TORONTO, Ontario -- Every other year, Griffin and Sam Reinhart skated on the same teams in minor hockey.
Deadrin Senat Falcons Jersey . Now the brothers from West Vancouver hope to be teammates for Canada at the world junior championship. Griffin, a 19-year-old defenceman for the Edmonton Oil Kings who was drafted fourth overall in 2012 by the New York Islanders, is a lock to make the squad even though he will be suspended for the first three preliminary round games due to a suspension incurred at last years world juniors in Ufa, Russia. Sam, who is in contention to be picked first overall in the 2014 NHL draft, is battling for a spot on the 22-man squad. Canada will be looking to end a four-year gold medal drought at the world juniors that begin Dec. 26 in Malmo, Sweden. "Its exciting -- it goes back to minor hockey," said 18-year-old Sam Reinhart, a centre for the Kootenay Ice. "Its nice to get back with him. "The last couple of years Ive had to play against him and I dont like that very much." They were on the ice together for some drills Friday as Canada opened a three-day camp on the international-size rink at the Mastercard Centre. As expected, Jonathan Drouin was not on the ice. The high-scoring Halifax Mooseheads forward is recovering from a concussion suffered in a Quebec Major Junior Hockey League game last week. The 18-year-old is expected to recover in time for the tournament. The third overall pick by the Tampa Bay Lightning at the NHL draft in June was examined by team doctors on Thursday night. Coach Brent Sutter expects Drouin to be ready to skate and described his condition as "status quo." He said it would not hinder the teams preparations for the tournament. Griffin, Sam and 21-year-old Max Reinhart, a Calgary Flames prospect, are the sons of former NHL defenceman Paul Reinhart. All three started out as defencemen, but Sam and Max both ended up as centres. Griffin, a towering rearguard at six-foot-four 212 pounds, and the six-foot-one Sam are looking to become the third brother duo to play for Canada at the world juniors, after Randy and Mike Moeller in 1982 and Freddie and Dougie Hamilton in 2012. "Its always more fun playing with Sam than against him, so if hes able to make it as well it would be awesome for me," said Griffin. The brothers embody two issues on the squad -- Griffins suspension and Sam being among three "underage" players in camp along with Erie Otters 16-year-old phenom Connor McDavid and Barrie Colts defenceman Aaron Ekblad, who is one of Sam Reinharts main competitors for the No. 1 draft position. Griffin was slapped with a four-game ban for a slash during Canadas semifinal loss to the United States in Ufa. He served one game after that, and is suspended for the next four IIHF sanctioned events he enters. He will miss the first three group stage games in Malmo against Germany, the Czech Republic and Slovakia but will return for a Dec. 31 showdown with the Americans. "Ive definitely seen the schedule," he said. "I cant play the first three, but coming back to play the States on the 31st -- thats a huge rivalry. Everyone in Canada gets hyped up for those games." That Canada included him among the 25 camp invitees showed they value Reinharts package of size, skill and leadership enough that missing three games doesnt faze them. They are games Canada should win, and Sutter will still have six solid rearguards in the lineups. Reinhart will also be able to mesh with his teammates while playing in pre-tournament exhibition games next week against Finland, Sweden and Switzerland. But he appreciates the confidence the Hockey Canada management showed in him. "Itll be hard watching," he said. "Everyone wants to play. "Ive sat out before in the WHL with injuries, so Ill kind of take it like that. I know there was a chance they wouldnt take me because of the three games. Ill try to prove to them they made the right decision and try to be a leader on and off the ice when I return." They also had him paired with Matt Dumba, who was loaned to Canada for the tournament by the Minnesota Wild. Dumba is expected to be an anchor on Canadas defence, and they could end up as the teams top pairing. Sam Reinhart found himself once again on a line with McDavid, with Kerby Rychel of the Guelph Storm on left wing. Reinhart and McDavid, the runaway favourite to go first overall in the 2015 draft, have played together before, including at the world junior teams summer camp in Montreal and Lake Placid, N.Y. Reinhart moves over to right wing for the occasion. "I had a chance to play with (McDavid) and the hype is not wrong by any means," he said. "Hes a special player. Its easy to play with him." Like with most national teams, there are more centres than spots to put them in, so a few have moved to the wings. "Ive already made the transition to right wing," Sam Reinhart said. "Down the middle theres so much depth on our team. Ill play on the penalty kill, the power play, whatever they want me to do. Ill be ready." Drouins absence left Frederik Gauthier of the Rimouski Oceanic and Josh Anderson of London Knights -- the only player on the roster listed as a right winger with his team -- without a third man for their line, although the units Sutter and his staff used on the first day of camp are likely to change. If he is healthy, Drouin will likely play on whatever is the top offensive line. Anthony Mantha of the Val dor Foreurs, the QMJHL scoring leader, is a left-winger who found himself on the right side of London centre Bo Horvat and natural left winger Charles Hudon of the Chicoutimi Sagueneens. Centre Curtis Lazar of the Edmonton Oil Kings was on right wing with centre Nic Petan of the Portland Winterhawks and Hunter Shinkaruk of the Medicine Hat Tigers. And centre Felix Girard of the Baie-Comeau Drakkar played right wing with Scott Laughton of the Oshawa Generals at centre and Portlands Taylor Leier on the left side. During practice, the players were introduced to four former world juniors stars who were named honorary captains for the 2015 and 2017 tournaments to be shared by Toronto and Montreal. They are former Leafs Wendel Clark and Gary Roberts, former goalie Marc Denis and Montreal Canadiens player development man Martin Lapointe. The team has an exhibition game Saturday afternoon against local university players and a practice Sunday morning before leaving for Sweden.
Logan Paulsen Falcons Jersey . With timely hitting and good pitching, the Marlins are one win away from sweeping the slumping Houston Astros.
Atlanta Falcons Jerseys . Still, Inter moved one point ahead of Parma in the race for fifth place and the final Europa League spot. Udinese remained 14th, 11 points above the relegation zone. Inter was beaten 2-1 by Atalanta at home on Sunday and has won only seven of 16 matches at the San Siro this season, as the squad seems to still be searching for its identity under new owner Erick Thohir and first-year manager Walter Mazzarri.One of the best things about the playoffs is the opportunity to have a fresh start for a new season, and a chance to become a difference maker each night. After the fourth line took the headlines following the Canadiens victory in Game 1, it would be the third line, along with goaltending, that would help propel the Habs in Game 2 to take a 2-0 series lead with the series heading to Montreal. After a sub-par regular season, which saw a trip to the press box as a healthy scratch, Rene Bourque elevated his game on Friday night with a two-goal contest, including a highlight reel goal which turned out to be the game winner. He led all Montreal players with four shots on goal. Meeting with the media on Saturday, Bourque admitted that the playoffs are providing a fresh start as he wants to atone for the regular season, and now is the best time to make an impact. Coach Michel Therrien also conceded that since his late-March trip to the press box, Bourque has played more physical and shown the kind of game they expect from the forward. The power play also managed its first goal of the year against the Lightning in Game 2, and ended a scoreless run of 227 consecutive attempts without a goal.
Ito Smith Jersey. . The Canadiens also showed some of the best puck movement with the man advantage that they have in quite some time. The team has put a lot of focus on the special teams over the last week in practice. The power play goal scored by David Desharnais was his first career playoff goal. Max Pacioretty earned his first power play point with an assist on the play. The line of Thomas Vanek, Desharnais and Pacioretty has combined for two goals, five points and 22 shots over the first two games of the series. Meanwhile, the Bourque, Lars Eller and Brian Gionta trio have put up four goals, seven points and 16 shots. While the Bell Centre will be rocking on Sunday night, the Habs refuse to look too far ahead, knowing all too well that a 2-0 series lead built on the road in 2011 still ended in a Game 7 overtime loss to the Bruins. Montreal had an off-ice workout on Saturday, with no line-up changes expected for Game 3. You can listen to Sundays game live at 7pm et/4pm pt on TSN 690 Montreal, TSN 1050 Toronto, TSN 1200 Ottawa, TSN 1290 Winnipeg and TEAM 1040 Vancouver.
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