They showed it Saturday and want to show it again Thursday. The Canadians want to restore what they feel is the rightful order, and they will have Cale Makar, one of the best defensemen in the NHL, who sat out with an illness Saturday.
“We’d love to play them again,” Canada center Nathan MacKinnon said. “We feel like we could beat those guys, and we plan on playing a little better Thursday.”
The Americans are planning on that too.
“They’re a heck of a hockey team, and it was such a great game Saturday, and we’re going to have to match that compete level and be ready for those guys,” U.S. forward Dylan Larkin said. “They’re going to be extremely hungry, and they don’t want to lose two to us, and they want to win as well, so it’s going to be a competitive hockey game. I think there will be some nerves, but I hope it’s that level that it was in Montreal.”
Finland coach Antti Pennanen was asked for the key to the championship game. He might have thought he was asked for the favorite. He said it was hard to say, because both teams are so good.
“I don’t know,” he said. “Maybe it’s USA.”
Is Canada the underdog? Cooper said he doesn’t care what others think. The Canadians would have wanted to win no matter the opponent, though the opponent adds drama.
“We came here for this purpose, and now it’s win one more game,” he said. “It just happens to be against the team that beat us after the fireworks that went off on Saturday night, so I think it should be a pretty good made-for-TV event.”
Stay tuned.
“That first game was such a great hockey game,” U.S. coach Mike Sullivan said. “I think it’s great for hockey that there’s an opportunity for these two teams to meet again. Obviously, both teams have star power all around the lineup. It was a very competitive hockey game the first game. I would anticipate the next one will be every bit as competitive, if not more.”