Despite a gritty hitting advantage, Team USA went to the break down 3-1.
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Not only have the Americans had difficulty generating scoring chances – choosing not to extend roster invites to Tyler Johnson, Kyle Okposo, Justin Faulk, Kevin Shattenkirk and others – their game has lacked the jam they touted. Instead, players like Abdelkader – who hit the 20-goal threshold just once in his nine-year National Hockey League career – Dubinsky, and Matt Niskanen are given spots.
After an upset loss to Europe in their tournament opener, the United States (0-2) came into the showdown with Canada (2-0) needing a win to keep alive hope of advancing out of Group A, upping the intensity level in an already heated rivalry several notches. Kessel, centers Tyler Johnson and Paul Stastny, wings Kyle Okposo and Bobby Ryan and defensemen Justin Faulk, Kevin Shattenkirk and Cam Fowler were among skilled players left off the World Cup roster, generating criticism months ago and even more with the usa bowing out after going 0-2. The American roster, heavy on size and grit and light on speed and skill, was widely panned when it was announced, and it took more hits as the USA flamed out of the World Cup.
The only silver lining for US is that they will get guys like Jack Eichel, Johnny Gaudreau and Auston Matthews for their next tournament.
Through two games: Canada has outscored its foes, 10-2. Team USA will be fine…
Faced with a must-win situation, the Americans played with little grit or urgency in allowing three straight goals after defenseman Ryan McDonagh staked Team USA to an early 1-0 lead. Lightning captain Steven Stamkos was minus-1 with three shots in 13:31 for Canada, which faces Europe today for first-place seeding.
Even if the USA had beaten Canada, the odds of climbing out of group play hole weren’t good. Another is Jonathan Quick in goal. Palmieri, an injury replacement for another Tortorella favorite, Ryan Callahan, is better at putting the puck in the net than putting an opponent into the glass. He played with the 2010 Vancouver gold-medal outfit but, as he was well into his mid-30s and not particularly fleet of foot four years later, it seemed his game wasn’t as suited to worldwide affairs anymore. But it was too late, and the team was that built with the expressed goal of beating Canada simply wasn’t good enough. “Our fourth line was great”. He then appeared to unsuccessfully yank Quick for Ben Bishop after Duchene’s second goal, even though Max Pacioretty botched a clearing attempt and Erik Johnson was caught flat-footed, but he was talked out of it by his assistants.
Matt Duchene and Corey Perry scored 14 seconds apart to put Canada up 2-1, with Toews assisting on Perry’s tally, which bounced in off his torso. Not a big fan of his but hey he scored 30 goals.
Bergeron scored the only goal of the second period after John Tavares’ shot deflected off his skate and in.
“You can make excuses”.
“Any given night, we’re going to have one line step up, or even two lines”, Duchene said. Until USA Hockey realizes that, Canada will continue to dominate this rivalry. They got one, but ultimately U.S. were sent packing after going down 4-2. Canada and Team Europe clinched spots in the semifinals, while the Americans are left to analyze what went wrong on the global stage again. Ekblad was apparently injured in a collision Sunday with Finland’s Leo Komarov.
“That’s one thing that stands out right away”, Crosby said of the physical edge, “so I would expect that to be the same thing here tonight”. “Big game, important game, not being able to play the first, you never know where it’s going when you’re not healthy”.
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“Hopefully (the referees) let us play tonight”, Kesler said. North America is so skilled up and down the lineup.
