“Everybody likes to be in the 50/50 situation when you’re good at what you do because that’s where the fun’s at, because that’s where the anxiety is, that’s why you’re in the game”, Babcock said.
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Team USA’s humiliation in the World Cup of Hockey is complete. They struggled to generate chances against Sweden’s defence and they’ll likely have the same trouble against a Canadian team that has done very well at maintaining puck possession.
When they met Canada in the pre-tournament, they were beaten in overtime. “This North American team is a pump in the arm for hockey”.
But now, despite the body not even being cold yet, there’s already some chatter from hockey’s prominent personalities about whether the team should be back for the next World Cup in four years (if there is one).
There’s no doubt the league and PA found lightning in a bottle. Connor McDavid’s crew in round-robin play.
Both teams had some good chances, but failed to capitalize early on. More on that in a minute.
“Most guys don’t get to play against Canada”. “I’m happy for the boys, they came out and played the game”.
A big part of Canada’s success so far in this tournament are the coaching abilities of Mike Babcock.
“Man, I was two, ” he said. I like winning more, though. I don’t want him to look bad. The coach and GM came out and publicly slated Phil Kessel, as did several players.
Canadian fans will cheer wildly if that happens. Ten years after leading the Swedes to gold at the 2006 Olympics, “the King” has one last crack at another global title. The Canadians lost in a shootout in the semi-finals to the Czech Republic before falling to Finland in the bronze-medal game.
Still, it’s hard to see anyone slowing down Team Canada at this point.
But if he can lead his team to victory Saturday, just imagine the shockwaves it would create. Don’t be surprised if a young, bright mind such as Bill Guerin has a more prominent role in the best-on-best player selection process.
This time at the hands of Team Russia, who put three past netminder Tuukka Rask en route to a 3-0 victory and a semifinal showdown with Canada on Saturday night at the Air Canada Centre. But he’s exhausted of the second-guessing about roster decisions. Their lone slip up was a 4-3 loss in overtime to Team North America, which Sweden had to mount a comeback in just to salvage the standings point that clinched them the group. US finshes the tourney 0-3.
Ken Campbell, The Hockey News: “You’d have to think there will be some kind of housecleaning done here”.
Dean Lombardi pounded the table and tried to explain it all. The group knew it was a David-versus-Goliath task.
The Russians hoped to exact a measure of revenge on Canada at the 2015 world championship in Prague. They’ve got the best shot at taking down Canada, but not if they’re playing the way they have. If you want to argue that such a team has no place in the global arena then fine, but it’s important to point out that the World Cup isn’t the Olympics and it never will be. “You guys can say all you want, but within the room we know how we could’ve played, how we should’ve played and are regretting how we did play”.
Somehow, the World Cup of Hockey just got even better.
“I think this is one of the greatest rivalries ever: Canada against Russia”, Tarasenko said.
“To me, it’s a little self-serving, and quite honestly, it doesn’t make USA Hockey look any better either”, said Tortorella to reporters in Toronto on Thursday afternoon.
Tortorella said USA Hockey has to take its “medicine” and accepted blame. He’s very proud of that and doesn’t see the benefit of a philosophical change in direction. “And, of course, it will be interesting to see the exact same team, for example, in the Olympics in 2018”. But, by definition, a gimmick is “a trick or device meant to attract attention, publicity, or business”, so why would that considered a bad thing? He does have some parting thoughts on a format change he thinks should be considered for the future.
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McDonagh said the message was, “Keep your heads up, you’re all great players”. I completely support it in concept.
