Team Canada has been an absolute wagon all tournament. With the NHL not starting until next week and the majority of available players rested and healthy due to the lack of games played in Major Junior leagues across the country, this Canadian team may go down in history challenging the 2005 team as the best of all time. But in order to do that, they must leave Edmonton with gold medals around their necks.
Standing in their way is a pesky Team USA. The US hasn’t been nearly as consistent as Team Canada, losing their first game to the Russians and more recently almost blowing their semi-final game vs. Finland. But they’ve found a way to make it to the Final and that’s all that matters. Anything can happen in a winner take all, do-or-die elimination game.
Canada really doesn’t have to change much of anything in preparation for the Gold Medal Game. They’ve been structurally sound while allowing their skill and imagination to flourish when need be. They have been otherworldly in their relentless pursuit for the puck and back tracking after a turnover. This is a staple of André Tourigny coached teams, and you can see the identity that he has tried to create spill over in how they hunt pucks. Not to mention that Devon Levi has been rock solid in net. He hasn’t faced any sort of barrage, but he has made the key saves when called upon.
In preparing Canada for the Finals, they will most likely continue to focus on what is in their control and how they play their game. Keep in mind the habits that the coaches want them to pay attention to and finish off this dominant run. However, there are always a few pieces of information the coaches can provide the team with before the game in regards to how the opposing team plays. It’s up to them with how much they share (if any at all) but adding some key information to their game plan may be important. Let’s look into the keys to Canada hearing their national anthem at the end of the game tonight.
Relentless, Heavy Forecheck and Dogged Tracking
Team Canada has been suffocating to opposing teams in their pursuit for the puck on the forecheck. They often have their second man to help in first, before the other team, and have forced countless turnovers in the O-Zone. This has helped them get out to their quick starts in every game they have played so far.
Last night, Team USA stumbled a bit when defending their lead in the third period vs. Finland. They took two penalties for delay of game by attempting a hoist breakout and the puck ending up over the glass. The second penalty was mainly forced by Finland’s F1 stick pressure and forecheck.
With the nerves ramped up even higher in the Gold Medal Game, Canada must pressure the USA D immediately and unrelentingly. Force their D to turn the puck over and once they lose confidence in their passing they will try and hoist breakouts. Canada may be able to draw another delay of game penalty and/or force the US to use a timeout early in the game due to icing the puck. Nate Leaman (Head Coach, Team USA) will want to keep his timeout for late in the game, if a faceoff play needs to be drawn up, but if Canada can get some US players dead tired due to constant icings he may not have a choice. Along those same lines, Canada’s D must be ready in the neutral zone to knock down these hoists and Canada’s F’s must be tracking back above the puck to counter.
Further to tracking, Matt Beniers for Team USA is a magician with the puck and one of the best at changing speeds and direction through the neutral zone to create controlled entries. Whenever their is a counter attack and he’s carrying the puck, Canada must track even harder to him, and there may be chances to strip him from behind due to his lateral movement through the neutral zone.
Special Teams: Work Low on PP, Attack High on PK
Powerplay
Canada’s powerplay has left something to be desired, but it still has generated a good amount of chances and the top unit (Byram-McMichael-Krebs-Perfetti-Cozens) seem poised to break through. Team USA is very aggressive with their high PKers, trying to sweep PP movement down the flanks and attacking pucks along the walls. However, this does open them up to quick puck movement around the top (left flank-> QB -> right flank = McMichael -> Byram -> Perfetti) and the ability for the PP to outnumber at the net. Finland showed this in their near third period comeback in the Semi’s
Canada can use their skill to move the puck around quickly and should try and work some down low plays with Krebs and Cozens into the mix.
One PP play that has been successful is the Perfetti shot-pass to the back post. This is his favourite option in the OHL with Saginaw:
and they’ve used it already to create a goal with Cozens on the back door. Look for quick movement from left to right and then Perfetti looking back door to Cozens.
Penalty Kill
Team USA has an abundance of skill on their powerplay, especially their top unit (York-Kaliyev-Caufield-Zegras-Boldy). They are dangerous when they get moving and they have the freedom to move in and out of spots, as most top powerplays do. You may find Caufield rolling around the top of the zone while York dives down or Kaliyev ending up anywhere on the ice he can get open for a shot. But the teams that have had success stopping their PP have not even let them set up, and attacked them right after they enter the zone. Russia did it incredibly in the first game, and USA failed to adapt. Slovakia tried as well. Team USA likes to stop up above the circles and set up from there, rather than skate it lower in the zone and then move it low to high. Canada must attack them high in the zone, as Russia and Slovakia did earlier in the tournament.
One extra piece of information to keep in mind is the Boldy between-the-legs play down low on the PP. Canada just needs to be ready to defend against it as it is an option.
Matchups: Best on Best
If I was USA Coach Nate Leaman, I would be trying my best to get the Berard-Farinacci-Brink line out as much as I could against Canada’s top line of Pelletier-McMichael-Cozens. That line for USA has been phenomenal on the forecheck, hounding pucks and making life miserable for their opponents while also chipping in offensively. But Canada and André Tourigny should push for a best on best matchup. Get top line vs. top line, with the Cozens unit matched up against Zegras-Turcotte-Kaliyev whenever possible, along with their top D pair of Byram-Drysdale.
For obvious reasons, you have to be aware of where Kaliyev is on the ice at all times. He has an elite catch and release, as we saw on the game winning goal last night vs. Finland. Zegras often looks for him and loves to use the spinorama pass, especially cross-crease from the right corner. Canada must have good sticks and shoulder checks all night in the D-Zone to protect from quick strike goals.
Byram-Drysdale have been unreal all tournament, and I expect that continues tonight. If they play their game effectively and shut down USA’s top line, they could go down as one of the most dominant D pairs Team Canada has ever seen. They are incredibly dynamic in the O-Zone, moving across the blue line with ease and consistently getting their shots through. Their gaps are perfect in the neutral zone, stymying opposing team’s counter-attacks before they start. And their skating and physicality makes them so tough to beat to the net in the D-Zone.
As I said before, Caufield can be very dangerous when he gets confidence with the puck and rolls around high in the zone looking for an opportunity to get his shot off. With the mobility of Canada’s D, especially that top pair, they should have the freedom to follow him on these high cycles and maintain a tight gap, not allowing him any room to operate.
Bonus
One other small play I noticed was one of USA’s set OZ faceoff plays where they release the weak-side D to dive down and attack. Another thing I’m sure Team Canada’s coaches have made their players aware of.
Finally, look for a key contribution from Connor Zary tonight. Canada has had a recent history in this tournament of getting key goals from role players in big moments. Tyler Steenbergen scored the winning goal in 2018 after being on the bench most of the tournament,
and Akil Thomas did the same last year.
I’m not going to make a prediction other than I hope it’s a close game, and with the history of this tournament and the battles between Canada and USA, I think we’re in for another special contest. Go Canada Go!
PS. If it makes it to a shootout, look for Tomasino to play a big role for Canada as he impressed in practice and Perfetti as well as he has a history on the big international stage.