The Sound Tigers looked Tuesday much as they did Sunday except for one missing extra forward: Lukas Sutter is going to Stockton, Brent Thompson said. The usual story when a young guy is sitting out: Stockton begins its season Friday, and he’ll play there. “He’ll play in game situations, evolve his game from there,” Thompson said. “I think he’s going to do well down there.”
Thompson said Aaron Ness was to have an MRI on Tuesday morning, but no results yet.
After Sunday’s game, Sebastian Collberg was talking about his goal: “That’s a thing I want to work on, to be at the front of the net, in the hard areas,” Collberg said. “I need to do that.” We’d already talked to Thompson, but I was curious what the coach’s thoughts on that were. “I honestly have noticed that, especially in Game 2,” Thompson said today. “Where’d he score the goal? Right in front of the goalie’s eyes, off the shin pad and in.
“To score a goal in any league, especially an elite league like the NHL, you’re going to have to go to the front and get a bit dirty.”
Collberg helped force a couple of turnovers, too, getting in on the forecheck. One of them led to the first goal of the season. “The advantage he has over a lot of guys is he can get in on the forecheck. He’s got good foot speed. It doesn’t need to be a bone-crushing hit,” Thompson said, “but you’ve got to engage.”
Scott Mayfield took celebratory whacks from his teammates after practice in honor of his 22nd birthday. His Cardinals will attempt to give him a lead in the NLCS tonight as a gift.
Elsewhere: ESPN’s doing a piece on Travis Hamonic tomorrow night.
Glens Falls, that epicenter of AHL controversy: Trevor Gillies talked to Diana C. Nearhos about his suspension. The Gillies mess quickly overshadowed the Scorch mess, but that fire will be put out* for good: The Flames are replacing the mascot.
And four of the PTO 5 from three years ago are playing in the AHL this year. Combined in the first weekend: eight man-games, three goals, four assists (Mouillierat 2-0-2, Riley 0-1-1, Oleksy 1-1-2, Landry 0-2-2 in his one game). So maybe someone should’ve signed Scott Howes**.
*-Sorry. I resisted all of them last week, man.
**-Denmark.