And RIP, Bert Parks.

This will be a liveblog of some sort off Sunday’s festivities. Might tweet some too, depending on the feeling.

Jamie Palatini and Casey Cizikas came down this morning. They’re on madly short rest, because the bus didn’t pull in from Syracuse until about 4:30 in the morning, and then they were up again at about 7. Gamers.

Saw Yann Danis, who I first kept missing on the roster and then kept neglecting to mention. He’s here from Oklahoma City and had a long trip of his own, flying out of Dallas at 4:30. Said all’s going well in OKC, enjoying the town after having no idea what to expect.

Skills set to begin around 3.

–Brian Connelly introduced as a member of the Abbotsford Heat. He’s never worn that sweater before today. In fact, it looks like a replica from up here with a name and number stitched on the back. Connelly was traded this week from Chicago/Rockford for Brendan Morrison.

–Cizikas is going to wear 10 tomorrow in the game (Keith Aucoin keeps 11). Cam Atkinson will wear 3 (Colin McDonald has 13).

–Boyd Kane coming up in the accuracy contest with Trevor Smith. Said something like “I don’t usually score from out that far.” Sitting next to Tim Leone up here, and we both cracked up at that.

–Smith goes 4-for-5 and might’ve hit the elbow in the top-right corner going for 4-for-4.

–Casey Cizikas denied on breakaway relay; streak of three-point games ends at three. (Not really.) Jamie and I were just talking about how Cizikas’ skill set doesn’t really shine through in this kind of skills contest. Let’s get the penalty-kill relay going.

–The Rumored Conference’s existence is confirmed; it beats the East 18-10.

–Now they’re calling it a tie between Smith and Ryan Keller in the accuracy shootout, 4-for-5.

–Smith said he got to 3-for-3, heard the crowd buzzing… “I was watching the NHL last night, and they were going low. I got the low ones first, and then I went for my bread-and-butter… I got a little excited.” He got it the second time. Things are going well in Norfolk, “a good group of guys. Everybody’s buying into the system.” A very offensive system, and they’re playing it well enough to be in the mix with Hershey and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Hershey, WBS, and Trevor Smith’s team: Sound familiar? “I can’t get away from those guys,” he said. “It’s healthy rivalries. It’s fun. We just had two games against Hershey, tough battles. We’re feeling it today.”

Back with more tomorrow.

And RIP, Bert Parks.

This will be a liveblog of some sort off Sunday’s festivities. Might tweet some too, depending on the feeling.

Jamie Palatini and Casey Cizikas came down this morning. They’re on madly short rest, because the bus didn’t pull in from Syracuse until about 4:30 in the morning, and then they were up again at about 7. Gamers.

Saw Yann Danis, who I first kept missing on the roster and then kept neglecting to mention. He’s here from Oklahoma City and had a long trip of his own, flying out of Dallas at 4:30. Said all’s going well in OKC, enjoying the town after having no idea what to expect.

Skills set to begin around 3.

–Brian Connelly introduced as a member of the Abbotsford Heat. He’s never worn that sweater before today. In fact, it looks like a replica from up here with a name and number stitched on the back. Connelly was traded this week from Chicago/Rockford for Brendan Morrison.

–Cizikas is going to wear 10 tomorrow in the game (Keith Aucoin keeps 11). Cam Atkinson will wear 3 (Colin McDonald has 13).

–Boyd Kane coming up in the accuracy contest with Trevor Smith. Said something like “I don’t usually score from out that far.” Sitting next to Tim Leone up here, and we both cracked up at that.

–Smith goes 4-for-5 and might’ve hit the elbow in the top-right corner going for 4-for-4.

–Casey Cizikas denied on breakaway relay; streak of three-point games ends at three. (Not really.) Jamie and I were just talking about how Cizikas’ skill set doesn’t really shine through in this kind of skills contest. Let’s get the penalty-kill relay going.

–The Rumored Conference’s existence is confirmed; it beats the East 18-10.

–Now they’re calling it a tie between Smith and Ryan Keller in the accuracy shootout, 4-for-5.

–Smith said he got to 3-for-3, heard the crowd buzzing… “I was watching the NHL last night, and they were going low. I got the low ones first, and then I went for my bread-and-butter… I got a little excited.” He got it the second time. Things are going well in Norfolk, “a good group of guys. Everybody’s buying into the system.” A very offensive system, and they’re playing it well enough to be in the mix with Hershey and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Hershey, WBS, and Trevor Smith’s team: Sound familiar? “I can’t get away from those guys,” he said. “It’s healthy rivalries. It’s fun. We just had two games against Hershey, tough battles. We’re feeling it today.”

Back with more tomorrow.