In a game that could easily be described as Bridgeport’s biggest of the season to date, the Bears will try to extend its East Division lead to five points Saturday night with the Sound Tigers coming to call at 7:00 p.m. At five up and a game in hand (plus Bridgeport traveling to play Lowell tomorrow at 4:00 outside of Boston, yuck), Hershey can put itself in an excellent position to win the East Division title with seven games to go after tonight. Should the Chocolate and White get a little help tonight from Toronto (the Marlies are in WB/Scranton), the boys could go up nine points on the Penguins with two weeks to go. Not bad. But it has to happen out on the ice tonight first. Here’s what’s happening tonight:

-Roster moves aplenty to discuss again, but this time moving in Hershey’s favor. Keith Aucoin, Oskar Osala and Simeon Varlamov are all back for tonight’s game, with Varlamov getting the nod in net. Before you get too excited on Varly’s return, know that the Caps just want to get him some work this weekend during a long layoff for Washington. He’ll likely head back after the weekend. Osala will get the night off tonight, but Aucoin is back on the number one line with Alexandre Giroux and Graham Mink.

-Giroux is the biggest single story heading into tonight’s game, one goal from tying the team record for goals in a single season. With his parents looking on here tonight along with a sellout crowd, this would be a great night to pick up a couple and put Tony Cassolato’s record of 53 goals to bed for good.

-Kip Brennan and Dean Arsene are back in the lineup tonight. Darren Reid and Sean Collins are out for Saturday’s game.

-Michal Neuvirth has turned in three solid performances in a row, including his first AHL shutout Friday in Binghamton. He’ll back up Varlamov tonight. Daren Machesney was recalled today to Washington to hold Varlamov’s spot on the roster.