Wednesday, February 24, 2010
By Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/
Julie Jacobson/Associated Press
Sidney Crosby redirects a pass behind Germany goaltender Thomas Greiss in the third period of Canada's 3-2 victory Tuesday.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- From the global perspective, it is Canada vs. Russia, the hockey powerhouses most everyone had expected would collide for Olympic gold.
From the Pittsburgh perspective, it will be Sidney Crosby vs. Evgeni Malkin.
To the athletes themselves, though, be sure that this meeting today, 7:30 p.m. at Canada Hockey Place, will have a far more pointed focus than any marquee matchups: Get through the quarterfinals.
"We're out to win," Crosby said after scoring a goal as Canada routed winless Germany, 8-2, in a qualification-round game Tuesday night to advance. "It's something everybody was talking about before the Olympics, whether it was going to happen in the quarterfinal or whenever. I expect it to be a pretty incredible atmosphere, and we're looking forward to it."
Jarome Iginla scored two goals, and newly installed goaltender Roberto Luongo made 21 saves. That allowed the Canadians, however briefly, to take a deep breath after a flat preliminary round and the loss Sunday to the United States.
But their most encouraging sign might have been Crosby's first smile of these Olympics.
"You know me well," Crosby said with a laugh when a reporter mentioned that.
Crosby had been visibly pressing on the ice and tense away from it, in large part, no doubt, because there was little chemistry with his linemates. But he clicked right away with new wingers Iginla and Eric Staal, who had three assists, as the trio spent much of the evening cycling deep in the German zone.
On Crosby's goal, his third of the Olympics, he neatly redirected a Staal pass out of the air 1:10 into the third period.
"I thought we controlled the puck down low," Crosby said. "Those guys are strong on the puck, and we're happy with the way things went."
And now, Russia.
It is because of Canada's stumbles and Russia's shootout loss to Slovakia that these teams will meet so early. But, regardless of the round, it might well prove to be the pinnacle of the tournament.
The Canadians, as they showed again Tuesday, have superior size and depth on the blue line. But question marks will remain about most every other facet until they take down an opponent more highly regarded than Norway and Germany, the only teams they have beaten in regulation.
The Russians are more skilled up front, especially the top line of Malkin, Alexander Ovechkin and Alexander Semin, and that is no small statement considering Canada's collection. But they are not at all deep on the blue line -- where the contingent culled from Russia's Kontinental Hockey League has been gradually exposed -- and goaltender Evgeni Nabokov has not yet displayed peak form.
Neither side was engaging in trash talk, despite a long history of hockey enmity between these nations, but all concerned seemed to be looking forward to it.
"It's going to be a battle," Canada forward Ryan Getzlaf said. "These are the teams a lot of people are excited about, and I'm excited, too. Let's drop the puck."
Russia's players were not available for a group interview Tuesday, but Ovechkin, as intimidating a force as any at these Olypmics, told the Associated Press that both teams will be "hungry like a tiger" and added of himself: "Right now, I'm here, and I want to win Olympic gold probably the same like when I play for the Stanley Cup."
For the Penguins' stars, this will mark the first time Crosby and Malkin have shared a rink as opponents since Jan. 4, 2005, when Canada beat Russia in the final of the World Junior Championships in Grand Forks, N.D. They have been teammates in Pittsburgh for four years.
Will it matter?
"It's something we both thought was going to happen sooner or later, so it's not a huge surprise," Crosby said, before also mentioning the United States' Brooks Orpik and Russia's Sergei Gonchar. "I've been against Orps and now Geno and Gonch, and that's what we all expected. They're going to play hard. I don't expect them to let up and, from my side, I don't think it's going to happen. It's going to be intense."
Malkin was asked earlier in the week if he would hit Crosby here.
"Yes, and not just once," he replied with a grin. "We've been playing together for four years, we won the Stanley Cup together, and we're friends. ... I would never wish him anything bad."
If anything, one might expect to see more of the longstanding tension between Crosby and Ovechkin, who, while with the Washington Capitals, has charged Crosby with yapping too much.
"I'm sure he's going to hit one guy, if not more," Crosby said. "That's part of the game. I don't expect us to be intimidated at all."
Canada dominated Germany in every facet, including the shots, 39-23. But that was very much expected, with Germany having only seven NHL players and finishing the tournament 0-4.
Near the end, the capacity crowd began a thunderous chant of "We want Russia!"
The victory surely will lift some spirits here, but it remains to be seen how meaningful it is given the quick turnaround today. If anything, the Germans' painfully deliberate style -- "It wasn't easy getting through them," Crosby said -- could make it that much more challenging to adjust to the Russians' all-out attack.
And never mind that the Russians have been off since Sunday.
"It should be a heck of game," Canada coach Mike Babcock said. "I know Ovechkin will be excited, Sid will be excited, all our players will be excited. I know as a coach, this to me, is what it's all about."
Dejan Kovacevic: dkovacevic@post-gazette.com. Find more at our Kovacevic at the Olympics blog.
No comments:
Post a Comment