Kimber’s bit from Moncton. Preseason games get going tomorrow.
There was sort of one in Shelton today, and the Baby Bruins scored four power-play goals to win 5-1 over the Baby Devils. I was paying little real attention (though it was nice to see a few familiar faces…), except to the uniforms. Boston was wearing practice jerseys. Jersey was wearing, well, the jersey, the real ones, the RBK Edge System (TM or something). Complete with the rounded hems that John Dellapina mentions make the Rangers look like they’re wearing “short aprons.”
The things do look better on people than they do on pegs or on paper. It was good to see that first with the Devils, who made no significant changes from their sweaters; at least I’ve got a baseline for offense when I see some of the wackier designs.
But they seem to ride up an awful lot, more than the old ones for sure. All those 50-somethings and 60-somethings, I often had trouble reading that first digit. What really made me giggle was when Mike Pandolfo — I think it was Pandolfo, anyway; probably should have written that down — scored the only goal, a one-timer from the slot. His whole jersey kind of twisted around. He had to readjust it before everyone got to him to celebrate.
What really impressed me: Green Day’s “2000 Light Years Away” on the PA (though hearing that and just about every song three times undercut the effect), and the crowd of several hundred. Lots of people in hockey withdrawal? Lots of Bruins and Devils fans in the area? Or just lots of people who were as aggravated as I was by the slop on television?
Farther elsewhere, Allan Rourke and Rick Berry are among the first assigned to Springfield. Kyle Rank goes to WBS camp, where he’s contracted, anyway.