BROSSARD - Habs practice saw no shortage of drama Thursday as Nathan Beaulieu and Ryan White were forced from the ice with injuries in an intense practice.

The young Beaulieu left after suffering an injury to hiis left shoulder on a Charles Hudon bodycheck. Ryan White also had to leave after suffering a cut above his right eye. After practice, Coach Michel Therrien had no other information on the extent of their injuries.

A fully-recharged David Desharnais found himself with Danny Briere riding shotgun on his right and sniper Max Paciorretty on the left wing. The small centre is hoping to rebound after a disappointing season and showed some good speed throughout.

Sophomores Brendan Gallagher and Alex Galchenyuk were paired up with Lars Eller, while Tomas Plekanec centred a line with Rene Bourque and Christian Thomas.

Thomas, who obtained 35 points in 73 AHL games last season, was acquired from the New York Rangers in exchange for Danny Kristo. His father Steve Thomas scored 421 goals on a variety of teams in a 20 year NHL career.

Gabriel Dumont played with Michael Bournival and Michael Blunden. Ryan White, Travis Moen and Brandon Prust formed another line.

Bournival and Louis Leblanc beat Carey Price while Stephen MacAulay and Andrei Markov countered in a brief intra-squad game that ended 2-2.

Therrien praised the players after practice for being in good shape and for working hard in practice.

Therrien did not comment on individual performances, except to say he liked what he saw from Leblanc, a first-round draft choice in 2009 who struggled in the minors last year. Leblanc who was on a line with Nick Tanarski and Martin Reway.

Captain Brian Gionta and tough guy George Parros did not play due to injuries but both hope to be ready for the start of the season.

Gionta had surgery on his left bicep in May and said he hoped to get some pre-game action in before the season starts. Parros is still not recovered from shoulder surgery he underwent in the off-season.

Young Swedish hopeful Sebastian Collberg also missed with a slight knee injury.

Hudon, who was one of several who shone in practice, said afterwards that he doesn't expect to make the club.

“I’m 19 years old nobody says I can make the team. I’d just like to make my name and to remembered for next year and be ready for the Hamilton Bulldogs,” Hudon told CTV Montreal’s Brian Wilde after practice.

The Habs suit up for another intra-squad game at 11 a.m. Friday in Brossard.