First practice of Devils' training camp underway; Corrente and Stoesz fight during scirmmage

The first group of Devils players are on the ice for the first practice of training camp

As I mentioned earlier, there are rookies and veterans mixed together, which has created some strange combinations. (A second group will be on later).

Travis Zajac is skating with Vladimir Zharkov and Ilkka Pikkarainen. Zajac's usual linemates, Zach Parise and Jamie Langenbrunner, are not in this group. I wouldn't read too much into that, yet, but I'll definitely ask Jacques Lemaire about it after practice is over.

Ben Walter is centering Jay Pandolfo and David Clarkson and Dainius Zubrus is centering Niclas Bergfors (left wing) and Patrick Davis.

The practice is pretty high tempo so far. There's a lot going on at once.

{To left: Niclas Bergfors carrying the puck up ice during the scrimmage in today's first practice session of training camp.}

The full list of players on the ice is below. There are two goaltenders, 10 defensemen and 15 forwards.

Martin Brodeur and Yann Danis are the two goaltenders.

Jacques Lemaire, Mario Tremblay, Tommy Albelin, Scott Stevens and Chris Terreri are the coaches on the ice.

{Follow this blog on Twitter at http://twitter.com/TGfireandice}.

At 10:30, all of the forwards and the goaltenders left the ice and the defensemen stayed on for a short meeting with the coaches and then left too. They are resurfacing the ice now and are apparently going to scrimmage next. Lemaire said earlier this week that the first group would practice and the other two groups would scrimmage during the second session, but that plan has apparently changed already.

UPDATE: The first group is back on the ice and they are scrimmaging now.  The lines combinations (there are five) are moving back and forth between two teams. There are two groups (one in white and one in red) of five defensemen on each team.

Again, it's a high tempo with Tremblay blowing his whistle when it's time for the forwards and defensemen to change.

Matt Corrente, who has been inclined to do this, just had a fight with Myles Stoes (11:20 a.m.). Both guys landed some punches, but there was no clear winner and it ended when both simply stopped punching. Stoesz gave Corrente a pat on the helmet afterward, as if to say, "good job." 

The scrimmage ended at 11:30 and they're finishing up the first session with some hard skating. That should be it. I'll post some comments after I get back from the locker room.

Today's first group.

Goaltenders: Martin Brodeur, Yann Danis (still wearing Islanders' mask)

Defensemen: (Wearing white) Bryce Salvador,Andy Greene; Mark Fraser, Alexander Urbom,Olivier Magnan-Grenier. (Wearing wed:) Matt Corrente, Eric Gelinas, Jay Leach, Tyler Eckford. Cory Murphy

Forwards: Vladimir Zharkov-Travis Zajac-Ilkka Pikkarainen; Jay Pandolfo-Ben Walter-David Clarkson; Niclas Bergfors-Dainius Zubrus-Patrick Davis; Ashton Bernard-Stephen Gionta-Myles Stoesz; Eric Castonguay-Brad Mills-Nathan Perkovich.

Comments

[Teech]

The road to the Cup starts here..............Keep us informed TG!

[Neil S]

Interesting TG, The ZZ Pops line isn't together, but with Elias out for a little while, Pando Walter and Clarkson is a possible line combination.

[HoOn]

And so it starts... :) GO DEVILS!

[MJM]

Are any of the practices open to the public?

[Nick]

Hey TG when Danis finally gets his new mask you think you could get a few pics of it?

[TG]

Yup.

And, as of now, there is no word on any practices being open to the public. You'll have to settle for the two AHL preseason games, which are open with free admission.

[mikeford]

I miss Weekes.

[Devilswede]

I just don't like seeing a guy like Corrente do this during camp. He always gets injured. He doesn't have anything to prove by doing it in practice, everyone knows he's tough. Save it for the preseason games dammit.

[bobo]

the Devils have a open morning practice scheduled on saturday sept 26 for season ticket holders. i can't wait!!!