Soundin' Off

He said he didn’t want to use the word “retirement”: Via Elite Prospects, a team in Italy announced it has signed Steve Valiquette.

Robin Short on Peter Mannino, bound away from St. John’s.

Neglected to tip the cap to Ken Morrow, American hockey hero, on his Islanders Hall of Fame induction Saturday.

Had never noticed the High Point Monument, which soars atop a hill on the eastern side of the Delaware. Probably because I almost never make that trip home in the daylight. (I think twice before today: One was coming home from Williamsport in 2008. The other was the morning of the off day between Games 5 and 6 in 2006; I rode shotgun, dazed.) As the new year begins, I’m thankful for tire places that are open (early) on holidays. Relatedly, the next person to root for snow gets my car-repair bills.

See you in a few hours.

A tough little lineup tonight against the Falcons, with Brett Gallant out of the cage, after last week’s action that included Dane Byers’ hit on Calvin de Haan and Trevor Gillies’, um, double minor against Adam Mair. Gillies had a word or two for Byers from the red line as they stretched at the start of warmup. No Rhett Rakhshani yet, though he has been activated. The ECHL transactions suggest that Scott Howes is on his way here from Alaska, but he’s not on Bridgeport’s roster.

Meanwhile, with Anders Nilsson called up, Bridgeport signed some dude from Orange to back up Kevin Poulin. His name is kinda familiar. Steve Valiquette, in for the night, is wearing No. 30.

BRIDGEPORT
F: Ullstrom-Colliton (C)-Haley
Gallant-Frischmon (A)-Backman
McNeely-Cizikas-Wallace
Gillies-Marcinko-Romano
D: Wishart-Klementyev
Donovan-Reese (A)
Olson-Ness
G: Poulin
Valiquette

SPRINGFIELD
F: Giroux-St. Pierre-Atkinson
Byers (C)-Drazenovic-Kubalik
Russell-Mair (A)-MacLeod
Spencer-Bogosian-Thomas
D: Lebda-Goloubef
Holden-Savard
Regner-Ruth
G: Legace
Taylor

R: R. Fraser. L: Galvin, Redding.

I may be short an ‘A’ on Springfield. Only saw Mair’s. Trevor Frischmon, meanwhile, takes over the injured Justin DiBenedetto’s ‘A’. (Am told the elbow is clear on a replay.)

Belatedly noted while scouting ECHL goalies: Jack Downing of New Canaan scored his first pro goal Friday for Elmira.