MONTREAL — Matthew Tkachuk put it finest in his postgame interview with Sportsnet on Thursday evening, when the Panthers star stated he’s been ready for Saturday’s match in opposition to Canada “for nine years.”
So has the remainder of the hockey world.
There’s greater than only a big-game really feel for the renewal of hostilities between the U.S. and Canada on Bell Centre ice in prime time on Saturday. There’s a Sport 7 really feel, a Stanley Cup really feel, an event-of-the-year really feel.
Nothing is greater than Workforce USA and Canada in a best-on-best event, and it’s been almost a decade since we final noticed it.
The Put up’s Ethan Sears breaks down the matchups.
Goaltending
Canada coach Jon Cooper declined to call his starter on Friday, saying he had but to tell the goalies. There was no have to ask Workforce USA’s Mike Sullivan the identical query.
The character of a best-on-best event is such that each participant on the ice is succesful. However whether or not Cooper goes with Jordan Binnington for a second straight sport or turns to Adin Hill, Workforce USA has the higher hand in nets with two-time Vezina winner Connor Hellebuyck.
Edge: Workforce USA
Protection
Neither staff’s blue line appears the identical as envisioned previous to the event. Workforce USA is with out Quinn Hughes, who pulled out late as a result of harm, and switched its pairs halfway via Thursday’s win over Finland, transferring Adam Fox alongside Noah Hanifin and Jaccob Slavin with Brock Faber.
Canada, although, is close to an out-and-out disaster after Shea Theodore suffered a tournament-ending harm in its win over Sweden and prime D-man Cale Makar missed Friday’s follow with sickness. Cooper stated he was assured Makar would play Saturday, however Thomas Harley — who didn’t make the unique roster and thus shouldn’t be allowed to follow or skate with the staff — is on standby to hitch in case Canada goes down to 5 defensemen. Travis Sanheim will attract for Theodore.
Edge: Workforce USA
Forwards
Placing Brady and Matthew Tkachuk on both facet of Jack Eichel was an impressed — and presumably game-saving — selection from Sullivan on Thursday, however that being arguably Workforce USA’s finest trio underscores the stylistic conflict right here.
Canada has a transparent and apparent benefit by way of talent, with the likes of Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon and Connor McDavid making up half its prime six, whereas the People will attempt to play a extra bodily sport. That’s to not say Workforce USA doesn’t have talent or Workforce Canada can’t deal with physicality — that is best-on-best and everybody can do the whole lot — simply that there’s a distinction in how every staff will try to set the tone.
It’s laborious to have a look at these ahead teams, and the way they performed in every staff’s respective opener, and never conclude Canada has a bonus, nevertheless slight. The highest-end expertise is pretty much as good because it will get, and admittedly confirmed as much as a larger diploma in opposition to Sweden than the Jake Guentzel, Auston Matthews and Jack Hughes line did in opposition to Finland.
Edge: Workforce Canada
Particular Groups
If there’s a transparent and apparent benefit for Workforce USA by way of goaltending, then that is Canada’s reply.
The Canadian prime power-play unit of Makar, Crosby, McDavid, MacKinnon and Sam Reinhart is laughably gifted and proved it might probably translate to the ice by scoring nearly instantly on Canada’s solely energy play of the sport in opposition to Sweden. The principle query there’s whether or not any referee will give Canada a name given the type of benefit their energy play has.
As for Workforce USA, Matthew Tkachuk scored a pair of power-play objectives in opposition to Finland, however one was a harmless-looking shot that Juuse Saros ought to have stopped and the opposite was in rubbish time. There have been moments over 5:18 of power-play time the place the items struggled to get arrange, and whereas Sullivan can deploy two closely gifted teams on the person benefit, neither compares to what Canada has.
Edge: Workforce Canada
Teaching
Sullivan has two Stanley Cup titles, and so does Cooper. Each have one assistant coach who’s received a Cup (John Tortorella for the U.S., Bruce Cassidy for Canada) and staffs full of acquainted names. Choosing one over the opposite right here is foolish.
Edge: Even
Prediction
Canada’s top-end expertise and the house crowd give them a tightly fought win.
Canada 4, USA 2
