Montreal Canadiens Training Camp: Don't Tell Them They're on the Fourth Line

After taking on Team 2 (Alex Newhook, Kirby Dach, Patrik Laine, and co.), it was Team 1's (Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovsky, and co.) turn to hit the ice for practice this morning in Brossard on day three of the Montreal Canadiens' training camp.

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On the backend, Team 1 also features four young defensemen expected to battle it out for a role in Montreal this season: Justin Barron, Lane Hutson, Logan Mailloux, and Jayden Struble. As previously reported, Barron has a bit of a head start, not only because of his experience but also because he cannot be sent down to Laval without going through waivers.

The coaching staff put the Canadiens through their paces in a variety of drills, most of which featured odd-man rushes. One exercise pitted three players on defense against four attacking players, a good idea considering how many games the Habs lost in overtime last season and how they rarely get to practice simulated penalty kills in overtime.

Related: Montreal Canadiens Training Camp: Kapanen Shines on Day 2

Just as for Team 3 yesterday, there was also plenty of time spent playing in close, without being able to retreat higher than the faceoff dots in the offensive zone putting a lot of pressure on the defense.

After practice, Team 1, Team 2, and Team 3 were taken to the ice for a two 30-minute period of scrimmage. The Newhook, Dach, and Laine line were intact as the three players kept trying to find each other on the ice, but their timing was not quite there yet. In his post game media availability, Newhook mentioned how deceptively fast both of his linemates are, and judging by how many passes were sent behind them, it's easy to see the point. In his post-game presser, Martin St-Louis explained that he wasn't about to pull the plug:

They have great elements to compliment each other and I need to give them more reps as they missed a lot of time, to jump right back in it at this level...I just need to be patient with them.

The trio also had issues getting out of their own zone. They were even pinned down in their territory for a long while by the Laurent Dauphin, Lucas Condotta, and Alex Beaucage line. This is a testament to the hard work of the line, which is destined to play under Pascal Vincent with the Rocket this season, but it is also a demonstration of how tricky it was for the Dach line to get the puck back.

Related: Canadiens: Will Martin St-Louis Juggle?

Newhook is confident the line will soon find its rhythm, explaining he thinks it will be a dangerous combination when it gets going. About how it is for a new player to come in with the Habs, he said:

I think any time you come into a new environment and new team, it's a feeling out process on both sides of it, but I think this group is a very good group, a very welcoming group a tight knit group. I think for him [Laine] or anyone else to come in, we try to make it as easy a transition, I felt it last year and I'm sure he's feeling it right now.

While most of the fans in attendance wanted to witness some Laine magic, they were treated to a different show, a rerun, but a good one nonetheless, the Brendan Gallagher, Jake Evans, and Joel Armia show. They established a presence in the offensive zone from the opening faceoff, for which the other team had very little answer. The line passed the puck quickly and made the opponent run after them. Gallagher playing on his off-wing was very efficient, and even though the line included three righties, that's something St-Louis is ready to live with, considering how well they complete each other.

Armia opened the score when Mike Matheson took a slapper from the point, and the Finn jumped on the rebound. All game long, he was alert and intense. Make no mistake; this is not the Armia from the last training camp; it's the one from the end of the season. The winger is in the last year of his contract, and according to Laine, he's told them he would love to stay in Montreal forever. Looking at his play today, it's easy to believe that.

While most would agree that the line centered by Evans is penciled in as the fourth line right now, they outshone the Joshua Roy, Christian Dvorak, and Josh Anderson combination even though both lines produced a pair of goals in the 6-3 win.

Playing in a pairing with Matheson, David Reinbacher had a really good, clean game with no mistakes and very impressive decision-making. The youngster knows how to pick his spots and when to join the attack.

William Trudeau, Jared Davidson, and Filip Mesar scored three goals for Team 2 or White. After losing its second game in as many days, the team has now been eliminated from the scrimmage mini-tournament, meaning they'll only practice on Sunday rather than playing for the title of the best team in camp.

This means that tomorrow's scrimmage will be a rehearsal of the match-up we'll see on Sunday morning in Brossard, with Team 1 taking on Team 3 on both days. As this year's camp t-shirt says, they'll just have to "Do the job," just one word off the Patriots' "Do your job" motto under Bill Belichick.

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