In the event of a two-way tie, the victor of the head-to-head matchup between those teams advance.
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Overview: No wonder they’re expected to win. If still tied after that, total regulation wins is used, then goal differential, then total goals scored. The best-of-three final will be played on September 27, Sept. 29 and, if necessary, October 1.
The Americans trail Canada on the odds to emerge as the victor of Group A, listed at +200, while Canada sits as -225 chalk. When Joe Thornton and Claude Giroux are on your fourth line, that’s pretty ridiculous.
Overview: The Swedes have the skill to compete against Canada.
Add Jonathan Drouin, Jack Eichel, Johnny Gaudreau, John Gibson, Seth Jones, Matt Murray, Morgan Rielly, Mark Scheifele and Jacob Trouba and you have a World Cup team full of young stars. Goaltending is key and they have two good ones in Michal Neuvirth and Petr Mrazek.
Canada was victorious in two-of-three exhibition games, generally dominant in each. Could they make the semifinals or even finals?
Coach Oleg Znarok said through an interpreter Thursday that Bobrovsky of the Columbus Blue Jackets will be in net against Sweden on Sunday in Russia’s first game of the tournament.
Sweden, which typically contends thanks to having New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist, is listed at +600. Backstrom will likely be flanked by Nashville Predators forward Filip Forsberg (33 goals in 82 games) and Pittsburgh Penguins forward Patric Hornqvist (51 points in 82 games). Finland appeared in only four tournaments, but has since grown into one of the highest rated hockey countries in the world. They should be able to score quite a few goals with Alex Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin and Vladimir Tarasenko leading that skilled forward group.
Like Finland they’re a team worth keeping an eye on, but they will probably lack the know-how to go all the way. There have been several jokes about these teams mostly revolving around what national anthems they will play before the games, but they look to be exciting additions to the World Cup. Led by Connor McDavid and Johnny Gaudreau up front, they’ve got a great collection of forwards.
This isn’t 2002, when the crippling pressure created by their loss four years earlier in Nagano almost overwhelmed the all-star team that eventually triumphed in Salt Lake City.
“The fact we are doing a World Cup and we believe it is going to be huge success, and that we are going to continue to do it on a regular basis does not mean we can’t also do the Olympics”, stressed Bettman, speaking at the Economic Club of Canada.
The other hybrid squad is made up of North Americans ages 23 or younger.
That the 24-year-old logged nearly 22 minutes of ice time in a pre-tournament loss to Canada earlier this week suggest that the Russians will lean heavily on him this week. Group B is much tougher. They exude confidence, throughout the roster, about who they are and how they play. A guy like that can change a game in one shift so I think for the rest of the team our identity is be hard to play against, make life difficult for them, but Kaner, let him do his thing, let him play offense.
The Canadians kept the puck far more often than their foes from the United States and Russian Federation, while surrendering only odd flurries in the defensive end. “We feel like it’s time to make something happen”.
Why: I’d expect a highly-entertaining, physical series between the two clubs.
It’s possible. Maybe Canada is due.
Quick, 30, saw five periods of action in two pre-tournament games, which included a 30-save effort in Team USA’s 3-2 win over Team Finland on Tuesday.
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I know why this tournament was put together and I think the organizers had their hearts in the right place by trying to emulate the Olympics again – this time on a bigger stage, but the timing of it is all wrong, especially if you’re trying to attract new fans through your product. These teams are absolutely fascinating and it looks like all of the players are taking this event seriously.
