Championship Rounds

In overtime of Canada’s quarterfinal game versus Czechia, Mitch Marner did what he was accused of failing at in Toronto. One minute and a half into three-on-three, he carried the puck across the blue line, glided through two defensemen confused by his deceptiveness, and placed a perfect backhand beyond goalie Lukas Dostal. Thanks to this goal and some energetic play in the second and third periods, Canada will now appear in the semi-final tomorrow against Finland. The gold medal foretold prior to the tournament remains in reach, but obtaining it will require a tighter style of play.

Prior to Nick Suzuki’s tying tip-in with three and a half minutes left in regulation, Canada had been down twice in the game. Scoring was a challenge made difficult by Czechia’s excellent goaltending and hardened defensive structure. It was, in one sense, the same collapsing style that Czechia’s world junior team employed to beat a more offensively talented Canadian team at this year’s tournament. Having lost their previous round-robin matchup to Canada 5-0, the wizened Czechs made a point of getting in the way of nearly everything, leaving Canada’s stars – who hunt in open ice – fewer opportunities for clean breaks.

This challenge was made more severe by the fact that Sidney Crosby left the game and may be finished for the tournament. As a result, coach John Cooper had to mix his forward lines, and the unmatched strength of this Canadian team – its depth at centre – will be weakened when it meets the Finns tomorrow. But despite losing its leader, Canada played with more pop after Crosby’s departure, showing the same level desperation that Czechia used to win the first period.

Canada will win only by sustaining this energy. Being a more talented team is nice for those in thrall to the Canadian developmental machine, but it means little when a world class opponent has a blueprint which restricts these advantages. By making the game harder, its offensive lanes tougher to reach, Czechia reinforced what the Finns doubtless know: if you don’t want to get torched, take open ice away from Canada’s superstars. As Cooper’s team should get Finland’s best game tomorrow, efforts like those on Suzuki’s tying goal, where his exhausted pursuit in the offensive corner resulted in the puck finding Devon Toews on the point, whose shot the Habs captain tipped in, are vital.

There is a lesson here for Canada’s first line. Macklin Celebrini (perhaps the tournament’s most impressive player, if one juxtaposes his production with his age and inexperience) was brilliant again, but Canada can still get more from Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon. McDavid, in particular, must do a smarter job of adapting to the defensive double-teams he’s constantly subjected to. Many of his shifts against Czechia looked similar to those in Edmonton’s Stanley Cup Finals losses to Florida, where McDavid’s relentless attacking ended in a pile of opponents’ bodies. In theory, devoting more players to the Oilers captain should free up his line mates, but while MacKinnon and Celebrini both factored into yesterday’s scoring, for stretches of five-on-five play they were neutered.

Czechia was of course responsible for their frustrations, and tomorrow will be another test in the gauntlet teams must pass through to reach an Olympic final. Jordan Binnington should once again be in goal, and however anxious he makes Canadian hockey fans, Cooper has complete faith in him. And while the focus here has been Canada’s forwards, stronger, less hurried defense is essential. Finland has nowhere near Canada’s offensive firepower and will rely on the same vigorous forecheck that created problems versus Czechia: more poise from Cooper’s defense and forwards is needed. This makes Suzuki a fine counterweight to Canada’s top players, for while their energy and persistence are crucial, his calmness, especially on the defensive end, can prevent disastrous, in-shift momentum swings that surrender leads or allow deficits to grow.

It is one thing to be the most talented team and another to win. Marner’s heroism was made possible by the forechecking that allowed Suzuki to tie the game. This play by the Canadiens’ captain revealed a truth Canada can’t forget. Space for its top players to create – which occurs only once they have pierced the forechecking and defensive structure Finland will try to impose – is earned by success in hockey’s least glamourous areas. A stable of thoroughbreds can’t get out and run if the barndoor stays locked.