Thursday with the Rats: injury means opportunity

In the prolonged absence of alternate captain Mike Angelidis (see our post earlier this week), second-year forwards Harrison Reed and Stefan Chaput will get their chance to make an impact.

Reed will make his season debut when Albany hosts the Portland Pirates on Friday at the former Knickerbocker Arena. Chaput, limited to 15 games by injury as a rookie, was scoreless in the Rats' 6-3 loss last weekend to Manchester.


A third-round pick by the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006, the 6-foot-1, 175-pound Reed, 21, had nine points (5g, 4a) in 70 games last season.


"I think he learned a lot from last year," head coach-GM Jeff Daniels said following today's practice. "The way he's practicing now is very business-like. He's got an NHL shot. He uses it in practice, and I just want to make sure he uses it in a game now. He knows the situation where he's battling for ice time, and every day he's come to the rink and worked.


"You can take it one of two ways, where you sit around and feel sorry for yourself and that doesn't get you in the lineup, or you keep pushing yourself like he has so when he's ready to go, he should be flying."

Daniels chatted for several minutes with Reed on the ice following practice.


"I told him it's just a matter of waiting for your opportunity, and when you get it, you have to take advantage of it," Daniels said. "Now's his chance. It's unfortunate for Angie, but it's a good break for Reeder. It gives him a chance to get his foot in the door."


Reed is looking forward to the opportunity. He was a healthy scratch against Manchester.


"I've been working hard in practices and training camp and eager to get in a game situation," Reed said. "I want to play well in all aspects of the game; defensive zone, offensive zone, and contribute to the team any way I can."


Reed skated with other young players for Carolina's championship entry at the NHL Prospects Tournament in Traverse City, Mich. that preceded camp. He was not among those invited to a slimmed-down main camp in Raleigh, N.C.


"It was definitely a little bit hard not to go to the main camp," Reed said. "It was somewhat of a wakeup all that you have to work harder. Not everyone gets to go. You have to show them that you're supposed to be there."


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Like Reed, the 21-year-old Chaput played at the prospects tournament but was not in Raleigh, meeting the Rats when they got to Albany.


His ice time will include filling Angelidis' regular shift on one of the two primary penalty-killing units.


"Chappy's a guy that can kill penalties for us," Daniels said. "He did it a bit last year. I used him in the rookie tournament to kill penalties. That's going to be his role, a good two-way hockey player that can kill penalties. He'll get the opportunity to do that."


Chaput scored 11 points (4g, 7a) in 2008-09, and is still considered an AHL rookie by games played. He had back-to-back goals Dec. 3 and 5, his last game. After two months on the injured list, he had season-ending surgery on Feb. 4.


"Chappy had a pretty strong game (in the season opener) after I watched it," Daniels said. "He played hard. For a guy that only played 15 games last year, he's pretty much starting over again. His conditioning is not where it needs to be yet, but the effort was there."


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When he found out which player inherited the sweater No. 4 he made famous during his playing days in Albany, assistant coach Geordie Kinnear couldn't help but be pleased.

Worn the past two seasons by the departed Mark Flood, it was issued to newcomer Zack FitzGerald, a rugged defenseman whose playing style strongly resembles Kinnear himself.

Signed as a free agent by Carolina this summer after skating with Calder Cup finalist Manitoba last season, FitzGerald fought Manchester enforcer xxxxxx xxxxxxx last weekend.

"I believed in, obviously, being intense, and he's got that intensity," Kinnear said. "He plays with a lot of sandpaper andn grit. He knew when we needed a spark the other night, and he took on probably the toughest guy in the league and held his own.

"That's what the game's about, doing this for your team and playing with that edge. He definitely has that. He's a character, he loves the game and he's passionate. He wants to get better. Absolutely, I'm very proud that he's wearing the jersey."

FitzGerald was unaware of the legacy of No. 4, and did not know that it was honored -- but still somehow not retired -- by the Rats with a banner that hangs from the arena rafters.

"I know a little bit about his history here, and I really like his coaching so far," FitzGerald said. "He's helped me tremendously in just the last two weeks. I'm happy to be here with that. I'll carry the '4' with pride."

More recently, FitzGerald is reminiscent of ex-Rats defenseman Tim Conboy, a fellow Minnesota native who has earned his way on the Canes roster with his energy and passion.

"I'm here to bring a little bit of that," FitzGerald said. "I really like how Tim plays. He's a monster, man. He hits, he fights, he does everything. I wouldn't mind following in his footsteps."

Though he's not a huge baseball fan, FitzGerald did watch the Minnesota Twins rally past Detroit to make the playoffs, where they lost their opener to well-rested AL East champion New York.

"I'm real proud of my Vikings, but I'm also real proud of the Twins for making it," he said. "Hopefully, they can beat these Yankees, though I don't want to say it too loud around here."

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The injury to Carolina forward Erik Cole should not affect Albany's roster, Daniels said. "(Conboy) jumped in at forward and they still have an extra defenseman up there. They won the game, so I'm sure they'll go with the same lineup on Friday," he said ..... Daniels plans to split goaltending duties this weekend, likely starting veteran Justin Peters vs. Portland and rookie Mike Murphy Saturday night against Rochester, also at home ...... Albany plays the Amerks four times this season, and both home games come this month; the other is on Oct. 23 ..... Rookie forward Matthew Pistilli skated a full week of practice for the first time after being hurt and is available. "It's just a matter of getting his conditioning up," Daniels said. "He won't play tomorrow night, but he'll be an option on Saturday."