Canada Squeeks By US In First “Real” Game

Team Canada and Team USA opened the round robin tournament for the North American pool this evening in Montreal with a win before a very energetic crowd of Canadian supporters. In what was the first meaningful game, well more meaningful than the exhibition but still certainly not of paramount importance (a team could loose all three round robin games but still win the tournament); Team Canada’s players displayed their excitement for finally getting the tournament underway with a very good first period of play. Although after severely outplaying Team USA in the first frame, Canada only came away with a one goal lead thanks to some spectacular netminding from Robert Esche.

Canada followed up their impressive first period with a somewhat disappointing effort in the second period as they seemed to sit back and allow Team USA to control the play. They scored one goal off a Team Canada defensive zone breakdown and if it was not for some equally effective netminding by Martin Brodeur, Team USA would have tied the game as Canada continued to give up chances. In third, Team Canada renewed their commitment to defense; likely due to suggestions the coaching staff made during intermission, and managed to hold on for a win by a score of 2-1.

Out of Team Canada’s lineup tonight were Kris Draper, Kirk Maltby, Patrick Marleau, Jay Bouwmeester and Scott Hannan as well as Jose Theodore. It is likely that either Bouwmeester or Hannan will see action in Canada’s next game though as Ed Jovanovski went down with a knee injury early in the game and did not return. It was later reported that he had gone for an MRI to survey the damage done. The injury occurred when Jovanovski pinched into the rush and tried to cut in off the right wing on Esche. A Team USA defenseman grabbed a hold of him and fell on his knee forcing it to bend in an awkward position. Should he be out for an extended period of time, which in that case would likely mean the rest of this tournament, Team Canada’s depth on defense will really be put to the test after already loosing Rob Blake and Chris Pronger before the tournament started.

After tonight’s game, Team Canada will likely be told by Pat Quinn that it is mandatory that the players give a sixty minute effort. Once the elimination games get underway, one mistake can put a team out of contention. A sixty minute effort will help to ensure a silly mistake does not cost the team a chance at the championship. Team Canada gets right back at it tomorrow night with game two of the round robin tournament against Team Slovakia who they tied in exhibition play.

Canada Manages Draw Against Slovakia

Canada took on Team Slovakia in their final exhibition match before the real games begin next week. After a very poor performance in the first period which saw the Canadians fall to a deficit of two goals, Team Canada tightened up their play over the next two periods and managed to tie the game at a score of two goals apiece. The game finished tied after the two teams could not decide the game in a five minute overtime period.

Martin Brodeur played the entire game for Team Canada and looked very solid making several strong saves throughout the game. His play in the exhibition games has left no doubt that he still deserves the number one job. Out of the lineup tonight were Ryan Smyth, Brendan Morrow and Patrick Marleau.

Coach Pat Quinn experimented with some different line combinations throughout the game leaving much uncertainty as to the way Team Canada’s lines will look once the real competition begins. Quinn will also have to decide which two defensemen will sit out as the lineups will shrink from twenty-two to only twenty players once the real competition begins.

Team Canada’s most effective player over the three exhibition games was arguably Vincent Lecavalier who scored two goals and participated actively on defense. Mario Lemieux looks to be in very good shape and played very well creating many scoring chances for his teammates. Robyn Regehr and Scott Niedermayer both played very well on defense. Regehr played in a way that was very reminiscent of the way he played for Calgary in the playoffs, engaging opponents physically and finishing his checks. Niedermayer is a tremendously skilled defenseman who showed his knack for creating offence with strong outlet passes.

Canada Gets One Back Against US

After a poor effort in their opening exhibition match against Team USA on Monday, Team Canada responded with a much better effort in the second of two exhibition games against Team USA. With the “Trophy Line”, a line of Martin St. Louis, Mario Lemieux and Brad Richards, in the Team Canada lineup for the first time, Team Canada produced a solid 3-1 victory infront of a packed Corel Centre in Ottawa.

Unlike the first exhibition game, Team Canada was able to maintain a high level of energy throughout the game. The game, despite being an exhibition game, also had a very apparent physical aspect to it with several after-whistle scrums developing around the goalies. This should only escalate as these two teams meet each other in subsequent games throughout the tournaments.

Out of the lineup last night were the Detroit Red Wings teammates Kirk Maltby and Kris Draper as well as Simon Gagne. When the real games begin next week, two more players will have to sit out as teams are allowed to dress two extra players during exhibition. The two players who sit out will likely be defensemen as Canada has dressed eight defensemen for each of the two exhibition games.

Slow Start For Canada’s Boys

After an eight year hiatus, the World Cup of Hockey has finally returned with two of the North American division teams getting into action tonight. In what was a remarkably high-paced and energetic game for two teams that had only been together for approximately three days, the United States beat Canada by a score of 3-1.

Team Canada came out and quickly took control of the game while looking like a better conditioned and more cohesive unit. They opened the scoring on the power play midway through the first period on a goal by Dany Heatley. By the end of the first period, Team Canada looked to be in complete control as they clearly dictated the level of play in the first period.

Once the second period started, the Team Canada of the first period had disappeared and was replaced by one that played with confusion and uncertainty. Martin Brodeur, who was razor sharp during the first half of the game, was replaced at the halfway mark of the second period with Roberto Luongo as promised by coach Pat Quinn. Within five seconds of Brodeur’s departure, Team USA scored the tying goal and did not look back from there. From that point on, Team USA outplayed Team Canada and eventually took the lead in the third period. They added an insurance marker with nine minutes left to play basically putting the game out of reach.

Despite a fairly discouraging opening performance by Team Canada, it will not hurt them in any aspect of their medal chances as this game was merely an exhibition contest. Canada will play two more exhibition games on Wednesday against Team USA and on Saturday against Team Slovakia.

There are also numerous positives that still point in Canada’s direction. Canada opened with a similarly lethargic effort at the Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City. The team, although comprising of many different players, regrouped under the tutelage of Pat Quinn and Wayne Gretzky and of course went on to strike gold in that tournament. There is certainly no reason why that will not happen again. Also in tonight’s game, Team Canada had sat out last year’s Hart Trophy and Art Ross Trophy winner, Martin St. Louis, last year’s Conn Smythe Trophy and Lady Byng Trophy winner, Brad Richards and perhaps the single greatest player in the history of the game, Mario Lemieux. Those are three pretty decent hockey players that will certainly make a difference once they see their first taste of action likely this coming Wednesday when Team Canada plays their second exhibition game.

Belfour "Backs" Out of World Cup

Toronto Maple Leaf goaltender Ed Belfour, who had been named to Team Canada’s World Cup of Hockey entry back in May has declined his invitation to the team citing recent back troubles as his reason for stepping aside.

Belfour, who has suffered from periodic back ailments since 1996, said his back began bothering him about three weeks ago and the problem had not yet been corrected to a level that would allow him to participate. Given how temperamental his back is, the extra rest will certainly benefit his health for the start of next season, whenever that may happen.

Team Canada Executive Director Wayne Gretzky said he respects Belfour’s decision to step down. He later named Montreal Canadiens netminder Jose Theodore as Belfour’s replacement.

It is expected that Martin Brodeur, who led Team Canada to the gold medal at the Salt Lake City Olympics, will be given the starting job at the beginning of Team Canada’s nine day training camp that will be held at the University of Ottawa and Jose Theodore and Roberto Luongo will compete for the backup job.