Chirps from Center Ice

A few quick notes from around the American Hockey League today:

• Widely reported that Penguins prospect Casey Pierro-Zabotel broke a finger. He’ll be out at least 3-4 weeks. Credit multiple sources, Bombulie one of them. This has to suck for Casey because it is definitely a “fish or cut bait” year for him.
• Sarah Connors over at Something’s Bruin caught up with ex-Pens goaltender Nolan Schaefer, who is back in North America tending the Bruins nets this year.
• Time may be running out on the Springfield Falcons.
• Bad news for Anaheim / Syracuse: Jason Jaffray tore his ACL and sprained his MCL in his left knee during a scrimmage Saturday.
• Lindsay Kramer has a twitter feed now. He has openly questioned the intentions of management of calling Denis Hamel, who captained the Binghamton Senators last year and ended up having to take a job in the LNAH after none of the 30 AHL teams he sent faxes to called him for a tryout. Apparently, any interest has been downplayed.
• The Hartford WolfPack are going to change their name to the Connecticut Whale mid-season. Queue the Brass Bonanza!

Pittsburgh’s first exhibition game is tomorrow. Being it is the first ever competitive hockey of importance being played at the new Consol Energy Center, the big names like Crosby and Malkin are expected to dress. I don’t think it will be televised in the Wilkes-Barre area or shown by FSN Pittsburgh so that means I’ll probably read about it in the paper tomorrow or just follow along on Twitter. Drop me a comment if you know where the game will be televised locally. (as in, Wilkes-Barre)