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Soundin' Off -- the lifeboat

Saturday, September 29, 2012

A start

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BRIDGEPORT
F: Ullstrom-Persson-McDonald
Kabanov-Nelson-Niederreiter
Halmo-Sundstrom-Backman
DeFazio-Watkins-Riley
Gallant/MacKay
D: de Haan-Wishart
Donovan-Hamonic
Ness-Landry
Cantin-McIver
G: Poulin
Nilsson
Reiter

Mildly familiar, at least, in a couple of places.

Cizikas was out with what was said to be a minor groin issue. Jason Clark was off skates for undisclosed reasons.

To me the most interesting thing of all was two slots: Persson and Watkins. For all those forwards out there, there aren't a ton of centermen. Scott Pellerin said they weren't necessarily looking to those two guys to fill the gap at center; partly they were needed with Cizikas out for the day, but also, Pellerin has already stressed to the team that versatility is a big benefit.

They have Day 1 in the books, capped by a conditioning skate, then a workout. Insert your favorite Day 1 cliches about who's bigger, who's stronger, who's better prepared. Follow it with a reference to Greg Cronin's "First-day Tarzans, 10th-day Janes" joke. They're under way.

"I was very impressed with the pace of play, the attention to detail," Pellerin said. He thought they were well-prepared as a staff to start off; "We got out of it what we wanted."

Got a few interviews today that'll presumably roll in the paper over the next few days. I'll put up links as we go. For logistical reasons we won't be there the next few days, but we'll keep an eye on what's going on down in Syosset.

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This afternoon's ECHL transactions list (yep, they're back at it) has Corey Trivino to the Florida Everblades.

Tomas Marcinko was released from his tryout in Sweden. Noted this morning on Twitter, with help from Elite Prospects what I hadn't yesterday: Scott Howes is in camp with Texas. I'd retweeted the news a long time ago but not sure if it showed up here: Kael Mouillierat is in camp with Abbotsford. Meanwhile, an interesting name in Lake Erie camp: Brad Smyth. Shooter hasn't played on these shores since he returned to Hartford (in a swap of reassignments with Manchester for Joe Rullier) to end 2005-06. Smyth is signed with the new Denver Cutthroats of the Central League, where his coach will be former teammate Derek Armstrong.

Steve Valiquette has been informed that he's the last Bridgeport goalie to win a playoff series. Yeah, he was a little surprised.

And I don't think I ever noted this: RIP, Andy Williams.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Open practice (elsewhere)/Rules changes '12-13

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The Sound Tigers' first full practice will be open to the public Saturday, at Iceworks in Syosset, N.Y., 10-11:30. The camp roster includes sweater numbers and no tryouts.

Edit: The AHL Hall of Fame class includes Ken Gernander.

Just in time for the first day of winter, the new AHL rule book is online (h/t: Jason Iacona, who offers this alternate link if that one doesn't work for you). With the last unencumbered night of vacation, I compiled the annual summary of changes. And as usual, the biggest changes are the ones in spacing and formatting. Really tough to go alt-tab on these things, so went side-by-side. May have missed some small details. Hope not. (Obviously that spacing and formatting, along with actual rule changes, affects page references within the text as well, and we'll skip most of those.)

Cover: Woooo fancy-dan logo and drop shadow. That "American Hockey League" is just bursting out of the margin. I bet in cardboard it's embossed. Anyone wanna slip me a hard copy of this book? No? OK.

1.10: New: "Ice Cleaning." Each commercial time out, the crew is supposed to clear snow from the creases, from the front of the benches, and "ideally the entire end zone from the blue lines in." They'll do that before regular-season overtime as well, and in the playoffs at the first whistle after 10 minutes of overtime (even after an icing or while a team is on a power play). It also says that, before the shootout, the machines "shall make four passes (two by each machine) and clean between 22 and 24 feet of the center of the ice surface."

2.2: Codifies the netting on the top of the goal and how it should be attached to the frame.

15.5, 16.1, 18.1: Fixes the font on the bold text, unless my '11-12 .pdf just displayed funny. Nice.

24.4: Adds referee's discretion when a goalie dislodges the net accidentally while attempting to make a save on a penalty shot. The ref can award a goal if he feels the puck would have gone in legally if the net were in place. He can also allow the shot to be taken over again if he can't tell if it would've gone in.

25.4: Corrects a rule-number reference; this may be vestigial from a previous update.

32.5(v): A linesman can stop play if he sees a centerman try to win a draw by batting it with his hand. (See Rule 76.4.)

41.6: When a boarding major and game misconduct is assessed for a check that results in a head or face injury, there's an automatic $200 fine.

42.6: When a charging major and game misconduct is assessed for a check that results in a head or face injury, there's an automatic $200 fine. A mere major remains $100.

43.6: A check-from-behind major/game misconduct carries an automatic $200 fine.

45.6: An elbowing major and game misconduct for a hit resulting in a head or face injury carries a $200 fine. A regular major remains $100.

47.8: A head-butting major/game misconduct carries -- sing along -- an automatic $200 fine.

50.6: Kneeing. Major/game misconduct. $200.

55.7: A hooking major/game misconduct combo now costs $200 instead of $100.

61.8: Slashing major/game misconduct for $200, Alex.

62.6: Spearing major/game misconduct: $200. We're done.

63.2: The infamous third paragraph -- delay of game, puck over glass -- now specifies that a player is considered inside his defensive zone when he has both skates inside that zone.

67.2: The Del Zotto Rule: Placing a hand on the puck to conceal it or prevent an opponent from playing it will result in a delay-of-game minor, or a penalty shot if done in the crease.

70.10: Adds the word "illegally" throughout when referring to players leaving the bench during or for the purpose of starting an altercation.

76.4: The centermen are not allowed to use their hands to bat the puck on faceoffs, under penalty of a delay-of-game minor. At least one other player must touch the puck legally before they can use their hands.

Rule 79: Adds video review, at the referee's sole discretion (and, if he chooses replay, he won't consult with the goal judge) and reviewed by him at the scorer's table. It appears to run similarly to the way it ran here last year in experimental version. The play must be reviewed at or before the next stoppage. After the ensuing faceoff, no review is allowed. It must "conclusively" show the puck completely across the line. Only one goal can be awarded at any stoppage, so if review shows that Team A scored earlier and then Team B scores, only Team A's goal counts. But, if replay shows that Team A put a puck in the net illegally and then Team B scores, nobody gets a goal (because the whistle should've blown for the illegal goal). The clock will be reset to the time when, replay shows, the puck went into the net.

There is one feature that wasn't in place last year: Referees can look to see if a puck was kicked or batted in. (They'll only have the view directly over the net, though; in fact, while the play is being reviewed, there are supposed to be no other replays shown "on the arena video screen or on any other public video monitor.")

The other criteria are simpler and as they were last year here: Puck actually in the net, puck in before time expired, puck in before the net was dislodged, puck in from the wrong side (through the mesh or under the goal frame).

Adding this rule at 79 pushes the remaining rules one number higher. (Formerly 87th and last, for instance, "Time-outs" is now 88.)

82.1 (formerly 81.1): The new no-touch icing rule, in which the linesman first determines that the puck will cross the goal line, then determines who would touch it first. We're told that decision will become final, as was announced back in June, when the first player reaches the faceoff dots, though it's not to be construed as a "race to the dots"; the first player who would touch it is most important.

There's no reference in the book to its being an experiment, but it is; the league will decide whether to continue it beyond Nov. 19.

82.5 (formerly 81.5): You know the "two-line pass" rule in icing that came into being after the (last) lockout? If there's a pass from the defensive half across the red line that goes awry, the linesman can wave off icing? In addition, now, to the puck's being within reach and on the ice, the player who would be receiving that pass has to make "a legitimate effort to play the puck," or icing will still be in effect.

84.4 (formerly 83.4): Guess we'll call this the Mike Kostka Rule (or Mike Kostka Clarification, more precisely, because it doesn't really change anything): Clarifies that, if the puck is shot "into the attacking zone creating" (rather than "on goal during") a delayed offside, then goes into the net, whether directly or off anything (including "the boards, the glass, a piece of equipment"), the goal will not be allowed. (A later reference in the same rule to "the puck being shot on goal" is changed to "the puck entering the goal" as well.)

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Campin' elsewhere

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Burning off a bunch of time off before camp starts.... not that it'll be all that convenient once it begins. For the most part, camp is planned to be on the Island (at Syosset) start-to-finish, except for that swing up I-290 for the two exhibition games. We'll try to pick it up when we can. (Plan not yet decided, partly because, yeah, burning that time off...)

The first full practice is Saturday. Other accumulated notes:

As Arthur Staple notes, we'll be seeing a lot of Steve Valiquette again. Valiquette, a Sudsie Maharaj pupil, follows him in the organization.

Jordie Johnston, a Bridgeport tryout last spring, is a Connecticut Whale tryout this fall.

Bill Cain says we've got a new beat writer in Glens Falls. Heather Galindo announced a few days ago that she's replacing Third Intermission-mate Andrew Ferraro at the Chronicle on the Aeros. Haven't heard about Binghamton.

New Canaan's Max Pacioretty went to Switzerland on a lockout deal.

From USCHO, Kurt Kleinendorst to Alabama Huntsville.

Good stuff from Jesse Spector and Keith Primeau on his concussions. Primeau has been very open with his experiences, and I thank him for that. It was an article I read about him several years ago that let me realize my own experiences weren't crazy. Always good to get a reminder.

And RIP, Karl-Gustav Kaisla and Steve Sabol. (Neil Best's Sabol obit.)

Partial bailout

The main site has had some troubles for Internet Explorer users, so I'll probably drop a copy of posts from the main site over here until the issue resolves. Just housekeeping. I'll ask that, if you have a comment, you go to the main site to leave it (comments seem to work reasonably well, if not perfectly). Thanks for your patience.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Preseason roadie

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The Sound Tigers wouldn't have played exhibition games again this year if not for the lockout. But with that reality up top, they've announced two preseason games, both on the road.

They'll face Providence on Thursday, Oct. 4, at New England Sports Center in Marlboro(ugh), Mass., at 7:05. (The NESC just about overlooks the junction of I-290, up from Worcester, with I-495, if you're looking for your bearings.) The next night, they'll meet Manchester at 6 at St. Anselm College (alma mater of one Hubert McDonough). The college, including Sullivan Arena, appears to be just over the border into Goffstown, N.H.

Ticket information for the Oct. 4 game is on the Sound Tigers' release. Manchester will admit at the door but is asking for a donation to the Monarchs Care Foundation.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

This post unintentionally left blank

Internet Explorer users are seeing weird things on the real blog -- gray, blank pages and a malformed layout, mostly. I think I have a workaround going on the main page, which doesn't help if you're looking for something in the archives. We're working on it. If I can help you with something specific in the meantime, shoot me an e-mail. The site appears to work OK in Google Chrome at least. If you're having trouble and using a browser other than IE, please let me know.

Berkshire League, unlocked

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Sunday edit: Got a few minutes with Travis Hamonic today: story here with a bit of a more general-audience BST lockout primer.

So the league and the players association didn't come up with a new CBA.

Contain your shock, please.

While we wait until January, we'll find other things to do. I think my two biggest upticks in TV-watching coincide with NHL lockouts. Don't know that that's mathematically possible with this one, but there is this guy on "Survivor":

16 ounces of soda, 18 years of regrets

Once the show gets going, I'll have to see if I'll find myself rooting for him as an old guy like me a former Major Leaguer, or rooting against him for his 20-year-old crime of Not Being David Cone.

And in four weeks, we'll have the Locals. Linkage to the guys who've Not Been Locked Out in the Northeast Division:

Albany: The Devils sent 24 players to the Devils, most notably rookie sensation Adam Henrique. Tom Gulitti reports that Matt Corrente will sign an AHL lockout deal to play there.

Adirondack: The jump-out name is Sean Couturier from among those sent down today. Like the likes of Dustin Brown and Patrice Bergeron and Eric Staal last time around, and like probably most notably Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in OKC this time, it was agreed that 19-year-olds who played full-time in the NHL as 18-year-olds were AHL-eligible (think Jeff Marek put that out officially today). I will be very happy at some point to pull him aside and ask him what his dad has told him about New Haven. The link also includes the Phantoms' AHL-contract players.

Hartford: If they've announced their full list, I've missed it. Edit: it's up now, with a hat tip to Paul Doyle for the link. The Rangers did announce the eight guys they waived this week, who include one Micheal Haley. (They also include Chad Kolarik, who hopefully gets a chance to play this time.) Not expecting anything crazy. Larry Brooks reported some time ago that Chris Kreider will be here, because you might as well let the kid actually play his first pro season, but other NHL-young'ns won't -- not least because they'd require waivers. And are you going to pass on Ryan McDonagh? Didn't think so.

Springfield: On paper, the Falcons look good. (#postsfrom2011 #postsfrom2010 #postsfrom2009 #postsfrom2008 #postsfrom2007 #gratuitousjokes...) Their waivers and non-waivers assignments didn't seem to have any real shockers. They'll have guys like Cam Atkinson (excuse me, Greenwich's Cam Atkinson), Jonathan Audy-Marchessault and Tim Erixon, along with the kid picked one ahead of Nino Niederreiter, Ryan Johansen, who played 67 games for the Blue Jackets last year as a 19-year-old. Garry Brown has Springfield's lengthy list of AHL-contract guys in his story from the other day.

Bridgeport: Where've you been? (Or maybe you're using Internet Explorer and the page has looked funny. Sorry about that. Passed along word. And hope I've got a temporary workaround.) You've more or less got 27 names to use to sort out a lineup. G--Nilsson, Poulin, Reiter D--Cantin, de Haan, Donovan, Hamonic, Landry, McIver, Ness, Wishart F--Backman, Cizikas, Clark, DeFazio, Gallant, Halmo, Kabanov, MacKay, McDonald, Nelson, Persson, Riley, Sundstrom, Ullstrom, Watkins

Oh, and for the sake of argument, if they do settle this thing this year: The locked-out Islanders are sitting at two goalies, four defensemen and 12 forwards.

So, 26 days until opening night in Hartford. Another 23 and a half hours past that to opening night in Bridgeport. And then another week to Game 3, but let's not get too far ahead of ourselves.

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Last five clear

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Appears not one person was yanked off waivers this week. Probably good for the majority of them, as at least they'll be paid in the AHL and will likely have a chance to compete for an NHL spot... whenever there's an NHL again.

The Islanders sent Sean Backman, Ty Wishart and newcomers Colin McDonald, Nathan McIver and Matt Watkins to Bridgeport this afternoon after they cleared. Tonight at midnight, the league locks the doors on the rest of them.

Hang in. Two weeks to training camp. Four to the season.

Nighttime edit: The Islanders announced at about 11:20 that they've signed Matt Martin to a four-year contract, just in time to lock him out. He was the last Islanders restricted free agent without a landing spot.

Friday, September 14, 2012

Hamonic among those sent down

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Hadn't thought the Islanders would have Travis Hamonic come here during a lockout, but apparently he's coming.

The Islanders sent down 19 players today, with Hamonic the only real surprise in the bunch. That doesn't include the five guys who'll need waivers. Edit: per Bob McKenzie this afternoon, those five are indeed on today.

G--Anders Nilsson, Kevin Poulin D--Marc Cantin, Calvin de Haan, Matt Donovan, Travis Hamonic, Jon Landry, Aaron Ness F--Casey Cizikas, Jason Clark, Brandon DeFazio, Mike Halmo, Kirill Kabanov, Brock Nelson, Nino Niederreiter, John Persson, Blair Riley, Johan Sundstrom, David Ullstrom

Camp begins Sept. 28 on the Island. Not sure when they'll be coming up this way.

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Quick poll -- If you're using Internet Explorer, any recent problems with the blog? ("Content" is not the answer I'm looking for, BTW)