If the Canadians are to prevail, they are best not to wake up the sleeping giants, namely Tomas Tatar, Kopitar and Hossa, who have yet to register a point.
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It was great to see Bob play well but I think many Blue Jacket fans were rooting for Team North America. This lead to New York Rangers’ defenseman Ryan McDonagh scoring the opening goal of the game on Team USA’s first shot, which came in the first five minutes of the first period. It might have been a little bit tougher to get up for that bronze-medal game when we were there to get gold.
“The thing I’ve kind of gone with and I’m going to stick with it is I’ve played with Phil in Sochi and I don’t want to speak for him but I hope he doesn’t want to disrespect anybody in our locker room just like all the guys in our locker room don’t want to disrespect anyone outside of it”, Team USA forward Derek Stepan said. One American forward, T.J. Oshie, even suggested that the US had the advantage if Tuesday’s game came down to grit. But you knew all that already. “We’ll come and play hard just like there is a spot on the line to get in”.
Team USA wasn’t thrilled with Kessel, who uses his Twitter account rarely but dropped a bomb on Tuesday night after the United States was eliminated from the World Cup of Hockey with a 4-2 loss against Team Canada.
“Just sitting around the house tonight w my dog”, Kessel tweeted.
From what I could tell, players were not pleased with the Kessel tweet. “I understand there are hard feelings if you weren’t picked for the team. but the comments are, I think as a team guy and as a guy that stands by my teammates, win lose or draw, it’s a little distasteful and aggravating”.
“Playing there, against them, everybody wants us knocked out”, Tortorella said Monday.
“But those comments don’t get lost in the fray and are there and have been read and I think will be remembered when whatever happens going forward”. Though it seems like Kessel’s tweet was aimed more at the team’s leadership group that snubbed him – specifically GM Dean Lombardi and coach John Tortorella – rather than at the players on the roster and their disappointing showing at the tournament. The Americans have some gifted forwards, Auston Matthews and Jack Eichel chief among them, who will be leading the Americans in the near future.
Team USA has a now-meaningless game Thursday against the Czech Republic to wrap up the tournament and is in the vortex of questions about everything surrounding its program.
“It doesn’t really bother me what people say on social media”, Parise said. Ryan McDonagh gave the USA the early lead on Tuesday, but it was quickly erased.
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North America raced out to a 2-0 lead in the first period, outshooting mighty Sweden 11-1 at the start. “Then in the second and third I felt more and more comfortable”. But between players and head coach Mike Babcock the effort left something to be desired. What’s notable is that Crawford’s starting ahead of reigning Vezina Trophy victor Braden Holtby, meaning he’s essentially been elevated to No. 2 in the Canadian pecking order. “But its what Crow’s résumé is all about – composure under pressure and winning situations”.
