Quine arrives: Thursday notes

As Arthur Staple foretold yesterday from the Twin Cities, Alan Quine arrived officially this morning on a conditioning assignment, wearing No. 39 for whatever* reason.

Conditioning assignments, says the CBA, can last up to 14 consecutive days. The 14th would be Cool Fun 101 morning, assuming the team doesn’t pack up and leave on Election Day. (From Brian Lockhart, the Saffamphitheater is through the Contracts Committee and on to the full City Council.) That’d be up to six games for Quine, two this weekend, three next and the morning game. But who knows how long it will actually be.

Coming off hand surgery, he’s hoping to get back into the swing of things quickly. Practice isn’t games, etc., but he’s confident he’s rehabbed right and is ready to get back to work. Just a few shifts could move him up a couple of all-time Bridgeport lists. Like… Hey, remember this?

Rank Name GP G-A-Pts
5 Trevor Smith 214 72-77-149
6 Jeff Tambellini 113 71-67-138
7 Trent Hunter 150 60-76-136
8 Alan Quine 192* 50-86-136
9 Justin Mapletoft  240 47-83-130
10 Aaron Ness 280 23-100-123

*-Through Thursday

He’s also three goals from eighth (Rob Collins) on the team’s all-time list (10th right now with 50, games-played tiebreaker behind David Ullstrom) and three assists away from fourth place, Steve Regier’s 89 (stepping stones: Mark Wotton 88, Matt Donovan 87 in fewer games than Quine, who has 86).

There isn’t a number lower than 39 worn by fewer guys: Steve Regier, Rick DiPietro in his last time through, Joey Diamond in his full season, and Pat Cullity last year after Jaro Halak took 41.

Quine skated between the other newcomer, Josh Ho-Sang, and Michael Dal Colle, reunited. Ho-Sang had, as usual, plenty of interesting stuff to say, which we’ll save for the paper, but no moping at all. (He was interested to see the new photos of team captains, hung outside the dressing room in the hallway leading to the rink.) The rotation moved Casey Bailey to Dal Colle’s Sunday spot and put Ross Johnston with Ben Holmstrom and Connor Jones**.

John Stevens skated in no-contact red. A chance this weekend? “An outside chance,” Brent Thompson said. “We’ll take it one day at a time with him.”

Worcester had a wacky one last night, including 24 PIM for Mike Cornell, 34 PIM for Yanick Turcotte, and the Railers’ first loss. Eamon McAdam remained out.

And I look forward to Joe Girardi ruining my summers for years to come as Washington Nationals manager.

*-Well, it’s much easier just to change a nameplate, it’s among the least-weird numbers from camp, Nick Saracino isn’t using it…
**-Whom I almost just called “Casey,” which is probably a reaction to blowing Final Jeopardy last night.

Michael Fornabaio