TimmyTabasco
5-03-05, 1:05 PM
5/3/2005
INNSBRUCK, Austria (CP) - Joe Thornton scored two quick goals and Canada never looked back in an 8-0 victory over Slovenia on Tuesday at the IIHF world hockey championship.
Brendan Morrison also scored twice while Kirk Maltby, Simon Gagne, Rick Nash and Ryan Smyth added singles in a mostly listless mismatch before a less-than-capacity crowd at the 7,140-seat Olympiahalle.
Canada, a 6-4 winner over Latvia on Saturday, improved to 2-0 and clinched a spot in the qualification round. Canada ends preliminary round play Thursday against the United States.
The first world championship game ever between two-time defending champion Canada and lowly Slovenia was short on drama as the Canadians coasted through much of the game and rarely used the body on the slower, less-skilled Slovenes.
Slovenia, beaten 7-0 by the United States on Sunday, fell to 0-2 and must beat Latvia on Thursday to avoid dropping into the relegation round. Latvia was to play the U.S. later Tuesday.
Running up the score against Slovenia was important in case goal differential is needed to decide first place in the group.
Despite the score, two large sections of Slovenian fans in red, white and blue sang and waved banners throughout the game, while the scattering of Canadian fans got support from the large contingent of Latvians at the game.
Canada took a 3-0 first-period lead as Thornton shovelled both the puck and goaltender Gabar Glavic into the net on a breakaway at 1:03, then put a deke on Glavic from alone in front at 5:08.
Morrison banged in the rebound of Smyth's shot at 13:17, but Canada let up late in the period and Slovenia had some dangerous chances.
Anze Kopitar, the eye-catching 17-year-old expected to go high in the next NHL draft, skated out of a corner and was stopped by Roberto Luongo in a bid to jam it in.
With 1:22 to go in the period, Luongo made a smart toe stop followed by a quick glove save on successive shots from Kopitar and Marcel Rodman.
Maltby banged in Kris Draper's pass after a turnover 1:49 into the second frame and Gagne deflected in Wade Redden's point shot on a power play at 12:58.
Nash, with his fourth goal in two games, put Thornton's pass into an open side 4:53 into the third period and Morrison put in a rebound for his second of the game at 6:43. Smyth scored at 14:23.
Canada tweaked its lines midway through the second period, moving Shane Doan onto the line with Morrison and Dany Heatley and placing Smyth with Draper and Maltby.
Players got a scare 18:38 into the first period when a news agency's still camera mounted on the metal grid under the ceiling that holds lighting fell onto the ice and smashed to pieces in front of Glavic's net.
No one was hit, as play was at the other end of the ice at the time, but players voiced their concern to game officials. Some photographers place cameras operated by remote control above the nets.
Good game by the Canadians. They looked much better this game, and Luongo played well when he had to
However, even though they played well..there is much room for improvement. Chemistry will improve, but you can see some lines just didn't have it..re: passes etc.
The defense really has to play better if Canada wants to win against the big boys, and take the gold home
INNSBRUCK, Austria (CP) - Joe Thornton scored two quick goals and Canada never looked back in an 8-0 victory over Slovenia on Tuesday at the IIHF world hockey championship.
Brendan Morrison also scored twice while Kirk Maltby, Simon Gagne, Rick Nash and Ryan Smyth added singles in a mostly listless mismatch before a less-than-capacity crowd at the 7,140-seat Olympiahalle.
Canada, a 6-4 winner over Latvia on Saturday, improved to 2-0 and clinched a spot in the qualification round. Canada ends preliminary round play Thursday against the United States.
The first world championship game ever between two-time defending champion Canada and lowly Slovenia was short on drama as the Canadians coasted through much of the game and rarely used the body on the slower, less-skilled Slovenes.
Slovenia, beaten 7-0 by the United States on Sunday, fell to 0-2 and must beat Latvia on Thursday to avoid dropping into the relegation round. Latvia was to play the U.S. later Tuesday.
Running up the score against Slovenia was important in case goal differential is needed to decide first place in the group.
Despite the score, two large sections of Slovenian fans in red, white and blue sang and waved banners throughout the game, while the scattering of Canadian fans got support from the large contingent of Latvians at the game.
Canada took a 3-0 first-period lead as Thornton shovelled both the puck and goaltender Gabar Glavic into the net on a breakaway at 1:03, then put a deke on Glavic from alone in front at 5:08.
Morrison banged in the rebound of Smyth's shot at 13:17, but Canada let up late in the period and Slovenia had some dangerous chances.
Anze Kopitar, the eye-catching 17-year-old expected to go high in the next NHL draft, skated out of a corner and was stopped by Roberto Luongo in a bid to jam it in.
With 1:22 to go in the period, Luongo made a smart toe stop followed by a quick glove save on successive shots from Kopitar and Marcel Rodman.
Maltby banged in Kris Draper's pass after a turnover 1:49 into the second frame and Gagne deflected in Wade Redden's point shot on a power play at 12:58.
Nash, with his fourth goal in two games, put Thornton's pass into an open side 4:53 into the third period and Morrison put in a rebound for his second of the game at 6:43. Smyth scored at 14:23.
Canada tweaked its lines midway through the second period, moving Shane Doan onto the line with Morrison and Dany Heatley and placing Smyth with Draper and Maltby.
Players got a scare 18:38 into the first period when a news agency's still camera mounted on the metal grid under the ceiling that holds lighting fell onto the ice and smashed to pieces in front of Glavic's net.
No one was hit, as play was at the other end of the ice at the time, but players voiced their concern to game officials. Some photographers place cameras operated by remote control above the nets.
Good game by the Canadians. They looked much better this game, and Luongo played well when he had to
However, even though they played well..there is much room for improvement. Chemistry will improve, but you can see some lines just didn't have it..re: passes etc.
The defense really has to play better if Canada wants to win against the big boys, and take the gold home