Team Europe plays Team Czech Republic Monday, Sept. 19 at noon PDT-also with the ability to clinch a semifinals berth with a regulation win. They flick a switch when a tournament starts and they play like their nation expects them to play. “It’s something we need more of, having the puck more, and fighting for pucks”. The onslaught was particularly unkind to Finnish goaltender Pekka Rinne, a three-time Vezina Trophy finalist who looked completely overwhelmed all night. “A big part of our style of play is trying to get the puck north-south as quickly as possible”.
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Which Teams Are Actually Good?
Russian Federation appeared to catch a break before the game even started, when Sweden’s starter Henrik Lundqvist was ruled out of the game because of the flu.
At least Team USA will know where it stands when it faces off against Team Canada.
Members of the 1996 USA team that won the inaugural World Cup of Hockey, among them Brett Hull and Mike Modano, have expressed concerns about the state of the squad. We know what they can do well and what they try to do.
For a team that was built to be big, bad and bruising, U.S. was none of these things. It’s a must-win for the Americans, who can’t afford to drop two in a row.
The world cup is back, and no we’re not talking soccer for the first time in months. “And I don’t think we’ve got the wrong guys”.
The key to Team Europe winning will be Halak.
“You saw the first couple of (exhibition) games against them”, Weber said.
Team Canada, though, presents a tough matchup problem for Team USA because its strength is down the middle with Crosby, Ryan Getzlaf, Jonathan Toews and Ryan O’Reilly centering lines. “We didn’t just come here to have one nice game”. But the Americans are in desperate need of goals more than anything else. “When you play Canada, it’s more of a clash”.
Finland can put itself right back in the mix in Group B with a win over Sweden tomorrow at 12 PM PST on ESPN, while it’s do-or-die for Joe Pavelski and the United States against Brent Burns, Logan Couture, Joe Thornton, Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Canada tomorrow night at 5 PM PST ON ESPN.
The Czechs now have two days off before concluding the preliminary round against the United States.
After Canada defeated the Americans 1-0, he did catch their 3-0 victory in the gold-medal game against the Swedes. And there’s no rest for the tired because the Canadians have to play again the next day.
“I think the biggest difference for me right off the hop and kind of knowing coming into this tournament is just the difference in the style of game on the ice sheet in Sochi compared to the National Hockey League sheet here in Toronto”, said Team Canada forward Jonathan Toews. Discipline will absolutely be key.
“That’s our championship game”, coach John Tortorella said after Sunday’s practice, one day after his team’s desultory performance in its stunning 3-0 opening defeat to Team Europe.
“He’s so energized because he loves the game so much”, he said. They’re fun, exciting and, more importantly, they’re damn good. He is, by most accounts, the best goalie in the world.
“We’re coming”, Tortorella said. We’re very lucky to grow up in this country where we’re immersed in this culture of playing hockey. Both teams won their other game.
The Gold-or-bust mentality has worked lately on the senior level, though not as much among the Junior ranks. It shows what we already know, that the rest of the world has a boatload of hockey talent, and it’s no longer just Canada vs. everyone else; a fact not lost on anyone wearing the Maple Leaf at this World Cup of Hockey. You want the puck on his stick.
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The U.S. went into the first World Cup game in 12 years as the favorite against a European team made up of players from Slovakia, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Norway, Denmark, France and Slovenia.
