So, World Cup of Hockey begins for keeps!
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“I think the one thing we’ve kind of been saying as a team is, ‘it’s time, ‘” said reigning Hart Trophy victor Patrick Kane of the USA team, which was built to try taking down Canada.
“It’s just the way it worked out”, Tortorella said. Team USA got a do-over a few minutes later, as Erhoff went off for tripping. “Guys that play with grit, play hard – but it was just tough to score for us tonight”.
Slovakian Marian Gaborik scored on Team Europe’s first shot when he took a ideal feed from Denmark’s Frans Nielsen and redirected it past US netminder Jonathan Quick.
Despite the lopsided shot total and the Americans’ dominant puck possession, Europe was in control for most of the game because of major mistakes. It was one of numerous odd-man situations faced by goaltender Jonathan Quick, including the dizzying two-on-(uh) oh that Leon Draisaitl finished off for a 2-0 lead at 4:02 of the second. They were never able to take charge the way they hoped they would. “I’m definitely excited about this”.
Canada didn’t get to practice one last time with a full defence. “I think they respect their opponent, but not too much, so you have to be ready for them”. “That’s unacceptable from me”. Some of the American hockey players who do this the best were not invited to this tournament.and some others are playing for Team North America.
Patrick Kane, Joe Pavelski, Blake Wheeler and Max Pacioretty were the only USA players to finish among the top 50 scorers in the National Hockey League last season.
Team USA won two of their three tune-up games, including one very convincing defeat of Team Canada.
“We’re used to exhibition hockey being passive, let’s not get injured type of hockey”, says Friedman, “a couple of those exhibition games have been pretty fierce”. But at the same time we had chances and looks throughout the game. “We’ve got a long two days ahead of us”.
On Tuesday, Canada plays the USA, which will attract massive TV audiences, as the ever-worrisome threat of losing to our biggest rival is tested. It seemed like the puck hit JVR’s arm, then went off Derek Stepan’s helmet and then into the net. The result didn’t prove that out, and the top offensive players accepted responsibility for not being sharp enough. We preached the importance of a good start both in this game and this tournament, so it’s certainly not what we were looking for.
That belief extended to the locker room, even if beating the US looked shocking from the outside.
Nielsen reminds me a little bit of Pavel Datsyuk, he does everything well and he controls the game and plays at his own pace. “A big win for us”.
Not unless another 1996 World Cup victory happens for the USA, but with fanbases divided to Team North America, a comparable impact would be stunted.
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But dont take my word for it take that of Zdeno Chara, who was asked if this had the makings of potentially being one of the greatest hockey tourneys of all time.
