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What's my line?
posted by Mike Boone at 12h41 EST on Sep 20
The coach's task is complicated by certain players being unable to
go to certain towns. Without naming names, Carbonneau said visa
problems will prevent some of his squad from travelling to the U.S., at
least initially.
But when hockey begins for a real next montrh, Carbo said, "we have nine forwards who will see the most ice time."
You know who they are: Kovalev, Koivu, Tanguay, Plekanecs, the Kostitsyns, Christopher Higgins, Latendresse and Lang.
The battle for spotys will centre on the fourth line, and a centre hopes to be part of it.
"I
gotta have a great camp if I'm going to stick with the team," said Kyle
Chipchura. He's part of a fourth-line logjam that includes Maxim
Lapierre, Steve Bégin, Georges Laraque, Tom Kostopoulos and, if he has
an amazing camp, Gregory Stewart.
"This will be a lot tougher
maybe than other years," Chipchura said of training camp competition.
"But if you want to play in the NHL, you have to earn it.
"This
isn't a rebuilding team any more, it's a contending team," added
Chipchura, who said his summer training focused on improving his
first-step quickness and overall body strength.
His goal in camp:
"I want to play hard and force management to make a tough decision."
Is it now or never for Chipchura?
"I hope not," he replied. "But now or never is getting close."
• • •
It's been seven years since Alex Kovalev and Robert Lang – along with Martin Straka – were successful linemates in Pittsburgh.
Their on-ice chemistry may be reborn, but they have to get their lines straight:
Kovalev
on Guillaume Latendresse, who skated with them this morning: "He's not
a speedy forward, but he can do the job because of his body."
Lang on Gui!: "He's fast."
• • •
Gui! on the Canadiens' depth: "Our top 9 would be top 6 anywhere else in the league."
Gui! on his future: "If I can play here all my career, it would be awesome."
Kovalev on his reunion with Robert Lang: "We forgot a few things, he surprised me with a few passes today."
Kovy on Carey Price dropping almost 30 pounds during the summer: "It's not hard for young guys. I worked so hard to lose 10."
Lang of playing with Kovalev today: "It was fun ... he finally passed the puck to me a couple times."
On
recapturing the magic that let them light it up with the Penguins: "We
have similar style and complement each other ... when we played
together I was 30, you don't change your style much after that."
Carbonneau on emerging team leaders: ""You need guys like Saku, Kovalev, Robert Lang. But the young guys have to push them all the time."
• • •
Cover boys, along with the centennial logo, in action on the training camp glossy guide:
Jean Béliveau and Serge Savard in black and white, Saku Koivu and Mike Komisarek in colour.
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Just thought I would share my Xbox lines which seem to be working just fine!
Tanguay Lang Kovalev
A Kost Plek S Kost
Higgins Koivu Lats
BGL Lap Begin/Kosto
Komi Marky
Obie Hammer
Cube Gorges
Price
I have
Tanguay Lang Kovalev
A Kost Plek S Kost
Higgins Koivu Lats
Laraque Chipchura Lappierre
Komi Marky
Obie Hammer
Cube Gorges
Price
Halak
Kostopolous
Begin
Breezers
~Listen to the rooster! He knows what he's saying!
Confessions of a training camp junkie:
I got there a bit late, at 10 am. The parking was a nightmare! Finally found a place to stash the car and then fuggedabout finding a place to watch the practice it was stacked to the wall!
Afterwards I thought I would join the erstwhile autograph seekers who were camped out the back door.
One of the highlights of the day was watching group B do their cal outside!
I was there last year and there was no comparison (it's good that it's organized into groups so if you feel like waiting a hour you can camp out till the next group starts on another sheet of ice). I did catch a nice group B session. The Kostitsyn bros with Pleks looked great and so did Ben Maxwell with the Cincy sensations Desharnais and Beauregard. One hulking brute who seemed to have soft hands was Ryan Flinn who tips the scales at 6'5/233. Komi and Markov were in fine form!
One of the funniest moments was a bus arriving with one passenger. Mike Glumac. So much for being new in town!
I have to say a word about autographs. From what I saw Higgy, Koivu, Komi, Hammer, Beige were amazing. They didn't leave until the last jersey, photo or card was signed. Personally I had a vested interest in getting SK74 to sign my jersey but those brothers hightailed it out of there bats out of Belarus! Nice wheels! The only dude who did get an autograph chased 'em down at the stoplight! Crazy!
I did see M. Boone working dilligently in the press room. Way to go Mike! Should've asked for your autograph!
I took nearly 2000 (thats the correct number of zero's) today at training camp.
I'm off to shoot the first home game for the Montreal Juniors, I'll have all the pics up tonight and will post the link!
Hey Mike, is there any word on which other players will be making the trip out here to Halifax for Monday's game?
-----
Go Habs Go!
Tang-Lang-Kovy
Great report Mr. Boone. I love the quotes. They seem to be in great spirits and prone to using humour. Funny that Lang and Kovy see Gui differently. LOL So Kovy finally passed the puck to Lang...that's a bit of a dig. :-)
Thanks Mike. Keep those reports coming!
Gui flies down the ice and gets the puck off of the boards and feeds it to Lang or Kovy, then goes to the front of the net. Then whoever has it passes it to the third member of the line for a one-timer with the goalie's view blocked by Lats. Result: goal or a juicy rebound that Lats burries. Rinse and repeat 60 times.
One can dream, can't he?
(OK I'll take my meds now.)
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No, I won't help you find the Holy Grail!