Soundin' Off

“It was good to get back in there,” he said for the minor throng, the likes of which haven’t crowded around anybody in there since Kyle Okposo. “Shake the rust off. It’s been a long time. The guys bailed me out in the third. … There’s still a lot of work to be done.”

Sudsie Maharaj called it a “process, just like Rick said. I saw lots of things that are positive. As well, there are some things we’ll continue to work on.”

Three goals on 10 shots in the second isn’t going to light up anybody’s eyes. But he got a feel for the game, “a feel for the scrambles,” DiPietro said, and he felt pretty good. Well, “so far, so good. We’ll see how I feel in the morning. … Tomorrow’s big. I’ll do some treatment like I normally do, wake up tomorrow morning and get ready for a big day on Monday.”

If nothing else, his three goals against allowed for the dumb coincidence of 10 goals into the one net.

Anyway, I led off with Jack Capuano by talking about how the focus of the night was on DiPietro, and Capuano kind of took exception. “Ricky’s fit in pretty good as one of the guys,” Capuano said. “The guys wanted to come out after a disappointing loss last night, and we came out extremely well in the first.

“The focus after the Lowell game was getting more shots to the net.”

As Capuano noted, this was seven games in 11 days. So they came out of that all right, at .500 even, and finished up strong.

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Wotton and Gleed were both plus-5, which ties the record set by Allan Rourke and Kevin Mitchell.

Thoughts on the goals, ’cause they’re not going anywhere else: (1) Good read by Haskins after Sorochan went out and left the puck for no one behind the net, and good play by Bentivoglio and Martin. That line had a great start. (2) That start carried over to this shift, when they pinned Springfield deep and then managed to get the full change. Mauldin, first one on, had helped keep the puck in the first time. He finally tucked it in from behind the goal line. (3) I said something about how Jesse looked like Bobby Orr. Matt Bertani clucked that Bobby Orr was a defensemen. I know that. But you know those videos of Bobby Orr going end-to-end and leaving guys looking for their jock straps? That’s what I was going for. One sick little goal. (4) Great look by Katic, getting it up the ice and then past the defender to Moore for a good shot. See below for a second-assist note. (5) Was still writing and tweeting the last one. All I know is it was weird to see DiBenedetto deflect a shot home and hear it announced unassisted. (No problem with that. Might as well get it right.) (6) Good pass across from Westgarth. Martin doesn’t get a point but set the screen. (7) Nice pass from Joensuu. Always like to see Jesse playing as if he realizes he’s 6-foot-4, but I’m sure he enjoys showing off the skills, too.

Scott Munroe said it was a little weird to go into a game knowing you’re going in, but not knowing when. He managed to record the first outside-the-trapezoid penalty for a Bridgeport goalie in that rule’s five-season history. He is also credited at this instant with the 20th assist by a goaltender in Bridgeport’s nine-year history, but he says Mark Flood touched it behind the net before Katic took off with it. “I don’t need it,” he said. Such selflessness is so, so disappointing; we like goalie points. (Was hoping he’d get a chance to fire a shot on goal. That would have been a neat hat trick: assist, shot, penalty.)

Capuano said Nathan Lawson isn’t injured; conceding that he took some good bumps Wednesday, the coach said there was no reason to push him with a week off ahead. “It’s the same thing with Haley, with Rechlicz getting high-sticked.”

Seeing DiPietro in the Islanders’ dynasty colors did nothing to foster any “Ricky’s back” illusions. They should have done throwbacks.

Couldn’t grab Garth Snow for any Klementyev thoughts. We’ll see where that goes.

The Falcons obviously seriously miss their workhorse goalie, Devan Dubnyk. Aaron Sorochan came into the game with a 3.48 GAA. It’s up to 4.00.

The puck was vicious tonight. A fan low in 104 appeared to get clipped across the face; hope he’s doing all right. And then Johan Motin took a Justin DiBenedetto shot in the cheek late in the evening, which was quite the scary scene for a few minutes.

The Admirals tweeted that Mitch Fritz played his 500th professional game tonight.

Thanks to Mike Sharp, who sent a text late last night (which we managed to miss) noting Max Gratchev’s first AHL goal.

Hershey got Chris Bourque back. He paid some quick dividends.

Prescout… Oh, wait. (Springfield plays Sunday, so it’s not a “true” home-n-home.)

Speaking of Sunday, day off. Optional Monday.

And a tip of cap to local football champs ND-West Haven, St. Joseph (with some heavy hearts), New Canaan and Hyde.

*-Had to. Already used “ain’t nobody like Ricky but Ricky.”