After Martin Brodeur underwhelmed between the pipes against Team USA this past Sunday, Team Canada has decided to put Roberto Luongo up against Germany since this is a do-or-die game tonight.
Head coach Mike Babcock said: “We’re in the winning business. And to win at any level you need momentum-changing saves.”
Well, I hate to say it since Luongo captains and goaltends for my most-hated team in the league (Vancouver Canucks) but the man can deliver under pressure. – he’s “second to only Miikka Kiprusoff for the most of any goaltender in the NHL.”
Honestly, if Canada doesn’t win this it will be the biggest shock ever. With Sidney Crosby in the roster, people were acting like there was no chance Canada could lose but Team USA proved that theory wrong already. Should be interesting…
Team Canada returns to action on Tuesday in a must-win qualification round game against Germany.
Head coach Mike Babcock confirmed the worst kept secret in Vancouver on Monday when he informed the press that Roberto Luongo would be replacing Martin Brodeur between the pipes for Canada after Brodeur struggled in a loss to the United States.
“We’re in the winning business,” Babcock told the assembled press. “And to win at any level you need momentum-changing saves.”
If there is any player that understands the pressure of playing before a packed house at Canada Hockey Place it’s Luongo who plays his home games in the rink with the Vancouver Canucks. Since joining the Canucks in 2006 his 87 home wins is second to only Miikka Kiprusoff for the most of any goaltender in the NHL.
Once again Babcock shuffled his lines in practice in an attempt to jumpstart a surprisingly stagnant offence.
Sidney Crosby was flanked by Jarome Iginla and Eric Staal on the top line, while Rick Nash was shifted to the wing on a line with Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry. The San Jose Sharks line of Joe Thornton, Dany Heatley and Patrick Marleau remained unchanged while Mike Richards rotated in on a fourth line with Jonathan Toews, Patrice Bergeron and Brenden Morrow.
Canada entered the tournament as a heavy favourite for gold, but have yet to find their form, being pushed to a shootout by Switzerland and losing to the United States in the preliminary round.
On a positive note Canada enters Tuesday’s encounter having never lost to a unified German team at the Winter Olympic games, winning five times and tying once. Canada defeated Germany 5-1 the last time these two teams met in Turin in 2006.
It should also be an interesting encounter for Dany Heatley who was born in Freiberg, Germany, where his father Murray played hockey professionally. Heatley has been Canada’s most consistent scorer thus far with four goals and one assist in the tournament.
Heatley and his Sharks’ teammates will also have the advantage of facing Thomas Greiss in the German net who is the Sharks backup netminder.
While Canada has not been at their best thus far, Germany’s Marco Sturm, who plays professionally with the Boston Bruins, realizes that an angry Canadian team is a dangerous team.
“They’re pissed off, obviously,” said Sturm on Monday. “They want to win, they want to go for gold. They’re not going to mess around.”
While Canada is expected to win, they have even bigger challenges on the horizon as a quarterfinal matchup with Alexander Ovechkin and Russia looms.
That being said, Canada cannot overlook a German team that plays a patient and defensively strong game and will try to quiet the partisan crowd by slowing down the game.
“We have to do the same thing the Swiss did (against Canada),” said German forward John Tripp. “Just play smart and know you only get a few opportunities to score and when you do you have to make the most of it.”
With a nervous nation watching with baited breath, Team Canada cannot afford another slip up.
Post from: Hockey Beat
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