FROM THE CREASE with BRUCE BERLET 

By Bruce Berlet

Dov Grumet-Morris earned the Connecticut Whale’s MVP and Fan Favorite awards in more ways than most.

Grumet-Morris got it done on the ice, proving to be a godsend to the Whale as a late-season AHL signee after spending most of the campaign playing on professional tryout contracts.

And the erudite Harvard graduate accomplished his career year after returning from two seasons in Europe and having to deal with the suicide of one of his closest friends, Tom Cavanagh, who locked his car and jumped to his death at 28 at the Providence Place mall parking lot on Jan. 6.

It was only then that most people realized Cavanagh had accomplished so much so quickly despite almost totally concealing he had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and suffered a series of psychotic episodes that forced him to be institutionalized four times in his final months.

Grumet-Morris played only twice in five weeks as he fought through a nor’easter to get to Cavanagh’s funeral in Providence and tried to deal with the sudden and unexpected loss of a four-year Harvard teammate who hid his condition from nearly everyone, including Dov.

“It’s tough to lose anyone,” Grumet-Morris said, “but anytime you lose a friend it has a connection, especially when he’s a young man and you’re a young man. I don’t know of any 20-year-olds who died, so for me, it’s the first time I’ve had to deal with it. I’ve had grandparents who passed away, but the way my father put it, ‘Grandparents die, that’s what happens. They get older, and they die. You’re young.’

“You don’t know what they could have accomplished, whether it’s in hockey or in life, what kind of family they could have had, what kind of legacy they could have left behind. So that’s a lot of the mourning that goes on. You feel like you missed out on an opportunity to engage with them in their life, and they missed out on an opportunity to engage with you and others and the world at large. That’s why parents hate to outlive their kids because they feel like they haven’t reached their full potential. And I don’t mean in the sense of success or failure but in the sense of living a full and complete and enriched life.”

Grumet-Morris said Cavanagh was “a very nice, quiet person,” but the biggest thing that anyone who knew him, whether through athletics or on a personal level, is how hard he worked. Cavanagh lived by what Grumet-Morris called “the warrior creed,” where he never complained about anything, whether it was an injury or playing time or lack of playing time or overuse or underuse or not enough rest or too much rest.

Grumet-Morris, a fifth-round pick of the Philadelphia Flyers in 2002, has never complained about bouncing around the minor leagues for three seasons and then going to Europe to try to build his resume. He helped the Laredo Bucks win the Central Hockey League championship as a rookie and signed a NHL contract with the Nashville Predators on July 2, 2007, but he never got a legitimate shot at the big time despite good minor-league numbers and winning gold medals in the World Jewish Championships in 2007 and 2009.

So it was off to Austria for two seasons before returning to North America to be closer to his wife, Rachel, and sign a contract with the ECHL’s Greenville Road Warriors. He was in Hartford Wolf Pack training camp as an invitee but had virtually no chance to make the team ahead of holdover Chad Johnson and rookie Cam Talbot.

Despite a solid camp, Talbot headed to South Carolina and helped the Road Warriors get off to the best start in the ECHL while signing his first professional tryout contract with the Wolf Pack. He came within 23.8 seconds of a shutout in his Wolf Pack debut but lost 2-1 early in overtime to the Syracuse. He was named the ECHL’s Goalie of the Month in December when he was 9-2-1 with a 1.56 goals-against average, .942 save percentage and two shutouts in 12 games. He also didn’t play after signing PTOs with Grand Rapids and Portland, one of his former teams, before re-signing with the Whale on Feb. 3. When Johnson was called up by the parent New York Rangers on March 2 after Martin Biron sustained a broken collarbone when hit by a shot in practice, Grumet-Morris was released from his PTO and signed to an AHL contract.

Finally given some stability in his life, Grumet-Morris won an AHL-personal high seven consecutive games during a 16-8-0-1 Whale run after what he called “a ‘Come to Jesus’ meeting, so to speak” among players and coaches after a 9-2 loss at Toronto that tied franchise records for goals allowed and margin of defeat. Fittingly, Grumet-Morris backstopped a 4-1 victory at Bridgeport on Friday night that assured the Whale would be back in the playoffs after missing for the only time in their 14-year history last season.

“He was well deserving of the MVP award,” Whale defenseman/alternate captain Jared Nightingale said. “It’s a good story and says a lot about his character. It could have been easy for him to pack it in after being up and down with the ECHL and AHL and over to Europe. I don’t think if Dov is playing in the Central Hockey League, the ECHL or the NHL, he’s going to play the same way, be the same person and prepare the same way. I think it’s finally paying off for him, and it’s really nice to see.”

Grumet-Morris said he was honored and humbled by his peers voting him the team MVP and appreciated both awards, especially since he had been in Hartford for only about half the season. But peers and fans gained plenty of respect for his effort on and off the ice, which includes a 20-minute postgame workout when he plays. He could have got an early start Sunday, when he was pulled after allowing three goals in the first period of a 6-3 loss to Norfolk, but that was coach Ken Gernander’s attempt at a wakeup call for the rest of the players, who were outshot 20-4 in the first 20 minutes. They got him off the hook for the loss by scoring three goals, giving him a 13-4-1-1 record with a 2.32 GAA, .923 save percentage and one shutout in 22 games.

But it didn’t hide the fact the Whale, who had the second-most penalty minutes in the league (1,749), has to be more disciplined if they are to beat the Atlantic Division champion Portland Pirates in a best-of-seven, first-round series. They also have to get back to a commitment to defense, especially a third man high, and continue to produce on the power play, which finished in a tie for ninth at 19.3 percent, and improve on the penalty kill, which was 14^th at 82.4 percent.

Few doubt that Grumet-Morris will do his job starting Thursday night at the Cumberland County Civic Center in Portland, Maine.

“Dov has been playing awesome for us the past month or so, so we’ve got a great goalie behind us,” center John Mitchell said. “He has been a huge part for us even just getting us into the playoffs. He has come up with timely saves time and time again, so he’s instrumental to our victories getting into the playoffs, and the same will go for the playoffs. He’s going to have to step up for us, and he prepares himself like an NHL goalie, a very professional goalie. Every game he’s got his routine and does the same thing game in and game out. I’m sure he knows what’s at stake in the playoffs, and he’ll be prepared.”

Gernander is happy to have someone who ranks with the top goalies that he has played with and coached in Hartford such as Calder Cup-winning J.F. Labbe, AHL MVP Jason LaBarbera, Al Montoya, Dan Cloutier and Steve Valiquette.

“I have no complaints about Dov’s play since he’s been here,” Gernander said. “The guy came in on a PTO because of injury reasons (to Cam Talbot), played some pretty important games for us, was very successful and has become a member of our team. He’s done an admirable job.”

Despite what happened the last two games that included a lineup sprinkled with six junior and college players signed to amateur tryout contracts and undisciplined play from some veterans, Grumet-Morris is confident the Whale will be on top of their game for the postseason.

“I think we had a great run to get into the playoffs, which was huge because it was in doubt for a long time,” he said. “Now that we’re in, we feel focused, and we’ll see how we show up on Thursday. Portland is going to be ready. (Cumberland County Civic Center) is a difficult place to play. I know from playing there for and against Portland. It’s going to be a monumental challenge for us, but we’re looking forward to it.

“I think the last two games is more of an aberration in terms of lineup, as well as the way we played and the way the other team had to play. Oftentimes that happens. I don’t think it’s indicative of the players. As long as you intellectually understand that emotions want to win, you intellectually understand it, accept it, make your corrections and move on. I don’t think it should necessarily be a concern.”

But Nightingale said the Whale has to improve their mental approach.

“We just have to be more intelligent going in with our sticks, me included,” he said. “But we have a pretty intelligent locker room. Guys are going to know they have to play disciplined, but we have to constantly remind ourselves to go in with the right intents but keep your stick down. But we can’t let up. When we’re playing hard and getting in the other team’s faces is when we’re playing our best hockey.

“We know we can’t be stupid to beat them. We have to be intelligent, but we can’t let up at all. We have to get in there and play intense in-your-face hockey because that’s really what Whale hockey is. And special teams are even more important in the playoffs. Sometimes it makes or breaks a lot of things, so the most disciplined team definitely will be a key.”

Mitchell agrees.

“We made the playoffs and some of the guys have been taking sloppy penalties and stuff like that,” he said. “But I think the guys are on board in knowing that penalties and stuff like that will be completely unacceptable in the playoffs.”

After the opener Thursday, the series continues at Portland on Saturday at 7 p.m. before the teams travel to Hartford for Games 3 and 4 on Sunday at 6 p.m. and April 19 at 7 p.m. If necessary, Game 5 will be at Portland on April 21, Game 6 at the XL Center on April 23 and Game 7 at Portland on April 25. All three start at 7 p.m.

Gernander said injured forward Chad Kolarik and defenseman Michael Del Zotto won’t be ready for the start of the playoffs, and forwards Todd White and Devin DiDiomete are out for the season. It’s also doubtful any of the six ATO players – goalie Jason Missiaen, forwards Tommy Grant, Andrew Yogan, Kale Kerbashian and Shayne Wiebe and defenseman Dylan McIlrath, the Rangers’ first-round pick (10^th overall) in 2010 – will play barring injuries or others’ poor play.

“We’re going to ice the team that gives us the best chance of winning,” Gernander said. “Thursday night’s lineup may not necessarily be Saturday night’s lineup, but this is crunch time. Everybody has had a chance to be seen and evaluated, and now we have to put out the players that we feel have the best chance of winning.”

The Pirates (47-24-7-2) clinched their first division title since 2006 with a 3-2 shootout victory at Albany on Saturday night and ended with a 2-1 overtime loss to Springfield on Sunday. They won the division title because they were 9-2 in shootouts compared to 1-6 for Manchester.

Tickets for the Whale’s first two home games are on sale at www.ticketmaster and through Ticketmaster charge-by-phone at 1-800-745-3000. Playoff ticket packages that include tickets for all 16 possible home playoffs games, plus rollover options and incentives for season tickets next season are available at 860-726-3366. More information is available at www.ctwhale.com.

It’s difficult to draw large crowds early in the playoffs, but the Whale hope to continue to improve on their attendance numbers. They averaged 5,659, which was the highest since 5,845 in 2002-03 and was 12^th in the 30-team AHL after an all-time low 4,188 ranked 28^th last season. But bolstered by a name change on Nov. 27 and an AHL-record 21,673 at the Whale Bowl at Rentschler Field in East Hartford on Feb. 19, the average increased from 3,466 for the first 11 home games to 6,540 the last 29. They haven’t averaged at least 6,540 since 6,714 in 2001-02.

MOST RANGERS WATCH TAMPA BAY BEAT CAROLINA

After a 5-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Saturday afternoon to finish the season on an 11-4-1 run, most Rangers players gathered to watch Tampa Bay play Carolina, chants of “Let’s Go Lightning!!” from the Madison Square Garden crowd still echoing in their ears.

The Lightning, coached by Rangers coach John Tortorella when they won the Stanley Cup in 2004, must have been listening as they blitzed the host Hurricanes 6-2, assuring the Rangers would have the eighth and final seed and not miss the playoffs for a second straight season. They will face the top-seeded Washington Capitals in the first round, starting Wednesday night.

“A pretty significant portion of guys got together, the superstitious ones stayed away,” Rangers captain/Trumbull native Chris Drury, who scored on his first shift in his first game since Feb. 3 after knee surgery, said on a conference call Saturday night. “I have to say that we’re all pretty excited and thrilled for the opportunity to play the Capitals.

“For a lot of guys it was a long day with a range of emotions. Watching the game next to Hank (goalie Henrik Lundqvist) is something I don’t want to do again. He was pretty intense, but we’re all happy to be going to the playoffs. … I think it will do a ton (for the future of the organization). You look up and down our roster, there’s a ton of young guys, guys that haven’t played in the playoffs, though probably the last six, eight, 10 games, it’s been like playoff games. It’s a terrific opportunity for the (Derek) Stepans, the (Michael) Sauers, the (Ryan) McDonaghs, and it’s a great thing for our organization that they’ll get to experience it at such a young age.”

A year ago, the Rangers were eliminated on the final day of the season when they lost a shootout to the Philadelphia Flyers, who lost in the Stanley Cup finals to the Chicago Blackhawks. The defending champions nearly didn’t get a chance to repeat, losing their season finale 4-3 to the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday afternoon. They then needed help from Minnesota to earn the eighth and final playoff berth in the Western Conference, and they got it when the Wild beat the Dallas Stars 5-3 Sunday night, giving the Blackhawks a shot at the Vancouver Canucks, who finished with a league-high 117 points, 10 more than runner-up Washington.

Rangers playoff tickets went on sale Monday, with a maximum of four per round per person to try make them available to as many fans as possible. Tickets are available at www.newyorkrangers.com and Ticketmaster charge-by-phone at 866-858-0008.

MCDONALD NAMED AHL PLAYER OF THE YEAR, WINS MARSHALL AWARD

Wethersfield native and Oklahoma City Barons right wing Colin McDonald, son of former Hartford Whalers defenseman Gerry McDonald, was named Reebok/AHL Player of the Week a day after scoring a power-play goal with 2:32 left in a 6-3 loss to Houston on Sunday to win the league goal-scoring title with 42.

McDonald had six goals, including a career-high four in a 7-2 victory over San Antonio on Friday night, and two assists in three games as he finished one goal ahead of former Wolf Pack wing Nigel Dawes of the Hamilton Bulldogs to win the AHL’s Willie Marshall Award. McDonald, second-round pick of the Edmonton Oilers in 2003, led the Barons to two crucial road wins and a playoff spot. McDonald’s 42 goals, including a league-high 19 on the power play, were eight more than he scored in his first three pro seasons combined, with his previous high being 12. The Whale’s Jeremy Williams tied for second in power-play goals with 15 of his 32, which tied a career high and tied for fourth in the league.

The Whale nominated left wing Andrew Yogan, who had two goals and an assist in his first two pro games after signing an amateur tryout contract after Erie was eliminated from the Ontario Hockey League playoffs.

CONDOLENCES TO MCGUIRE FAMILY

I was so saddened to hear about the death of E.J. McGuire, the Wolf Pack’s first coach, on Thursday after losing a five-month battle with cancer.

I didn’t start covering the Wolf Pack until the season after E.J. left Hartford, but the man who spent more than 40 years in hockey as a coach and administrator was always so pleasant and energetic when I met him after he guided the Wolf Pack to an 81-55-17-7 record in 1997-98 and 1998-99 and a berth in the Eastern Conference finals in the team’s inaugural season. That included as vice president of the NHL Central Scouting Bureau, a position he held from 2005 until he got beat by an opponent that no one beats. McGuire, 58, was the architect of many of the innovations that Central Scouting pioneered in the past decade to achieve its mandate of providing the teams with the most comprehensive list of NHL entry-draft-eligible prospects.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman related a story that senior vice president of hockey operations Colin Campbell told him about when he became coach of the Rangers in the mid-1990s and reached out to McGuire as a possible assistant. But McGuire had already committed to coaching the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League.

“Even though he could have made four times as much money and come to the NHL, he didn’t do it because he felt the need and felt it was appropriate, it was his values, to honor the commitment to the youngsters in major junior,” Bettman said.

Such a story wouldn’t surprise Gernander, who played for McGuire for two seasons.