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Canada survives massive Swiss scare
Source: Agencies |
February 20, 2010, Saturday
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THE Swiss nearly pulled off another big Olympic hockey upset on Thursday in Vancouver.
Canada's Sidney Crosby finally scored the decisive goal in a shootout to give the host country a 3-2 win that brought feelings of relief more than celebration.
Mighty Canada was expected to win easily, but the Swiss had Canadians across the country nervously watching every shot.
"My psyche was tough for me the whole game, knowing that it's a pressure game, people expect us to walk right through that team," Canadian goalie Martin Brodeur said. "At least getting the win like that is definitely nice."
It was four years ago in Turin that the Swiss stunned Canada 2-0, sending the Canadians spiraling to a seventh-place finish. Thursday's result was probably even more surprising: Canada has a younger, better team this time around and is playing at home with the expectation of winning gold.
"This team is way better than the team we played in Italy," said Switzerland's Martin Pluss, who was denied by Brodeur in the final attempt of the shootout. "They skate better, they're younger, they're fresh."
Also, a shootout win doesn't count as much in the standings as a regulation win, so the result moved Canada down to second place in Group A. The United States took sole possession of first in the group with a 6-1 win over Norway.
Canada and the United States meet in a North American showdown tomorrow.
Dany Heatley and Patrick Marleau scored the goals that gave Canada a 2-0 lead, but Ivo Ruthemann and Patrick von Gunten tied the game in the second period.
"It's probably not a bad thing for us to go through that kind of desperation and tight hockey like that," Crosby said, "because it's not going to get any easier."
Thursday's other game in the men's draw also needed a shootout. Slovakia beat Russia 2-1 when Pavol Demitra scored on the Slovaks' seventh attempt in the tiebreaker.
Canada's Sidney Crosby finally scored the decisive goal in a shootout to give the host country a 3-2 win that brought feelings of relief more than celebration.
Mighty Canada was expected to win easily, but the Swiss had Canadians across the country nervously watching every shot.
"My psyche was tough for me the whole game, knowing that it's a pressure game, people expect us to walk right through that team," Canadian goalie Martin Brodeur said. "At least getting the win like that is definitely nice."
It was four years ago in Turin that the Swiss stunned Canada 2-0, sending the Canadians spiraling to a seventh-place finish. Thursday's result was probably even more surprising: Canada has a younger, better team this time around and is playing at home with the expectation of winning gold.
"This team is way better than the team we played in Italy," said Switzerland's Martin Pluss, who was denied by Brodeur in the final attempt of the shootout. "They skate better, they're younger, they're fresh."
Also, a shootout win doesn't count as much in the standings as a regulation win, so the result moved Canada down to second place in Group A. The United States took sole possession of first in the group with a 6-1 win over Norway.
Canada and the United States meet in a North American showdown tomorrow.
Dany Heatley and Patrick Marleau scored the goals that gave Canada a 2-0 lead, but Ivo Ruthemann and Patrick von Gunten tied the game in the second period.
"It's probably not a bad thing for us to go through that kind of desperation and tight hockey like that," Crosby said, "because it's not going to get any easier."
Thursday's other game in the men's draw also needed a shootout. Slovakia beat Russia 2-1 when Pavol Demitra scored on the Slovaks' seventh attempt in the tiebreaker.
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