Both of the Columbus Blue Jackets on Team USA’s roster, Brandon Dubinsky and Jack Johnson, will be healthy scratches against Canada.
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Matt Duchene scored a pair of goals and Carey Price made 33 saves as the Canadians rolled over the United States 4-2 at the Air Canada Centre on Tuesday night. Canada faces Europe (2-0-0) on Wednesday to determine the Group A victor.
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Hopefully this will be the wake up call United States of America hockey need to reevaluate and never pick John Tortorella or Dean Lombardi in management roles again, and we can start moving forward as a hockey nation rather than trying to re create the past. “I’m just really frustrated we’re not going to be going on to the next round”. Duchene got Canada on the board less than 1:30 after McDonagh’s goal, Corey Perry gave Canada the lead and Duchene made it 3-1.
Duchene collected his second of the period when he found himself alone in front of the American net, putting a nifty move on Jonathan Quick before slipping the puck between the US netminder’s pads.
“If it comes to 100 percent skill, they win”, USA winger T.J.
Team USA was built to beat Team Canada in this event. 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.
Tortorella said he’s still waiting for the U.S.to generate some offense.
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. “Every game the desperation is going to be there”. Felt like I should be doing something important, but couldn’t put my finger on it. It was just his third tweet in the past year, one of which was a picture of him raising the Stanley Cup.
Canada, which still has one round-robin game left in Group A, advances to a semifinal game Saturday.
It looked promising for Team USA early, with Ryan McDonagh’s rebound giving it a 1-0 lead just 4:22 into the game.
PRICE PERFECT: Price hasn’t allowed a goal in worldwide competition in 224:19, counting the World Cup opener and the semifinal and final at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
The U.S. lead lasted 1:29 as Duchene and Perry scored 14 seconds apart.
Much had been made of Dustin Byfuglien’s presence in the US lineup after he was scratched for the tournament opener. Jonathan Quick is expected to start in goal, with Ben Bishop backing up and Cory Schneider scratched.
At 12:07, it was 3-1 Canada when Duchene danced off the side boards following a US turnover and deked to his forehand, putting the puck under Quick and across the goal-line. 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.
Canada simply was too good for their biggest hockey rivals.
Individually, the Americans boast some fine hockey players.
“We hope (Byfuglien) scores a power-play goal, ” Tortorella said. “It wasn’t good enough”.
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KANE AND ABDELKADER: Hart Trophy victor Patrick Kane is expected to play on a line with grinder Justin Abdelkader and center Derek Stepan. Pavelski and winger Zach Parise also failed to make a difference in one of the biggest games for this generation of Americans that had developed a reputation for coming up short against Canada. “It’s definitely frustrating being an American and having these opportunities and have nothing to show for it”.
