http://www.ottawacitizen.com/sports/Fisher+Kovalev+Regin+line+could+create+fireworks/3570050/story.html
Fisher, Kovalev and Regin line could create fireworks
A line of Mike Fisher, Alex Kovalev and Peter Regin has the potential to create some fireworks.
Yet, according to Ottawa Senators head coach Cory Clouston, what you see Friday night against the Montreal Canadiens isn’t necessarily what you’ll see when the National Hockey League regular season begins.
Before the preseason is over, Nick Foligno will also get a turn to play with Fisher and Kovalev.
“Healthy competition is good,” Clouston said Thursday. “Nobody has solidified themselves in that spot at all. Peter will get a chance (Friday night). He’ll have to make good of it. And Nick will get a chance.”
Foligno has already made a strong impression in training camp, scoring in the Senators first two exhibition games against the Toronto Maple Leafs and impressing with strong forechecking and excellent penalty killing.
Foligno will get Friday night off, but is expected to play when the Senators and Canadiens meet again at Scotiabank Place on Saturday night.
“I’m just playing,” Foligno said. “Last year, I was just thinking about every single aspect of the game, and now I’m just trying to play the game the way I know how and have for so long. I’m just comfortable. I put the work in during the summer and things seem to be going my way a little bit.”
The battle for ice time is, according to Foligno, a positive for the team.
“Peter is a heck of a hockey player and deserves to play with those guys and continue where he left off,” he said. “I thought he had a great end of the year last year and showed what I always knew about him. Whether it’s Peter or I, or playing together, or on separate lines, we need to be the good young players for this team.”
Shannon hopes for best
After winger Ryan Shannon took a thumping from Toronto’s Jay Rosehill in Wednesday’s game, the Senators feared he may have received another concussion and could be out for an extended period.
However, while the Senators kept him off the ice Thursday for precautionary reasons, the early indications were that Shannon didn’t have a concussion from the latest incident.
“I feel a lot better (Thursday),” Shannon said. “It’s just a precaution. I got my bell rung. Because of my history with it, they just wanted to be careful.”
Shannon, who planned to visit with more doctors later Thursday, has missed time in each of the past two seasons because of concussions.
He said he didn’t believe the hit by Rosehill was out of bounds.
“After seeing the replay, I’m more disappointed in myself,” he said. “I left myself a little open to it. I don’t think it was a dirty play, by any means. I didn’t see him there, but it was a good wak-up call to get out of summer hockey mode and into battles. I’m pretty fortunate that nothing serious came of it and now I can look forward to battling.”
Cuts next week
Everyone still on the Senators’ training camp roster is safe until after next Tuesday’s game against the Buffalo Sabres at Dundas, Ont. After that, a large group of players will be assigned to the Binghamton Senators of the American Hockey League, which will open training camp in Atlantic Canada with a series of games against the Hamilton Bulldogs, Montreal’s AHL affiliate.
Senators going to Montreal (order does not represent lines; players getting first game of preseason are bolded):
Forwards: Bass, Condra, Daugavins, Locke, Kovalev, Fisher, Regin, Greening, Keller, Kelly, Ruutu, Lessard
Defensemen: Gryba, Karlsson, Kinrade, Phillips, Schira, Wiercioch
Goalies: Pascal LeClaire, Mike Brodeur.
LeClaire is expected to play the entire game.
Stats so far:.......G........A...........Pts...........PIM.............+/-...........Shots..............Hits..............Blocked Shots
Bass..................0........0.............0.............7.................0...............0...................2....................2
Karlsson.............0........0.............0..............2................0...............2...................0....................1
Keller.................0........1.............1..............0................2...............0...................0....................0
Kellly.................1.........0............1..............0.................2..............1....................1....................2
Lessard..............0.........0............0..............4.................0..............1....................2...................0
Locke.................1........1............2..............2.................1...............2...................0....................0
Regin.................0.........0............0..............0.................-1............0(4MS).............0...................0
Ruutu.................0.........0............0.............4..................1..............1...................1....................0
Wiercioch............0.........0............0.............0.................0...............3...................0....................1
Very little information coming out of Habs' land.
Did find that Lars Eller will be playing with Gionta and Gomez on the top line tonight.
According to www.habsinsideout.com the other lines should look like this:
Andrei Kostitsyn - Dustin Boyd - Mathieu Darche
James Wyman - Andreas Engqvist - Dany Masse
Ryan White - David Desharnais - Max Pacioretty
Alex Henry - PK Subban
Alex Picard - Ryan Obyrne
Two of: Marc-Antoine Desnoyers, Kyle Klubertanz, Mathieu Carle and Brendan Nash
Alex Auld will start and play 30 minutes. Carey Price will not take over, however, will play on Saturday. One of Robert Mayer or Peter Delma is expected to close out the game on Friday night.
TV: on RIS (Bell channel 124; Shaw channel 749; Videotron channel 99; Cogeco channel 99)
Listen: Team 1200 .... http://www.team1200.com/listen-live/default.asp
Online: http://www.rajangan.net/
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GO SENS!!!
I don't recall them signing him to be honest...
I probably shouldn't have said anything...
