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.