BOSTON — With apologies to Finland and Sweden, that is the rematch the hockey world wished and it’s the rematch the followers deserve.
Staff USA already beat Canada as soon as on this match, however with out doing so a second time, that rousing 3-1 win in Montreal might be relegated to historic trivia, similar because the American win over Canada within the group stage of the 2010 Olympics.
It’s championship or bust for each groups on this 4 Nations remaining.
The Publish’s Ethan Sears breaks down the most important questions that can resolve USA-Canada II.
How wholesome is the US?
We all know that Charlie McAvoy, who performed 19:27 and was certainly one of Staff USA’s greatest gamers in victory over Canada in Montreal, won’t be in on Thursday.
We expect — barring a last-minute change — that the Individuals must play Jake Sanderson in his place versus Quinn Hughes, who isn’t allowed to hitch Staff USA except there’s one other harm.
That’s a blow.
And, though the Tkachuk brothers, Vincent Trocheck and Auston Matthews all look more likely to play, it’s not clear how damage they’re or how efficient they’ll be.
Brady Tkachuk didn’t follow Wednesday; the others in that group did.
To state the plain, each Tkachuks have been heart-and-soul gamers for Staff USA on this match, bringing id and a bodily edge to the group.
It’s an actual game-changer in the event that they’re not at full effectiveness. Ditto for Matthews, certainly one of Staff USA’s greatest purpose scorers (albeit one who hasn’t impacted issues a ton) and Trocheck, who has quietly been nice in a bottom-six position.
Staff USA’s edge in purpose
This was an enormous distinction within the preliminary matchup.
Connor Hellebuyck has been — by leaps and bounds — the perfect goaltender on this match, however by no means greater than towards Canada.
He was wonderful in his actions, by no means misplaced management of the online and seemed fully unflappable through the third interval, when Staff USA was holding onto a 2-1 lead and barely possessed the puck.
As for Jordan Binnington, a number of the criticism directed towards the Blues netminder has been excessive — he’s been largely good on this match and wasn’t the rationale Canada misplaced to Staff USA within the round-robin.
Nevertheless it’s additionally true that largely good isn’t adequate on a stage like this, and that Binnington ought to have stopped Jake Guentzel’s 1-1 purpose within the first interval of that sport.
If Canada has nerves about their scenario in purpose, it’s arduous to argue these are unfounded.
Can Staff USA decelerate Canada’s superstars once more?
Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon and Sidney Crosby had been minus-1, minus-1 and minus-2 within the preliminary sport between these groups.
McDavid scored a marvel purpose 5:31 into the primary and that was just about it for any of the trio, with Crosby taking part in his worst sport of the occasion and committing the turnover that led to Dylan Larkin’s go-ahead purpose.
On a immediately associated notice, Staff Canada’s energy play was additionally 0-for-2 Saturday.
Particularly with out McAvoy — whose physique examine of McDavid within the first was a tone-setter — within the fold, it’s an open query whether or not Staff USA can replicate that.
These are three of the most-skilled gamers on this planet, and on some degree, it’s inconceivable to fully cease them; McDavid scored on Saturday evening and that was in a comparatively quiet sport for him.
What distinction does Cale Makar make for Canada?
Who is aware of how wholesome Makar actually is after lacking the preliminary sport between these two groups with reported sickness, however after Canada wanted Thomas Harley to step in with zero follow time for the primary sport towards Staff USA, it’s a aid to have Makar again.
Harley performed nicely in that sport, however there’s simply no replicating what Makar — arguably the perfect defenseman on this planet and, so long as Quinn Hughes is unavailable, definitely the perfect on this match — can deliver.
Canada’s energy play will look loads totally different with No. 8 quarterbacking it, and so will every part the Canadians do at five-on-five.
The addition of Makar for Canada, mixed with the subtraction of McAvoy for Staff USA, is an equation that performs out fairly nicely for Staff Canada.
Can Staff USA set up a bodily edge for a second straight sport?
At an informed guess, there most likely gained’t be three fights in 9 seconds to begin this one. (In fact, nearly everybody would have made the identical prediction final time).
Nevertheless it wasn’t simply the fights that set a successful tone for the Individuals on Saturday.
It was the relentless physicality with which they performed for all 60 minutes, and particularly early on, with crushing hits on McDavid and Drew Doughty.
Dropping the gloves in a championship sport most likely isn’t advisable, however replicating that tone is an absolute necessity.
That’s how Staff USA silenced the Montreal crowd, took the life out of Staff Canada and pulled off a win final time.
That’s their path to doing so once more, this time in entrance of a house crowd.
