Friday two-fer

LOWELL, Mass. (and BOSTON, too) -- It's always a good day when you can cover a hockey game. Doubly good when you cover two, as I did today (okay, it's a long day).

  First stop was Boston, to cover the Bruins and the Carolina Hurricanes for the Providence Journal...feel like I got a ton of stuff done,  beginning with a chat with Carolina assistant coach about prospects in the Canes system, specifically for use in MLN's upcoming FAB 50 hockey section (won't be done till January, but the work goes on even now). For the record, Daniels really likes center Joe Barnes, who is at the Canes' AHL club in Albany.

  Wrote a notebook based around the Bruins goaltending glut, both in Boston and in Providence, using pieces of a chat I had with Bs Asst GM Jeff Gorton. To that end, I was able to top it off with a nugget that found its way out of this game when Boston backup Philippe Sauve came in to relieve starter Tim Thomas (for his own sanity...). Sauve, who was recalled from Providence earlier in the day found himself opposite John Grahame of Carolina. Both are the sons of former NHL goalies, and it occured to me that this might be the first time in NHL history this has happened in an NHL game. Asked both players and neither had heard of another instance, with Grahame confirming that he had never faced Sauve before...in the AHL or NHL...

  The game's noontime Frifay start made it possible for many to have an extended hockey experience for the day. Thus it was I spotted Portland Pirate coach Kevin Dineen in the press box. I went up and offered to drive him to Lowell for the night's game with the Devils. Told him, though, that he'd have to take the T with me to pick up my car. Think he was entertaining the thought until I mentioned that.

 
  As it was, his Buccos gave me  a good story to write for the Portland Press Herald...dwelt on the parcelling out of ice time, given that many of this game's central characters have had some playing issue or another.

  Was Greg Glynn's second period guest for the broadcast going back to Portland. As it happened, my dear wife Deb was being interviewed at the same time on a college radio station  to promote an upcoming concert by her band, Beyond Blue. Thought it was very cool that both she and I were on the world wide web at the very same time...

  Yeah...hockey two-fers........