In everyone’s moments of clarity, we all know this isn’t where any player really wants to be. There’s a level above this. There’s the bright lights and glory and double-to-15-times (and up) the money waiting. It doesn’t make this level meaningless — every year someone snarks about the AHL Hall of Fame announcement, and every year it drives me batty, because we who grew up around this league get what those players and the league mean to this sport and its cities, past and present — but we all understand that there’s a Show beyond here.
Long story short, not sure I remember anyone arriving here with that more clearly on his mind than Griffin Reinhart, who said all the right things about taking the positives and working hard (and with a game like his, is a little under-control anger a bad thing? Doubt it) and helping the team win but made it clear his focus is crossing the Sound again.
“I’m obviously disappointed,” he said. Excited at least to get the season into gear? “As most as I can be excited.”
Love it. He’ll hop in here in all situations, Brent Thompson said. “I’m really excited for the opportunity to be able to work with him,” Thompson said. “Our job is to develop him and get him back to the NHL. He’s a big, shut-down, good-stick, high-hockey-IQ defenseman.”
Reinhart tonight replaces Adam Pelech, who Thompson said has been sick during the week so will get a rest. Pelech did take the full morning skate and an extended skate afterward with the scratches, including day-to-day Aaron Ness, who did, as Thompson promised yesterday, look good.
There appeared to be a decision at forward, and from the rushes, it looks like Gallant back in, Vaughan out. The Devils have one to scratch as well. Bridgeport wearing blue — not sure why, but fine with it, obviously — so the A’s are a bit different.
BRIDGEPORT
F: Lee (A)-Mouillierat (A)-Halmo
Persson-Stretch-Zolnierczyk (A)
Quine-Sundstrom-Collberg
Gallant-Langkow-Gillies
(Vaughan-scratch)
D: Reinhart-Mayfield
Czuczman-Graham
Pedan-Pulock
G: Poulin
Leggio
ALBANY
F: Whitney-Timmins-Thompson
Boucher-K.Zajac-Sislo (A)
Matteau-Sestito (A)-Bernier
Thomson-D.Zajac-Janssen
D: Helgeson-McPherson
Burlon-Harrold
Kelly-Hrabarenka
(Faust-scratch)
G: Kinkaid
Clermont
R: D.Lewis. L: Simeon, Colby.