"I didn't swing my stick at him," Simon said. "I chopped him. I know it's wrong, but it wasn't a golf swing or a baseball swing like everybody else says. I don't want to do that again. But I'm still going to play the same way I always have. It was a reaction thing, not an action.
"Getting hit the way I did, I was injured on the play. I wasn't myself. I was half-knocked out. It wasn't like I was looking for anybody. I didn't even know who hit me. He came back towards me, I was hurt, and that's all I could do. I didn't want to get hit again."
"When I'm fighting, if I hit somebody hard and hurt him, I know what's coming. Because the guy is trying anything he can to not get knocked out. That's what happened to me. I think if I had been hit again on that play, I would have been out. That's the only logic I can put to it."
"I go out thinking about what I have to do to stay in the league, to play my game," Simon said. "I've always been the type of player who's stuck up for myself and, more importantly, for my teammates. All I've been thinking about is my first game against the Flyers. I'm really excited to get back out and help the boys."
Greg Logan: Updated his blog late Friday and reported Nolan put the team through a very hard practice Friday. Jeff Tambellini was sent back to Bridgeport because Simon was activated, Bootland will dress for the Flyers, Bergenheim is being moved up to the second line and only six defenders will dress and drew praise from Nolan. Bates is at least two weeks away from returning.
“I thought Jeff got much better,” Nolan said. “The game against the Rangers, he played a great game for us. The other game [against Toronto], it wasn’t just him. It was everybody.”
“We have to pull a ‘D’ out,” Nolan said. “I talked to the team. We’re not going to take anything for granted. You have to play hard if you want to play. It’s just that simple. If life were that easy, we’d just show up and play and not worry about anything. There’s only a few chosen people in this world that can do that. We can’t. We have to work or you don’t play.”
Ottawa Sun: Bruce Garrioch is reporting former Islander Randy Robitaille may be signing with the Senators and there has been mild interest from the Islanders in bringing him back as well. A source said the Senators' deal for Robitaille, who would be joining his ninth NHL team, was still being worked out late yesterday.
Espn: Reports former Islander John Vanbiesbrouck will be inducted into the US Hockey Hall of Fame Friday.
Sound Tigers Website: Has coverage of the 2-0 win against Norfolk and Joey MacDonald's shutout.
Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio had three blog updates. Tambellini's return for the Sound Tigers in home opener, and a quick ECHL update, centered around a win in the home opener.
Ct Post: Also has an article on the game. Tambellini had a goal and an assist.
"In the third, I thought we dominated," said MacDonald, a free-agent acquisition this summer who earned his 17th AHL shutout and first for Bridgeport.
"Our goal is six penalties or less in a game, and we gave up seven. (MacDonald) kept us in the game," coach Jack Capuano said. "We were a little sluggish early, not moving our feet, which is not what we want."
Virginian Pilot: Paul White has the Admirals coverage of the game along with Steve Stirling's comments.
Sound Tigers play at Lowell Saturday night.
NYI Fan Central Comments:
Busy off day top to bottom. A little surprised Tambellini got demoted for Bootland but this could be temporary. Good sign he went right back to the AHL and help the Tigers win by scoring. Interesting Bergenheim got promoted for taking a penalty against Toronto and was benched while Tambellini was demoted. A little surprised Nolan worked the club hard after five games in seven days, but apparently he wanted to send a message.
I'm not sure what Nolan's going to do with the defense after only five games where things have been unsettled. I do not think Bergeron has any special dispensation nor will Berard who was minus three and for that matter the same applies to Andy Sutton.
If Johnson outplays all three, Johnson should dress, I'm not sure what it means when Berard practices with Johnson but I can see Sutton and Bergeron both benched.
I don't put much stock in Garroich rumors and normally would not waste blog space here with them but this one is Ottawa centric and specific, let's just hope the Sens win this one and sign Randy Robitaille.