So, Eamon McAdam, nice defensive game and all, but, um, you had the puck behind the net there: No shooting for the empty net, short-handed?
He rolled his eyes a little, took a half-step back. “I’m never gonna get a better shot than that,” McAdam said.
If that’s the worst thing that happens to you, not bad at all. McAdam got his 10th AHL win of the year, made 23 saves and came 4:22 away from his first AHL shutout.
“You always think about (the shutout), especially since I haven’t had one here yet,” McAdam said (he had one in the ECHL not long before he came back up). “The big thing right now was getting the win.”
They did that. They came out strong enough that McAdam didn’t face an official shot on goal for over nine minutes. He said he felt a little rusty — he hadn’t started since Toronto — but he sharpened up quickly.
“We built as the game went on,” McAdam said.
……
The injury to Ryan Pulock on a hit from ol’ buddy Andrey Pedan sounds, at least at first blush, like it could have been worse. Brent Thompson was awaiting a full report but seemed hopeful Pulock might return tomorrow against Hershey. Upper-body injury, he said, but not a concussion. If Pulock can’t go, they’ve got six healthy defensemen for the day and can go from there. Pat Cullity played last night and tonight for Missouri; a combined four shots, minus-1 (even tonight in a 5-0 loss), a cross-checking minor and a holding minor.
A few Sacred Heart people were waiting for Justin Danforth after the his AHL debut. It’s just a faster game, Danforth said. Pioneers coach C.J. Marottolo mentioned that Danforth hadn’t played the wing at all for him in four years. “I’ve been playing center the last four years,” Danforth said. “Wing, there’s a couple of learning points I can learn from tonight, wall work, stuff like that.” He played a fairly regular fourth-line shift. “It was a good first American League game,” Thompson said. “At times he looked tentative, nervous, but his speed was noticeable. He had puck poise.”
Prescout: Paul Carey scored four goals in Hershey‘s win over Hartford. The Bears and Providence remain two points ahead of Bridgeport. Lehigh Valley got its revenge in the rematch with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
I kept McAdam from this for a few minutes. Sorry.
Greenwich’s John Hayden scored his first NHL goal.
Frank Seravalli reports that Quinnipiac’s Tim Clifton signed with San Jose.
Tip of cap to Guilford and Woodstock Academy on their Division II and Division III CIAC titles. Division I is Monday night.