Sixty minutes from World Cup elimination and Team USA is still trying to find chemistry within its lines.
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A loss in the opener to Team Europe and Europe’s overtime victory over the Czech Republic on Monday made this a win-or-go-home game for the Americans. The Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman played in 60 games last season for Team USA head coach John Tortorella. Based on their precarious position, it has become exactly that. Especially since the first game of the tournament showed that the hosts came up to him in great shape. “We can’t hold anything back”. Just brilliantly played by 31-year-old Slovakian Jaroslav Halak now plays for Islanders and stop all of the U.S. team attack.
No. 91 – who is wearing No. 20 in this event – has now represented Canada in eight worldwide tournaments, previously suiting up for the 2006-07 World Junior Under-18s; the 2007-08 and 2008-09 World Juniors; the 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12 World Championships; and the 2014 Olympic Games.
There is no doubt in my mind that tonight’s matchup between Team Canada and Team USA at the World Cup of Hockey will be one of, if not, the highlight game of the tournament. A 30-goal scorer in Palmieri will help – and he’s slated to skate on the power play.
The 25-year-old Palmieri played 82 games for the first time in five National Hockey League campaigns and scored 30 goals, more than double the 14 he managed in each of the previous two seasons. The U.S. scoring depth is maybe being understated at times, but they are nonetheless depending on guys like Patrick Kane and Joe Pavelski to do some heavy lifting. Canada just wants to beat everyone. “I think both teams want to play the game and get going”. “We know how important it is (for the U.S.), but it’s important to us to because we’ve got to win those games to move on”. A win keeps their semifinal hopes alive. Abdelkader isn’t a linemate anyone expected to play with Kane, but Tortorella thinks the Detroit Red Wings winger has been strong and needs to play more.
“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”. “Wherever he uses me, wherever he puts me, I’ll be ready”.
Benning did watch Markstrom make a surprise start for Sweden yesterday at the World Cup, and he was “really happy” to see his young netminder stop all but one of the 28 shots he faced in a 2-1 win over Russian Federation.
CONTAINING CROSBY: If the U.S.is going to have any success, it’ll have to keep Canada’s potent first line of Brad Marchand, Sidney Crosby and Patrice Bergeron from doing too much damage. They will replace Jack Johnson and Brandon Dubinsky.
PRICE PERFECT: Price hasn’t allowed a goal in global competition in 224:19, counting the World Cup opener and the semifinal and final at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
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Jonathan Quick is expected to start in goal with Ben Bishop backing up. They looked passive. The kind of play they exhibited against Team Europe won’t get the job done against Canada.
