The finals of the World Cup hockey best-of-three is not over, but the tournament may as well be. Team Europe has played in their 3-1 loss in Game 1 undefeated Team Canada, but despite being a set a goal for most of the second well in the third, it never really felt much doubt. This was Canada's tournament to win from the beginning, and now they are about, it all feels a bit disappointing.
European gamers said they played their best match of the tournament last night in Toronto, but it was still not enough. They, like everyone, have no answers for frontline Sidney Crosby, Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand in Canada. Through five games, the three have combined for 10 goals and 19 points. second goal last night was prototypical Line: Crosby running things from behind the net, Marchand causing trouble before it, and Bergeron wins the position to do damage. They invaded by five European skaters, and it still looked effortlessly:
I confess, I left mentally this tournament after the group game. Americans shit the bed, and the North American team under 23, the best thing about the World Cup, did not advance despite winning two of three.
Russia-Canada did for a semifinal match with history, but without personal rooting interest, it sure as hell was not enough for me (and most of the ESPN viewers on this side of the 49th parallel ) get to stay in a Saturday night. (The programming of this tournament was suspect half the play group games were in the middle of the afternoon, probably to the benefit of the audience of European television, but it results in empty arenas and crowds blasé. Game 3 of these finals, if necessary, is also planned for a Saturday night).
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