Madferret
4-27-05, 12:14 PM
Canadian Press
4/27/2005
PRAGUE (CP) - Team Canada is giving Martin Brodeur the night off. Roberto Luongo will start in goal Thursday against the Czech Republic, Canada's final warmup game before the IIHF world championship. Luongo will be backed up by Marty Turco for the game at T Mobile arena. Brodeur, who played the full 60 minutes in a 3-1 win in Latvia on Monday, will not dress.
"We talked to Marty (Brodeur) about this to see how he felt," said coach Marc Habscheid. "He wanted to play in Latvia and this was a good one to rest him." Luongo was in goal for Canada's victories at the last two world championships, but took a backup role when Brodeur was named to the team this year. Brodeur backstopped Canada to gold medals at the 2002 Olympics and the 2004 World Cup. The New Jersey Devils goalie did not play this season during the NHL lockout, but has looked sharp heading into the world championships.
The Canadian team took a day off practice Wednesday, but had a team meeting at its hotel. Defenceman Wade Redden, who sat out the Latvia game with a sore groin, said he will play against the Czechs. "Ill be fine," the Ottawa Senator said. "The groin's a little sore after that U.S. game in Quebec City (last week), so we took a few days off and it's feeling better."
A questionable starter is Vancouver Canucks defenceman Ed Jovanovski, who left the Latvia game in the first period with a hip injury. "He'll go for treatment and we'll re-evauate at the pre-game skate,' said Habscheid. "If there's any question, he won't play. "We just want to be careful."
Canada opens the world championship Saturday against Latvia.
http://images.tsn.ca/images/stories/20040911/luongo_40807.jpg
4/27/2005
PRAGUE (CP) - Team Canada is giving Martin Brodeur the night off. Roberto Luongo will start in goal Thursday against the Czech Republic, Canada's final warmup game before the IIHF world championship. Luongo will be backed up by Marty Turco for the game at T Mobile arena. Brodeur, who played the full 60 minutes in a 3-1 win in Latvia on Monday, will not dress.
"We talked to Marty (Brodeur) about this to see how he felt," said coach Marc Habscheid. "He wanted to play in Latvia and this was a good one to rest him." Luongo was in goal for Canada's victories at the last two world championships, but took a backup role when Brodeur was named to the team this year. Brodeur backstopped Canada to gold medals at the 2002 Olympics and the 2004 World Cup. The New Jersey Devils goalie did not play this season during the NHL lockout, but has looked sharp heading into the world championships.
The Canadian team took a day off practice Wednesday, but had a team meeting at its hotel. Defenceman Wade Redden, who sat out the Latvia game with a sore groin, said he will play against the Czechs. "Ill be fine," the Ottawa Senator said. "The groin's a little sore after that U.S. game in Quebec City (last week), so we took a few days off and it's feeling better."
A questionable starter is Vancouver Canucks defenceman Ed Jovanovski, who left the Latvia game in the first period with a hip injury. "He'll go for treatment and we'll re-evauate at the pre-game skate,' said Habscheid. "If there's any question, he won't play. "We just want to be careful."
Canada opens the world championship Saturday against Latvia.
http://images.tsn.ca/images/stories/20040911/luongo_40807.jpg