Game 62: Pre-Game Notes

6:45 PM — The new guys…

Matt Godlewski

Bryan Haczyk

And the Toledo goalie…

Thomas McCollum

6:40 PM — It is indeed McCollum starting for Toledo tonight…

6:00 PM — Jordon Southorn activated off the IR, Matt Vokes placed on the 21-Day IR.  Because the ECHL transactions e-mail told me so.

5:20 PM — Finally, some time to relax.  I don’t think I’ve mentioned this on here yet, but I’ll be covering the Trenton Steel this season, and it really just adds to the 20,000 other things I have going on this year.  Excited to cover indoor football, but…it complicates my workload even further.

Jeff Lerg will obviously start for Trenton tonight, hoping for Thomas McCollum for Toledo, but won’t know that until the start of warmups.

Will be interested to see how Haczyk and Godlewski play.  Godlewski’s is a name I’m familiar with, but if you’re thinking I’ve seen him recently, think again.  He didn’t play in the ECAC Playoff series that I covered last weekend.  In 24 regular season games, he posted a 1-4-5 line with 16 PIM’s.

Haczyk, meanwhile, is fresh out of Niagara University.  In 35 games this season, he posted career highs in goals (28), assists (17), points (45) and penalty minutes (34). 

Don’t mind these signings, actually.  The season is done, and maybe you find someone you can plug in for next season.  And if you don’t…no big loss.  14 points out with 11 games to play?  Not happening.  Now, guys are playing for jobs.

5:00 PM — Just got back to the arena from interviewing five football players in a hotel lobby.  Good times.

Anyway, Haczyk will wear number 7 and Godlewski will wear number 33.

3:15 PM — Today’s one of those days where the 100 things I do have all seemed to come together and I’ll be running around all over the place. I’m expecting phone calls from a few big leaguers, have to run off to chat with a few Trenton Steel players and of course have tonight’s game to do for The Trentonian. So if things are a little thin here in terms of updates — fact that the internet and my laptop again don’t seem to agree aside — there’s your reason.

Trenton’s signed two new players…I’ll have more on my own about them when I can, but here’s the team release:

(PR) Trenton, NJ – The Trenton Devils announced the signings of two players Friday, defenseman Matt Godlewski and forward Bryan Haczyk. The announcements were made by Albany and Trenton General Manager Chris Lamoriello.

Godlewski, 23, comes to Trenton from Princeton University (ECAC), where he accumulated 26 points and 74 penalty minutes in 102 games over the past four seasons. A two-time member of the ECAC All-Academic Team at Princeton, the 6-1, 195-lb. left-handed shooter joined the Tigers out of the USHL, where he played in 102 games over two seasons with the Chicago Steel. With the Steel, Godlewski served as team captain during the 2006-07 season when he led Chicago defensemen with five playoff points. A native of Elk River, Minnesota, Godlewski was born February 16, 1987.

Haczyk, 23, who hails from Nutley, NJ, joins the Devils after four seasons at Niagara University (AHA). His 28 goals in 2010-11 were second most in NCAA Division-I hockey and his 45 points ranked 13th in the nation. The 5-9, 175-lb. right-handed shooter totaled 46 goals and 49 assists in 144 games in his college career and was twice named to his conference’s All-Academic team. Before college, Haczyk played junior hockey with Green Bay (USHL) from 2005 to 2007 following one season with the New Jersey Hitmen (EJHL). He attended Seton Hall Prep, winning the 2004 NJSIAA State High School Ice Hockey Tournament of Champions in 2004. Born in Secaucus and raised in Jersey City and Nutley, Haczyk joins Mike Potacco as the only Garden State-born players to suit up for Trenton this season. Haczyk was born May 16, 1987.

Trenton is at home for two contests this weekend, hosting the Toledo Walleye Friday at 7 p.m. and the Elmira Jackals Sunday at 4 p.m.