The Albany River Rats and Bridgeport Sound Tigers are about set to drop the puck for the first preseason game for both clubs. The Connecticut visitors will be back again in 10 days as Albany's opponent for the home/regular-season opener.

Not playing for the Rats tonight are Jerome Samson, day-to-day with a minor injury; Pat Dwyer, who is in Wisconsin for the birth of his first child; and Bobby Hughes, who took part in drills with the team in the first day of training camp on Tuesday but is not close to being in game condition.

Several players remain with the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes, meaning every available healthy body is in the lineup. Defensemen Brett Carson and Casey Borer, who is wearing an 'A' as alternate captain along with Troy native Matt Murley, is skating up front. In fact, they are all skating together.

Cohoes native Marc Cavosie, who is trying to make the team as an unsigned free agent, figures to get a good luck tonight. He is playing on the wing, where he feels he can be more productive.

Goalies David Leggio and free agent Ryan Munce will split time tonight; Leggio will get the start.

Here are the line combinations and defense pairings from warmups:

Borer (A)-Murley (A)-Carson; Cavosie-Jakub Petruzalek-Harrison Reed; Yannick Tifu-Stefan Chaput-Ryan Weston; Mike Angelidis-Nick Dodge-Nicholas Blanchard; Jonathan Paiement-Brett Bellemore; Ryan McGinnis-Noah Babin; Benn Olson-Mark Flood.

Typical of preseason, Bridgeport is dressing a very young lineup, leaving players like Mark Wotton, Andy MacDonald, Mike Iggulden, Kurtis McLean, Jamie Fraser, Ben Walter and Trevor Smith behind.

The Sound Tigers' fourth line -- featuring brothers Joel and Marc Rechlicz -- should be an interesting one. Joel Rechlicz (6-4, 220), 21, who had 106 PIM in 25 games for Albany last season, signed with the Isles in the off-season. Marc Rechlicz (6-4, 193), 19, was scoreless with 52 PIM in 37 junior games for Chicoutimi last season.