Motivated opponents, revenge and tough conditions factors in Canada vs. U.S.
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Canada had a day off at the world junior hockey championship Thursday after opening the tournament with a pair of decisive wins over Finland and Slovakia. The Canadians face their biggest challenge yet on Friday afternoon when they play the United States in an outdoor game at New Era Field, home of the NFL’s Buffalo Bills. Here are three major factors in a game between the top two teams in Group A.
FROZEN AMERICANS — The United States entered the world juniors as one of the favourites to win Group A and maybe even win the whole tournament. But a shocking 3-2 loss to Slovakia on Thursday night makes the game against Canada a must-win for the U.S. Unfortunately for the Americans, they will be playing on just 17 hours of rest.
“You’ve got to realize the stage and realize that you’re playing the world juniors,” said American forward Casey Mittlestadt after the loss to Slovakia. “You can’t take anyone for granted.”
REVENGE BEST SERVED COLD — The rivalry between the two teams runs deep, with seven Canadian players returning from last year’s team that lost to the United States in a shootout in the world championship final in Montreal. Beyond that, many of the players on the two teams have tangled on rival club teams or in other international events like the Ivan Hlinka under-18 tournament.