Friday, February 22, 2002
Team Canada looking stronger by the day
By CHRIS STEVENSON -- SLAM! Sports
SALT LAKE CITY - They are where they wanted to be, have delivered what Team Canada coach Pat Quinn asked and that is for a chance to play for gold.
Team Canada's 7-1 win over Belarus Friday vaulted them into the gold medal game Sunday afternoon, and the Canadians, a team that started this journey with some faulty steps, now has a stride that is sure and looking strong.
This Olympic tournament is about endings and not beginnings and Canada now has a chance for its first Olympic win in 50 years, a chance to mark a silver anniversary with some gold.
The challenge facing Quinn and his team now is to take what will surely be one of the most emotional games of their lives and make sure that emotion is turned in the right direction.
"In the last two days, you can see how emotion can work," said Quinn, whose team finally erupted against the underdog Belarussians. "Emotion can be one of your biggest enemies or one of your best friends."
The examples are the Swedish men's team - which the Belarussians upset to earn their semifinal berth against Canada - and Canada's women's team, which endured eight-straight penalty calls against them, never lost their cool and claimed the gold medal against the Americans Thursday night.
"You saw the Swedish team, which was the best team in the tournament (to that point)...start to lose its concentration. They were slamming gates, hitting their sticks and barking at each other. They shoulda, shoulda, shoulda and they didn't. There was a lot of emotion there," said Quinn.
"Then I watched a team (Thursday night) that had lost a lot to the American women and was subjected to the kind of homerism I've never seen in all my years in the (NHL) or international tournaments and they never lost their poise.
"That's what happens (to Canadians in international play) and you lose 'em.
They start yapping and it takes away from playing the game. It's you who lose it. (The women) didn't lose their poise...I spoke to (the men's team) about their poise. It's what champions have."
Poise is certainly important.
Just as crucial is having a team that is committed to putting the good of the whole ahead of individual ego and, as far as Quinn is concerned, his team still has some ground to make up in that area.
This tournament leaves little time for team building, for forging the proper places on a team, for carving out the hierarchy. Making it even more difficult is the fact each of the players is used to be the focal point of his club team.
Special treatment in terms of ice time is not a privilege in the club environment, but expected. That mindset has to be cast aside in this elite setting.
"The good thing for me has been watching our guys feel better about our team game," said Quinn. "They're taking shorter shifts. Guys are used to 30 minutes if they're playing defence and 25 for the forwards, but you can't do that here if you're going to keep up the pace you need to play here.
"You've got to cut (the shifts) down. Out of 13 forwards, 10 have cut them down. We have four who are still drifting around. We have to nail down some individuals."
That will likely be the focus in the time before Sunday's game. There will be discussions between coaches and players and players and players and those who are not yet on board will be straightened out.
They must be straightened out.
There is too much at stake now for selfishness.
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2002 Games Men's Hockey Coverage
