BINGHAMTON, N.Y. — Like the rest of his young Bridgeport Sound Tigers teammates, Blake Comeau found himself on the ice in almost every situation in Sunday's season opener. Comeau made the most of it in a 5-3 victory over the Binghamton Senators at Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena. He assisted on four goals, including Steve Regier's empty-netter, moments after Comeau had missed the open net himself. "It's going to really help our development early in the season," said Comeau, who played all seven playoff games for Bridgeport last year after his junior season ended. "We don't really have any designated first, second, third lines. Everybody rolls."

Comeau had the primary assist — meaning he sent the pass to the goal-scorer — three times. He killed penalties and was on the ice for a final-minute penalty kill. But a bit of snow on his stick disrupted his empty-net goal attempt, but he led Regier on a breakaway soon after. "That's the type of player he is," coach Dan Marshall said. "He's one of those players you want out there in the last minute, whether you're a goal down or up that goal" The kids all contributed. Luch Aquino scored his first professional goal. Frans Nielsen scored his first in North America. Petteri Nokelainen set the tone early with some big hits and blocked shots. Robert Nilsson had a feisty first shift and later scored. From the beginning of the night, the forward lines stayed fluid, sometimes to get the young players out more often.

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"I was trying to get Luch and (Jason) Pitton experience," Marshall said. "Sergei (Ogorodnikov) played unbelievable, for just playing basically every second shift. I don't think he's ever had as much ice time as this. He just kept looking up, 'I'm next again?'" Bridgeport's power play clicked three times in the first period, including both ends of a five-on-three advantage. Peter Ferraro snapped a nifty shot off the crossbar for the first goal; Aquino banked the puck off defenseman Jamie Allison for the second. At four-on-three, Nilsson scored off goalie Jeff Glass' right shoulder. Binghamton scored two goals in the second period, one just as a power play expired, another 99 seconds later on a five-on-three. But Kevin Mitchell dove to break up a Binghamton rush, sending Comeau the other way to feed Nielsen for a goal with 35.9 seconds left in the period. Wade Dubielewicz made 32 saves, playing all but 35 seconds; referee Frederick L'Ecuyer made him leave the game for a shift when he came to the bench with 7:39 left in the first. NOTES — Defenseman Mark Wotton was named Bridgeport's sixth captain. Allan Rourke, like last year, is one alternate, and respected second-year forward Jeremy Colliton is the other alternate.

"It's an honor, obviously," Colliton said. "We've got a lot of older guys on the team, leaders, who are well-respected, so for the organization to give me an 'A' is a big deal.

Matt Koalska, who had been away from the team a couple of days earlier in the week for a family reason, and Jason Goulet were scratched. Bridgeport3 1 1 — 5

Binghamton0 2 1 — 3

First Period — 1, Bridgeport, Ferraro 1 (Comeau, Rourke), 8:21 (pp). 2, Bridgeport, Aquino 1 (Marjamaki), 9:34 (pp). 3, Bridgeport, Nilsson 1 (Fata, Comeau), 14:13 (pp). Penalties — Nokelainen, Bpt (hooking), 5:34; Nokelainen, Bpt (roughing), 7:50; Komadoski, Bin, double minor (roughing, boarding), 7:50; Potulny, Bin (hooking), 7:50; Luttinen, Bin (holding), 12:56; Rourke, Bpt (high-sticking), 13:09; Hedlund, Bin (tripping), 13:21; Halvardsson, Bpt (roughing), 16:20; Robins, Bin (roughing), 16:20; Malec, Bin (hooking), 17:27; Pecker, Bin (roughing), 20:00.

Second Period — 4, Binghamton, Luttinen 2 (Malec, Hennessy), 16:02. 5, Binghamton, Heerema 2 (Cook), 17:41 (pp). 6, Bridgeport, Nielsen 1 (Comeau, Mitchell), 19:24. Penalties — Fitzpatrick, Bin (elbowing), 4:49; Ogorodnikov, Bpt (hooking), 14:02; Marjamaki, Bpt (hooking), 16:02; Comeau, Bpt (hooking), 16:44.

Third Period — 7, Binghamton, Heerema 3 (Vesce), 13:32. 8, Bridgeport, Regier 1 (Comeau), 19:46 (sh-en). Penalties — Fata, Bpt (hooking), 16:08; Wotton, Bpt (roughing), 18:21.

Shots on goal — Bridgeport 15-14-9 — 38. Binghamton 13-8-15 — 36.

Power play opportunities — Bridgeport 3 of 7, Binghamton 1 of 7.

Goaltenders — Bridgeport, Dubielewicz 1-0-0 (35 shots-32 saves), Thompson (12:21 first, 1-1), Dubielewicz (12:56 first). Binghamton, Glass 0-1-0 (37-33).

Attendance — 3,411. Referee — L'Ecuyer. Linesmen — Feola, Woodworth.