(Buffalo) A year after his departure, Phillip Danault is still talking about the Canadiens’ entourage, and we’re not talking about the fans who still haven’t forgiven Marc Bergevin for letting him go.
Posted at 9:40 p.m.
Updated at 10:48 p.m.
Owen Beck, whom the CH claimed at 33e rank in July, had a second straight strong game Friday at the rookie tournament. The Habs again lost 4-3, this time against the Devils, but Beck was once again one of the best in his camp.
After the meeting, a colleague asked him who his role models are in the NHL. ” I have many. Canadiens fans know Phillip Danault well,” he replied, before adding the names of Bo Horvat and Patrice Bergeron.
What does the Ontarian like about Danault? “His game on 200 feet. He was so good at that in Montreal, he helped the team be successful and I can have the same kind of impact on a game. »
“It’s a good comparison for him, judged the head coach of CH hopes, Jean-François Houle. He won several face-offs, he was intense, scored another goal, he has good speed. »
Beck hit the target for the second straight game, midway through the third period. He also took several faceoffs in all zones. Like the aforementioned Danault and Bergeron, Beck excels in this facet of the game. playing in the Eastern Conference.
“It all starts with the face-offs. If you don’t have the puck, you can’t create an offense or you run after the puck. Starting with the puck makes it easier, so I’m focusing on that,” Beck noted.
18-year-old players do not always receive an invitation to the main camp, after the rookie camp. But Beck gives himself arguments to receive one.
Something new for Dubé
Another who looked good is Pierrick Dubé. In his case, it was a first game, since he had been left out on Thursday.
Dubé is present as a guest. He was never drafted and hopes to land a contract for the American League. At 5’8 and 179 lbs, his size is not a strength, but he makes up for it with an interesting level of commitment and good speed.
One game in particular stood out. In the first period, he rushed in front of the giant Kevin Bahl, who attempted a slap shot. Dubé blocked the shot, thus initiating a relaunch of the attack. Moments later, William Trudeau opened the scoring for the Canadian.
Are blocked shots part of his arsenal? “In junior, I was more recognized as an offensive player, but this summer, I was on the ice three times a week with Bergeron and Danault, he replied. They gave me good advice. They told me that there are plenty of good offensive players in the National League. If I want to go up, I will have to work on defensive aspects. »
Dubé also had several opportunities to work on his defensive game, since he was also employed on the penalty kill, a role he is not used to. “I think I played more disadvantaged tonight than in my entire junior career! “, he joked.
Him and Cédrick Guindon, a choice of 4e tour of the CH in 2022, showed good cohesion and obtained their share of runs at 4 against 5. Clearly, the influence of Bergeron and Danault is strong.
“This is my third summer with them. Players like them who have long careers, used to playing against the best lines… When they speak to me, it goes into one ear and it stays there. »
In short
Filip Mesar scored the other CH goal in the loss. He played center all night, but scored his goal on the power play with a low shot from the crease.
Jordan Harris once again received praise from his coach after the game. “I found him to be aggressive, he won several battles, he’s very good in front of the net at putting players down and he’s physically stronger than I thought, even if he’s not very big,” said summary Swell. Harris notably distinguished himself on a sequence against Josh Filmon, who was trying to spin alone. Harris caught him and held him in a clinch, before knocking him off the puck.
The Canadiens train on Saturday, and will play their third and final game of the tournament Sunday, at noon, against the Senators.