Team-building trip a mountainous task

For the Senators, the risk was worth the reward. The Sens will have to climb many mountains on the road to the Stanley Cup, but that might pale in comparison to their recent team bonding session at La Malbaie, Que. Trying to prepare his team for a difficult regular season with team-building exercises, the Sens were forced to climb 1,000 feet up the side of a mountain, then rappel a third of the way down on ropes. “It was dangerous, but everything was done with professionals and if I didn’t feel it was safe we wouldn’t have done it,” Martin said. “It was a good experience for the players and I really think they enjoyed the challenge” FANTASY POOL WATCH Keep an eye on left winger Petr Schastlivy. He is coming off two groin…

SCOREBOARD

Giants’ Courchaine bullish about ’03-04

Without much fanfare, Adam Courchaine finished fifth in the Western League’s goal-scoring race last season. Courchaine and the Vancouver Giants are hoping to make more noise during the 2003-04 campaign, the franchise’s third in the WHL. “Everybody thinks we have a young team and for the last two years I think we did,” said Courchaine, 19. “Now I think everybody’s getting older. We’ve got a lot of 19-year-olds, a lot of guys with experience on the team who provide great leadership. I think we can have a great year if the guys buy into the systems and work hard.” Such an approach helped Courchaine enjoy a breakout season in 2002-03. He had 43 goals and 85 points in 71 games after registering 21 goals and 38 points the previous season. Courchaine quickly adapted to new…

UNITED STATES LEAGUE

Rick Zombo’s position as coach of the St. Louis Heartland Eagles marks the former NHL defenseman’s second stint in the Jr. A coaching ranks. And while it has only just begun, it’s already far better than the last time. In the fall of 2000, Zombo - who played 12 NHL seasons with Detroit, St. Louis and Boston - was inexplicably let go by the financially doomed St. Louis Sting of the North American League just before the season started. He later coached a St. Louis area high-school team until the Eagles’ opportunity came along. “I feel like I’ve landed in a pot of gold,” Zombo said. “(The Eagles) are a first-class organization and it’s an opportunity to do something I love.” Zombo hopes his NHL experiences will help his players climb the ladder of…