Crosby: “I think it just helps the understanding just how intense the game’s going to be”

“In these tournaments one day you feel like everything is going great and the next day you’re reeling,” added head coach Mike Babcock. “You keep getting better in these tournaments you usually find a way to be OK.”

Canada has owned their cross-border rivals in best-on-best events for a good while now.

Jamie Benn scored the lone goal in a 1-0 Canadian semifinal win at the 2014 Olympics. Four years before that Sidney Crosby buried the “golden goal” in overtime of the 2010 Games in Vancouver, a result that followed a rare victory for the U.S. in the preliminary round.

The nations didn’t meet at the 2006 Games in Turin, but Canada topped the U.S. in the final at the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City for its first goal medal in 50 years.

Canada’s last meaningful loss to the United States came 20 years ago in the final of the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.

Players spoke to a charged rivalry, one in which the atmosphere was always electric, the play on-ice riddled with fire, bitterness and physicality.

“That’s one thing that stands out right away,” Crosby said of the physical edge, “so I would expect that to be the same thing here tonight.”

The American roster was built to beat the Canadians with a punishing style.

Team USA’s management went for size, pugnacity and truculence with those like David Backes, Ryan Kesler, Justin Abdelkader, and Erik Johnson landing roster spots ahead of the more skilled likes of Phil Kessel, Tyler Johnson, Justin Faulk and Kevin Shattenkirk.

American captain Joe Pavelski said his team needed to play quicker to beat Canada, both with the puck and without it.

They also need to somehow contain Canada’s array of weapons while also finding some offence. The U.S. was shutout by Team Europe in their surprising 3-0 tournament opening loss on Saturday.

Canada hasn’t given up a goal in three straight best-on-best games, dating back to the 2014 Olympics. Carey Price has pitched shutouts in each, including a 27-save performance in a 6-0 win against the Czechs over the weekend.

The Canadians were mostly thorough in that victory, though they took too many penalties (six minors) for Babcock’s liking and yielded a few too many chances early in the first period.

“We did some good things, but need to improve in other areas,” Crosby said.

The United States did split a pair of exhibition tilts with Canada earlier this month, though they were outshot 81-48 over the two games. Winnipeg Jets defenceman Dustin Byfuglien and New Jersey Devils winger Kyle Palmieri were both due to rejoin their lineup on Tuesday, replacing Jack Johnson and Brandon Dubinsky.

A win for the U.S. would not only keep their tournament alive, it would also inject some rare doubt onto Team Canada.

“Our tournament’s not over yet by any means,” Pavelski said. “A situation like this right now it’s an exciting opportunity for us.”

Jonas Siegel, The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

Crosby: “I think it just helps the understanding just how intense the game’s going to be”

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