Canada got more than they deserved in 5-4 OT loss to USA

05 May 2012 | Mika Leino

USA beat Canada for the first time at the World Championships since 2001 when captain Jack Johnson scored on a power play 1:47 into overtime.

Two teams of North American NHL stars put on a nine-goal Saturday evening show in Helsinki, which ended in a totally deserved USA win. Team Canada's attitude to the game was totally unacceptable. Some of their players were really in the lazy mood and kept surfing around the rink not doing much. Worst of all was Ryan Getzlaf, who is even the team captain. One might ask why he would want to come all the way from California to Finland to play this kind of hockey. This has actually also been the case in the NHL for Getzlaf during the past couple of seasons. It is a pity when a young player equipped with Getzlaf's talent and skills just seems not to be interested in playing hockey anymore.

USA was really enthusiastic and eager to work hard for the win. They were ready to pay the price. Somehow, every time after USA scored, Canada managed to score an equalizer. In the first period, Canada was a bit lucky to get out of the period tied 1-1. Canadian goalie Cam Ward had to be sharp and kept the score even, his best save coming off of Kyle Okposo, who was in all alone. Goals were scored by Jim Slater of the USA and John Tavares for Canada.

"We can't allow these easy goals in a World Championship tournament," commented Duncan Keith of Canada. "USA really deserved the win today."

He couldn't be more correct.

The second period also included a goal from each team, although the Americans kept dominating and playing with energy. Canada continued its unmotivated play, but still managed a goal from Jeff Skinner, who played well together with Tavares. The line of Skinner,Tavares and Patrick Sharp was Canada's best in the game, and they were able to keep their level of play pretty high during the whole game. The Americans equalized on a power play when Jack Johnson scored his first goal of the game.

Four goals were scored i the third period. Patrick Dwyer lifted the USA into the lead again while short-handed. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins lost the puck in the neutral zone and then behind the Canadian goal, Ryan Getzlaf watched without disturbing Dwyer too much, when he circled around the goal and stuffed the puck in. Yet again, in the middle of USA's domination, Evander Kane got the puck, skated into the USA zone and ripped a hard wrist shot past Jimmy Howard.

With 3:41 left in regulation time, Nate Thompson backhanded the puck which somehow "climbed" over the pad of Ward, barely across the goal line. But Canada wasn't finished yet. Jim Slater made a really bad blind pass in his own zone and the puck went to Duncan Keith, who quckly fired a slap shot past Howard, sending the game into overtime.

There was still one important and decisive thing to happen in regular time, however. With 1.1 seconds left, one of the best Canadians in the game, John Tavares, accidentally hit an airborne puck and directed it out of the rink, which drew a delay-of-game penalty. With a four-on-three power play in overtime, Jack Jonhson fired his second goal of the game and earned two points for Team USA.

Canadian coach Brent Sutter shared the opinion of Duncan Keith: "The better team won today. We just couldn't keep up their speed and they played a really well balanced game today."

Everybody knows that Canada always improves its game the longer tournament goes and the important games are still to come, but this kind of attitude from some of their key players might cause problems in those more important games as well. And Canada is the team which has always been well-known for a hard working style and the best possible attitude.