Reinhart appears: Thursday notes

The Big Club fell behind in the series with a 5-1 loss in Washington in Game 5. Griffin Reinhart made his playoff debut in place of Lubomir Visnovsky; Calvin de Haan left the game in the third, too. They’re playing for their lives on Saturday.

Manchester beat Portland 5-2 in their series opener; Sean Backman had an assist, for the local angle, but Vincent LoVerde had three points, and Jordan Weal and Brian O’Neill had two goals apiece. Out in OKC, a couple of late power-play, empty-net goals made it easy for the Barons in Game 1 against San Antonio. Shane O’Brien’s boarding major put the Barons on the power play, and a couple of other minors forced the Rampage to pull their goalie just to make it five-on-four in OKC’s favor.

Three Game 1s and a Utica-Chicago Game 2 on Friday.

Mike Souza was promoted to associate head coach at UConn.

Jeff Tambellini’s power-play goal tied it, and Vaxjo Lakers won the SHL championship in double overtime in Game 6 of the final. That’s Rhett Rakhshani’s team as well. Kirill Kabanov scored for Skelleftea, which had a 2-0 lead.

Philip Kemp of Greenwich (and Brunswick) was among those added to the U.S. NTDP as Under-17s. The other eye-catching name is Dylan St. Cyr, whose parents are former New Haven Senator Gerry St. Cyr and groundbreaking goalie Manon Rheaume.

And Hayley Wickenheiser had a poignant essay, along the lines of Daniel Carcillo’s yesterday, on the life and death of Steve Montador and what hockey can do for its athletes after the games end.

Michael Fornabaio