TORONTO -- Team Canada defeated Team Europe 3-1 in Game 1 of the World Cup of Hockey 2016 best-of-3 final at Air Canada Centre on Tuesday.
The line of Brad Marchand (goal, assist), Sidney Crosby (two assists) and Patrice Bergeron (goal, assist) again led the way for Team Canada. Steven Stamkos also scored, and Carey Price made 32 saves.
Marchand finished a 2-on-1 with Bergeron 2:33 into the game to give Team Canada 1-0 lead. Ryan Getzlaf fed Stamkos driving to the right post for a 3-on-2 goal at 13:20 to make it 2-0.
Tomas Tatar found the puck in front after Dennis Seidenberg's right point shot was blocked and put it past Price at 7:00 of the second period to cut Team Canada's lead to 2-1. Bergeron finished a centering pass from Crosby 9:24 into the third to make it 3-1.
What we learned: Team Europe has to play a near-perfect game to defeat Team Canada. Despite controlling play for much of the first period, Team Europe made a couple of mistakes that led to odd-man rushes and a 2-0 deficit.
Conversely, though Team Canada was sloppy at times, Price was there to cover up most of its mistakes, including a big save on defenseman Andrej Sekera's shorthanded breakaway in the second period. Price, who has made saves on 124 of 130 shots in the World Cup, looks ready to start the NHL season with the Montreal Canadiens after recovering from a right-knee injury.
The Marchand-Crosby-Bergeron line continues to drive Team Canada. Crosby's nine points (three goals, six assists) in five games lead the World Cup. Marchand's four goals lead the tournament; he also has three assists. Bergeron has six points (three goals, three assists).
Neither team has figured out its power play. Team Canada was 0-for-1 for the game and is 2-for-14 in the World Cup. Team Europe was 0-for-2 and is 0-for-15 in the tournament.
What this means for Team Europe: Its Cinderella run at the World Cup will be over if it doesn't win Game 2 on Thursday.
What this means for Team Canada: It has won 15 in a row in best-on-best tournaments dating back to the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and needs one more victory to win the World Cup.
Key moment: With Team Canada on the power play and leading 2-1, Sekera raced in on a shorthanded breakaway with a chance to tie it. He pulled the puck to his backhand, but Price kept his pads together to make the save and keep Team Canada ahead with 3:59 remaining in the second period.
Unsung player of the game: Playing against Team Europe's top line of Tatar, Anze Kopitar and Marian Hossa for much of the game, Team Canada defenseman Shea Weber played a team-high 23:23 and had three hits and three blocked shots.
What's next: Team Canada can win the World Cup with a victory in Game 2 of the best-of-3 final on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; ESPN, CBC, TVA, TVA Sports).
Entertainment Plaza - TV, Movies, Sports, Music, Soaps
http://members.shaw.ca/almosthuman99
Babe Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://members.shaw.ca/almosthuman99/babeofthemonth.html
Hunk Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://members.shaw.ca/almosthuman99/babeofthemonthman.html
Find out how 1,000's of people like YOU are earning their LIVING online and are living their dreams right NOW.
ReplyDeleteGET FREE ACCESS NOW