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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Knightfall" data-source="post: 3067075" data-attributes="member: 2012">Thornton, Cheechoo ready to team up againAssociated Press9/15/2006 8:06:46 PMSAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - Just a few minutes into the San Jose Sharks' first scrimmage of training camp, Joe Thornton already had Jonathan Cheechoo in his sights.The reigning NHL Most Valuable Player's chemistry with the league's top goal-scorer apparently hasn't waned since the Sharks were knocked out of the second round of the playoffs. Playing together on a line with newcomer Mark Bell, Thornton repeatedly found Cheechoo for shot after shot Friday despite their teammates' best defensive efforts.''Cheech was hitting everything but the back of the net,'' coach Ron Wilson said. ''It's important that we create chemistry, and get it early. We've got to get them up to speed, because they've got a new guy.''A morning practice and the lively scrimmage were a great start to camp for a team that believes it can contend for the Stanley Cup - and a necessary jump-start for a club that started slowly last season.After winning all seven of its exhibition games last fall, San Jose stumbled to an 8-12-4 record and a 10-game winless streak before acquiring Thornton from Boston on Nov. 30. The Sharks had one of the NHL's best records from that point forward, going 36-15-7 and steaming into the playoffs while Thornton and Cheechoo became the league's most prolific scoring duo.But they ran out of steam in the post-season against Edmonton, done in by bad bounces, poor penalty-killing and an overall lack of playoff toughness that wasn't surprising from such a young roster.The Sharks don't want any excuses next spring, however.''I came in on Dec. 1, and it was just a dogfight to get into the playoffs all the way,'' the easygoing Thornton said in the Sharks' locker room while wearing a black velour Sharks robe with ''Jumbo'' stitched on the lapel.''This year we don't have to wear ourselves out by April. Cheech worked hard in the off-season, and so did Bellsy. We're not going to catch anybody by surprise, but we'll just keep working hard and pushing each other.''Wilson already has grouped his players into tentative line combinations and defensive pairings beyond his vaunted first-line trio with Bell replacing Nils Ekman, traded to Pittsburgh.Captain Patrick Marleau centred youngsters Milan Michalek and Steve Bernier in the scrimmage, just as he did last season. With most defences' top pairings focused on stopping San Jose's top line, Marleau should have a chance to improve on his career-best 86 points last season.''I don't want to jinx it too much,'' said Marleau, who is no longer Bernier's landlord after allowing the 21-year-old wing to crash with him last season. ''But any time you get to play with linemates and stick together for a while, the better off you are.''Wilson is hoping to settle on a gritty trio of two-way forwards to form a ''shutdown line,'' likely including Curtis Brown and Ville Nieminen. With 10 forwards already near-certain to make the opening-night roster, competition will be fierce for the final few spots.Wilson also must sort out his defence in camp. Kyle McLaren, Scott Hannan, Christian Ehrhoff and rookie Matt Carle are expected to be San Jose's top four defencemen, with a lively battle among Doug Murray, Rob Davison, Jim Fahey, Josh Gorges, newcomer Mathieu Biron and even 19-year-old Marc-Edouard Vlasic for the final spots.The Sharks again made the Pacific Division's smallest splash in free-agent signings during the off-season, adding forwards Bell, Brown and Mike Grier. San Jose still believes in its talented young core, and Wilson thinks his players share that faith.''This team has a different attitude,'' Wilson said. ''They understand how they're viewed by other people now, and they should embrace that. That's what we want, that kind of pressure.''</blockquote>

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