Sports

From Orono to Hartford in a New York minute

Former UM captain Greg Moore makes debut for Rangers' minor league affiliate

By Matthew Conyers

Posted on April 24, 2006, at 12:00 a.m.

Providence, RI – Moments after Greg Moore had completed his first AHL game, the reserved center from Lisbon and former University of Maine men’s ice hockey captain resembled a six-year-old boy in a candy store.

That is, of course, if that boy was sporting a nasty shiner below his right eye.

To Moore, however, the bruise didn’t matter.

Instead he shrugged it off. Elbow to the eye, no problem. This was the big leagues. And he wasn’t about to let some black eye stop him from enjoying an experience 22 years in the making.

“Ever since I was a little kid I dreamt of playing in the pros,” said Moore after his new squad, the Hartford Wolfpack, had defeated the Providence Bruins 2-1 on April 14. “To play in your first pro game is exciting. I am on a little bit of an emotional high right now.”

If the swelling didn’t give away the fact that Moore had just played his first minor league contest, then the six-foot-wide grin across his face did. Only a week after playing in the Frozen Four, Moore, who has already finished all his classes and is ready for graduation, was living a dream.

“It was just a fun experience,” said Moore. “I had a great time. I was happy to be in the lineup and be able to be out there on the ice and get my first chance.”

While Moore would have been content alone with just the ice time, he managed to log his first assist on a goal late in the second period. According to Moore, the assist highlighted a strong showing in his eyes.

“I was happy,” said Moore. “I made a couple mistakes but I played strong along the wall and I got the puck out of the zone. I was forechecking good when we were playing 5-on-5. Overall, I was pretty happy with how I played.”

Moore, who barely attracted any penalty minutes during his four years with UMaine, also garnered his first trip to the sin bin in Providence. With a smirk on his face, Moore discussed the play that drew the ire of the referee.

“I knew I had one guy to my left but when I turned I saw one of their players on my right too,” said Moore. “I was trying to catch back and I kind of got my stick in his stomach a little bit.”

For Moore, the penalty against the Wolfpack’s heated rival served as a rite of passage or an introduction to the big time.

“There was a lot of heated emotion out there, but it was a fun game,” said Moore. “I guess if I am going to get broken into it that it might as well be against them.”

“Guys felt a little bad for me; it was a tough game to be going into especially because of the rivalry.”

Nonetheless, it has paid off. Thanks to the emotional duel with Providence, Moore was prepared for the rigors of postseason play, where he has shined. In his first six games, four of which were in the playoffs, Moore has registered a shorthanded goal and three assists. To continue his confident play as the playoffs progress, Moore feels he needs to focus on the fundamentals.

“I just think I have to keep grinding; I need to finish my checks, get the puck deep and try and do the little things,” said Moore.

As far as Moore is concerned, it is a challenge he is ready to take on.

“It’s fun to play with a lot of guys who can zip the puck around,” said Moore. “It’s high tempo. The puck is moving fast. It’s just an exciting atmosphere.”

Moore believes one of the reasons for that atmosphere is the absence of cages on helmets.

“It’s a lot easier playing without the cage. You have so much better vision,” said Moore.

How have those adjustments with the game gone for Moore?

According to him, it’s been a smooth transition.

“It was a comfortable situation coming in because I knew a lot of the guys,” said Moore. “I got to know most of these guys at summer camps the past two summers, the prospect camps. Three of the USA guys that were in the program during the time I was there are here.”

That’s not to say he hasn’t had to deal with a few changes. In particular the biggest difference came in the locker room, where Jon Jankus, Derek Damon, Travis Wight and Steve Mullin are nowhere to be seen for the first time in the last four years.

“It’s a little different but these are great guys who have all accepted me real well,” said Moore. “I am excited to just be part of this program.”

“Everyone has treated me real nice,” said Moore. “It’s all I could’ve asked for.”

And of course there was a jersey change too. Moore was forced to go from number 15 to 14.

“I had three, six, 14 and 28 to pick from,” said Moore. “I didn’t want to go single digits because I am too wide. It would be too much space on my jersey. I figured 14 was one less than 15, so I’d go with that.”

The new-Greg Moore era has officially begun.

This entry was posted on Monday, April 24th, 2006, 12:00 am. You can follow any responses to this article through the RSS feed.