game winning streak that followed a three-game losing streak that followed points in seven. ... The Comets have kept things together despite over 200 man-games lost to injury in Utica (hat tip: Ben Birnell of the Observer-Dispatch) plus over 150 for parent Vancouver. ... The Comets defense includes Stratford’s Jaime Sifers and former Sound Tiger Jesse Graham.

UP NEXT: Saturday vs. Hartford, 7 p.m.