Hate To Sound Like Leo Cahill, But. . .

VANCOUVER--Yep, only an act of God can stop Team Canada now.

The older folks among us will surely remember when Leo Cahill uttered those infamous words as head coach of the Argonauts, and then saw it blow up in his face.

But doesn't it apply to this Olympic men's hockey tournament now?

It's not like Slovakia is a bad hockey team or a weak hockey country. But it seems unfathomable that Zdeno Chara, Marian Hossa and Co. will have enough to blunt Canada's charge to the gold medal game.

One second, we were all contemplating an intriguing semi-final in which the Sedin twins would be taking dead aim at Roberto Luongo in the same area in which they all play during the regular season, and the next moment the Swedes were out and Slovakia is a surprise semifinalist.

One moment we were suggesting the U.S. had the easiest road to the gold medal game. Now it looks like Team Canada might.

By putting four pucks past Henrik Lundqvist after no other country had managed even one, the Slovaks earned their stunning 4-3 victory.

That gives them wins over Russia and Sweden in these Olympics, and certainly will add a new dimension to the goaltending controversy in Montreal when Jaroslav Halak returns to the Habs.

So presumably, if they can beat those countries, they can beat Canada, right? Well, it's not the same thing. For starters, Canada plays a very physical, in-your-face style that's produces a very different type of game when they play a country like Slovakia.

Second, Canada is on home ice, and that is proving to be a significant factor.

So assuming Mike Babcock has Canada prepared, and assuming Luongo plays his game, and assuming the team that has scored 15 goals in its last two games has a little ammuntion left, there's a pretty good chance Canadians will have a very big game to watch on Sunday.

With their team in it.

Comments

[Bill]

The game will hinge on Halak.Just like the Swiss and US goalies kept their teams in the games against Canada.However I think we are seeing the true Canadian TEAM now and not a collection of all stars.If Babcock can keep himself from interfering with the chemistry and if Luongo can just play his regular steady game I think Canada will get through to the Gold medal game against Finland.(Just winding up you yanks!!) However someone said the Hand of God could not sink the Titanic.Hey Damion you brought His Name up!

[leafsfan1965]

Well done Damien

Your recalling of the stupid remark by Mr. Cahill may just have meant Canada won't win.

God is not mocked and that is what you have done.

Thanks alot.

[Peter]

Oh, Damien, please don't say it! there are no easy games anymore and the Slovaks showed they can beat the better teams. So until we make it to the final, i just keep my fingers crossed.

[Ron Gillespie]

Just want to toss a question out there.....I was under the impression you had to wear a visor in the Olympics. In fact, one of the announcers said this a few games ago. Yet last night, Chris Pronger was not wearing a visor. He was the only one. So, was he breaking the rules? Will there be any penalty assessed because of this?
Does anyone know? I mean, even the refs are wearing shields.

[matt]

You are a fool really, way to cocky, this is what happens to canada each time, shoot themselves in the foot.

Slovakia is a good team, its not going to be like the Russia game, Slovakia actually understands what DEFENCE is

[perplexed]

My biggest pet peeve: Why do journalists and announcers here always refer to "Team" Canada. Why not just 'Canada'?

We all know they are a team. I never hear references to "Team" Russia or "Team" Sweden or "Team" USA.

Please, lose the "Team".

[Johnny Flop]

That is the exact 'over-looking' attitude that bit us in th butt against the Swiss and the yanks...the Slovaks have a great team and proved it in this tourney, this article just contibutes to the cocky attitude the rest of the world suddenly associates to Canada after these games...I hope it doesn't reflect the mind set of team Canada....the last 2 wins were great but you CANNOT overlook anyone in the Olympics

Go Canada Go

[Simon]

They gonna beat you, Canada!

[Garrett]

I've always thought the Slovaks to be a good team. Never understood why they weren't considered part of the "Big 6". Maybe it was just the goalie but this team has had terrific talent for years. Gaborik, Hossa, Palffy, Chara, Visnovsky, etc. Demitra, Stumpel, Satan back in the day. I never understood. Maybe it was their goalie and Halak's made a difference. Or maybe they were always underrated. I still wonder how good the team would be if Czechoslovakia were still together. That team could possibly rival the Russian and Canadian rosters.

Can't wait for the game.

[acbc]

what rock did you crawl out of, we've been beaten by a hot goalie so often in these one shot deal tournaments that no planning could prepare our team against the perfect storm. We lost in Turin to the swiss!!! and we almost lost to them again a few games ago.
I hope we win by playing good clean hard hitting, fore-checking, in your face Canadian hockey. Crash and throwing the puck at the net is our best offense. if we wear out our opponents physically by our speed and size like we did against the Russians, I like our chances. We owned the front of the Russian net. Defense is what wins championships. Our "checking" line was the best. Offense is overrated; the team that can turn defense to offense best is usually the winner. That's how the lesser skill teams wear us out psychologically. the truth is you can't control the "rub of the ice", you can only lose if someone else is in your end of the ice and then score. the first thing is to keep the other team away from your own end and we did that amazingly well. we own that style of game. we have the speed and size to do it.
but that doesn't account for a perfect storm in net of course. Hiller and Miller has done it against us. we can only play our best and hope that is good enough.

[other mark]

Let me finish your last sentence for you Damien.... Assuming all those things....Canada should win.

[DV]

Same people that were calling it over are now saying it is a lock.... Come On! It is not going to be easy. Don't knock the Slovaks! Have you looked at their forward line up? We out skilled the Russians but we've yet to out work anyone in this tournament (Refer to the games against the Swiss and USA). Get ready to watch some good hockey games instead of beating your chest for wining one game...

[2nd Guess]

Last night's results should be a lesson in the folly of assumption. The Slovaks, as pointed out, have twice been giant killers in this tournament, and there's no way Halak can play as badly against Canada as Nabokov did.

Slovakia doesn't have the same top-end forward talent as Russia. But, believe it or not, it has more depth (Sergei Fedorov? Alexei Morozov? A KHL line? Are you kidding?). If there's a weakness to be exploited, it's on defence. Chara may be the most dominant defenceman on the planet, but he can't play 60 minutes.

Canada has to be the favourite, but there's no such thing as a sure thing. And then there's Ryan Miller waiting in the wings.

[EWA]

@DV: You think Canada didn't OUTWORK the Russians? I think that's exactly why Canada won. Did you see that play with Mike Richards down on the ice, digging at the puck, trying to make a pass, while Ovechkin sat there and watched?

[big_papa_p]

Here is why Canada will win.. their pace will be faster than anything Slovakia has seen thus far. Chara may be effective in neutralizing one of the big guns but fact is, all 4 Canada lines are firing on all cylinders now and Chara can't be on the ice all the time and even when he is, he can only cover one guy. Canada 4 - Slovakia 1.

[DV]

@EWA do you think Canada outworked Russia the way the Swiss outworked Canada last week??

We won because we played a calm game and took advantage of all our chances. I felt the Russians gave up by the time Nabokov was yanked.

My point is I'm not looking past the Slovaks and I'm not looking forward to the hard working American forcheck and calling the gold a lock.

I am looking forward to watching four more great hockey games. Five with the Canada vs. US women.

[ihosama]

Canada/US have the better teams for the most part. But this is ONE game.

And I can tell You, the Slovaks WANT to win much more Russian ever will.
This generation of theirs already won 1+1+1 gold/silver/bronze on Worlds.

This is their last major tournament. They won't give up even 1:4 in third. Count on that.

[Basshat]

Forget all the fence sitting and politically correct pandering to cliches like anyone can win. Slovakia is not going to beat Canada. They don't have the depth, the size (outside of Chara), or the same number of puck handling defencemen.
The superstitious types are welcome to continue adding "if" and "maybe" but anyone who has actually watched Slovaks play knows that they've used up everything in the tank to knock off Sweden and they won't be able to put it together again tonight.

[ihosama]

Re: Basshat

Does Canada have a better team? Yes, it does. Period.
Do the Slovaks have a chance to win? Yes they do. Period.

However, for the Slovak squad, this game is THE GAME.
Not of this tournament, not of this year. Of their lives. And they know it.

They will work 110%. Bronze is not enough, not today.

Basically Team Canada has more skill and power at its disposal.
Question is, will it utilize it?

We'll see in a couple of hours.