Rinaldo Blog: Day 5

Voorhees, N.J. - Sat. April 14, 1:38 p.m.

The plane ride home... it was just quiet and calm. Like any other trip. Guys were satisfied and relaxing.

The ribs on the plane home were delicious. We had to get them from a different place, since (Dee Jay's) said they wouldn't serve us anymore. That's OK, they must not need our business. We don't need their ribs to win.

Some of the guys were pretty wiped out. That comes with play 20 minutes a game. This day off (on Saturday) is really going to help us. Some guys that have aches and pains get a chance to get back up to normal. We get a chance to regroup and go back at it tomorrow.

It was a tough night for me. (Rinaldo played just 4:18 in Game 2) Coach pulled me aside in the hallway after the game. He told me to keep going, that no matter what happens or how much you play, you're a part of the team.

It felt good to hear that. A couple guys talked to me, Claude Giroux talked to me, told me to keep my head up. My London team in the OHL (2009-10) was as tight as can be, and this is really similar to that team.

There's not one secret in here that guys don't know about each other. We're all open. It's brotherly love here.

It's really all about winning. It's a team game. It's fun, it's a ride that we're not going to regret, that's for sure.

When we got back, I drove Marc-Andre Bourdon to his hotel and then got home and had some dinner. I got to hang out with my roommate, Tom Sestito, at home. I hadn't seen him for a couple days. It was good to see him.

It's good to see him practicing for the first time (since groin surgery in February). He said he's feeling good. That's a relief for me. I need him in the lineup. He's a guy that can take the body, stir stuff up when we need it, and he can play the game, too.

Flyers rookie Zac Rinaldo will be writing a daily blog on Philly.com throughout the Stanley Cup playoffs. Check back on Thursday for another post. Follow him on Twitter at @RinaldoZac.