What jumps out about this one is that Nathan Lawson almost had more shots in the first than Lowell did. (It’s a little more obvious here.)
He made them look easy, actually, those 18 saves. Steered them away, got across to make them. Got help from a defense that sacrificed bodies and ankles and feet to get in the way. Got help from a couple of shots wide.
And at the other end, Jeff Frazee was stopping everything in sight. There was that one with about 7:30 to go in the second, where Fraser carries up the right, and Colliton’s driving down the middle, and Fraser gets him the pass, and Colliton puts it in… Not quite. Frazee dives back into the crease to make the save.
Colliton would get his just reward later. Ah, but that’s a story for Friday’s paper. ‘Cause this week I need to get a story for Friday’s paper on Sunday.
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Grabbed some bits and pieces on a few different things for the weekly, which is next up. The team is off until Friday’s morning skate.
Hershey won in a shootout, so the Bears’ lead remains two. This win put a bit of breathing room (four whole points of it) between Bridgeport and idle Philadelphia.
Cool story: John Walton makes his unexpected NHL debut.
So here’s the story I heard: Apparently fans behind the net on one side tried to toss stuffed toys over the net, and failed. A couple of toys fell into the lap of a family sitting in the front row. And the family kept them. Happy holidays, sick kids. Hope they were in need.
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And so, this is Christmas. (Actually, Michael, right now, this is Hannukah. But it’s the Christmas break here.) We’ll be churning out the weekly as usual tonight and tomorrow, and then we’ll maybe keep a half an eye on the Islanders’ game Tuesday, and then we’ll probably be very quiet until the Islanders’ morning skate Friday. (On assignment Friday morning, baby. But we’ll be back here by gametime.) Until then, we’ll have to muddle through somehow*.
If you’re around my age, maybe these will get you in the spirit.
Whatever it is you’re celebrating, may it be happy and safe and restful. And if you’re celebrating what I’m celebrating, Merry Christmas.
*-Darn it, Sinatra.