After a longer-than-expected return trip from Newfoundland, the Manchester Monarchs will get back to work tonight.

The Monarchs will host Bridgeport (and former assistant coach Scott Pellerin, now head coach of the Sound Tigers) at 7 p.m. at Verizon Wireless Arena.

The team was stranded in Canada after sweeping a weekend two-game set at St. John's. Heavy fog prevented the Monarchs from flying back on Sunday. Approximately 10 players were able to get back to town on Monday, with the rest of the team getting in Tuesday around noon.

But the Monarchs were unable to practice Tuesday since most of the players' gear was still in Canada.

The Monarchs enter tonight's game with a record of 4-0-1 in their past five and overall mark of 26-24-6 for 58 points, three points out of the eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff slot with 20 games remaining.

Bridgeport comes in right behind Manchester at 23-24-8 for 54 points. The Sound Tigers are 2-5-3 in their last 10. Bridgeport was expected to be buoyed by the arrival of veteran NHL goalie Rick DiPietro after he was sent down by the New York Islanders, but DiPietro has allowed eight goals in four periods of play in Bridgeport thus far.

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NOTES: Those Monarchs players who made it back to town early and those who were here (injured players) made their plates for Monday's At Your Service dinner Tuesday at You're Fired in Bedford. The rest of the team will make theirs today.

The plates will be auctioned off along with Build-a-Bears and hand-picked gift baskets during Monday's dinner, which benefits Child Health Services, Manchester Boys' and Girls' Club and the Monarchs Care Foundation.

The event at the Radisson in Manchester costs $100 a plate and features a cocktail reception and silent auction from 5:30-7:30 p.m., dinner (served by the Monarchs players) at 7:30 and then dancing until 11 p.m. Go to manchestermonarchs.com for more information.