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Team USA versus Team Canada: The matchup nearly everyone wanted before the Olympics began is here. Sunday morning, 8:10 a.m. Eastern, the battle for the gold medal is on.
The above presumes Tage Thompson, who sat out the third period of the team’s 6-2 win over Slovakia after blocking a shot, is able to play. Thompson skated in practice Saturday and is expected to play. If he does, the lines will remain the same as above. The only two players who have not seen time for the US are Jackson LaCombe and Jake Oettinger.
This lineup is what Canada rolled out Friday without Sidney Crosby, who was injured against Czechia. Crosby, who suffered what looked like an MCL injury, skated in Saturday’s closed practice and a decision on his status has yet to be made. If Crosby dresses, Seth Jarvis likely gets moved down or out of the lineup. Josh Morrissey will miss the game due to injury.
The last time the US defeated Canada when a medal or a championship was on the line was in the 1996 World Cup. Canada won the gold medal game in 2002 and 2010, and the 4 Nations Face-Off championship game last year. While the US has defeated Canada in the past, those contests never came at a moment like this in the past 30 years.
Canada blazed through the preliminary round, as did the US. In both the quarters and semis, Canada was forced to rally to win. The US defeated Sweden in overtime in the quarters but dominated Slovakia, 6-2, in the semis. What we have seen in the tournament and in the women’s gold-medal game is that no lead is safe. As John Tortorella said, safe is death, which should be the mantra tomorrow.
One major key tomorrow, as it usually is, will be special teams. Team USA is 15-for-15 on the PK in the tournament, including 5-for-5 against Slovakia on Friday. Canada is 7-for-16 on the power play (43.7 percent), which is the best in the tournament, including the game-winner Friday. If JT Miller and Vincent Trocheck help the US maintain their perfect record and the team wins, nearly all the criticism lobbed at GM Bill Guerin for selecting them over Jason Robertson and Cole Caufield will be forgotten and swept under the rug.
The Americans have the second-best power play at 28.5 percent (4-for-14). Canada’s penalty kill is 72.7 percent (8-for-11), including getting burned early in each of the past two games. If the US converts on the man advantage, that will go a long way toward helping the team gain or maintain a lead.
This game needs very little hype. Everyone knows what’s at stake. The length of time between the two teams meeting for a gold medal and the fact that they didn’t face each other in the preliminary round adds to the mix. The US comes in as probably a slight underdog, though if Crosby does not play or is limited in any way, the odds become closer to 50-50.
We had the Miracle on Ice in 1980 and the World Cup win in 1996. This generation needs its moment. Why not now?
