WARREN’S PIECE: White expects better results with a shorter suit, prospects for Winnipeg and prospects back to junior

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Colin White goes where Sidney Crosby and Matt Duchene have gone before in an effort for greater control of the puck.

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“I shortened my stick a little bit so it’s better in tight spaces, corners, things like that,” White said after showing some deft stickwork to score the tying goal in the last minute of regulation time during Saturday’s game between teams at the Canadian Tire Center.

After a nice shot from Drake Batherson, White made a clever move before lifting the puck over goalkeeper Leevi Meriläinen, sending the game into extra time.

“I spent a lot of time there so hopefully you don’t want to miss that one.”

It could also be a case study that pays off. He altered everything about his cane over the summer, including flattening the curve and reducing the length by “at least an inch, maybe two,” an approach that has helped Duchene and Crosby gain an advantage in the offensive zone during their careers.

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White needs to find some kind of advantage in his bet to ensure more playing time in the middle.

While Chris Tierney started training camp holding the number two center spot, that position is written in pencil, not ballpoint, and is easily erased if White or Shane Pinto are up to the challenge.

Now that he’s 200 games into his Senate career, the 24-year-old White is still trying to figure out where he fits in the organization.

He spent much of Saturday’s practice on the Col / Kol line, with Cole Reinhardt and Kole Sherwood on his wings, but he’s doing his best not to read between the lines.

“When you have the opportunities, you have to seize them and for me, he just came to the court with a positive attitude,” he said.

“As you get older, you start to stop looking at those things and you just try to play hockey, build confidence through camp and continue into the season.”

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THOMSON TAKES IT: After White’s late goal, defender Lassi Thomson battled Michael del Zotto to score the winning goal during three-on-three overtime.

Coach DJ Smith has liked what he’s seen from Thomson so far, but the 2019 first-round pick will likely need more experience at Belleville before he’s ready to break the NHL lineup.

“We see great potential, but again he needs time, he needs to develop, to be put in the right situations, but it certainly seems like we have a good player,” Smith said.

Other scorers on Saturday included Erik Brannstrom, Josh Brown and Josh Norris, with a deft effort to carve a niche between Brown’s defensive pairing and Victor Mete.

TAKING OFF TO FACE THE JETS: Thomson will go to Winnipeg as part of the Senate roster for the preseason opener Sunday night in Winnipeg, part of a lineup that will have many prospects and few established NHL players.

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Goalkeepers doing the walk include Anton Forsberg, Filip Gustavsson and Meriläinen. Artem Zub, Josh Brown, Victor Mete, Erik Brannstrom, Jonathan Aspirot, Max Guenette and Dillon Heatherington are on the defensive.

Up front, Pinto, Ridly Greig, Egor Sokolov Roby Järventie will be among the young forwards looking to turn heads. At the other end of the spectrum, Tyler Ennis, 31, is looking to win a contract while attending camp with a pro test offer.

WAITING FOR SOKOLOV: Smith highly praised both Sokolov and Järventie on Saturday, but insists the organization will not get ahead of itself by giving too much to the young wingers, too soon.

The Senators’ coach was enthusiastic about Järventi’s shot, among other advantages.

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“You just see an NHL player there, but there will certainly be growing pains,” Smith said. “He has to play a lot of minutes at Belleville, but there is a lot of skill there.”

As for Sokolov, who is a presence everywhere on the net, worry is too rushed.

“We see a big guy who has really pushed himself, who (will) be a great power forward in the NHL, we think,” the coach said. “The worst thing would be to put him in a place where he’s not making plays or developing, so he really has to show on display that he can do it on a big stage night after night and that won’t hurt his confidence.”

Smith ended all of that with this.

“We don’t want to put the child in a bad situation, but with that said, he continues to impress every day.”

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PERSPECTIVES RETURN TO JUNIOR: Senators said goodbye, for now, to a trio of picks from the 2021 draft, who were sent back to their youth squads.

Towering defenders Ben Roger (second round, 49^th overall) will spend this season with OHL’s London Knights, no doubt often facing 6-5 Chandler Romeo. Romeo, chosen in the seventh round (202^{North Dakota} overall) will immediately join the Hamilton Bulldogs roster.

Meanwhile, forward Carson Latimer, selected in the fourth round (123^rd overall) will rejoin the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL.

On the subject of the 2021 teams, Smith has been impressed by Zack Ostapchuk, the club’s 39th^th general election, in the first days of the camp.

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