Revenge in Sochi: Men’s U.S. Hockey vs. Canada

While the NHL is on break for a few more days, hockey fans have still been able to get their fix and on Friday, it doesn’t get any better than the USA vs. Canada semifinal game.

After knocking off Russia earlier during the games, you knew it was only a matter of time before Friday’s match up. The league will be well represented as nine teams have players on both team’s for the game. The St. Louis Blues tops the list with five players, followed by four athletes from the Chicago Blackhawks, Los Angeles Kings, Pittsburgh Penguins. The New York Rangers almost joined the list of four but Derek Stepan is likely to be a healthy scratch for the U.S.team.

Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane

As many of the players will go up against their NHL teammates, they expected as much. Blackhawks Jonathan Toews, a member of team Canada, has seen NHL teammate and team USA player Patrick Kane around the Olympic village but the two haven’t talked since being in Sochi.

Toews said of Friday’s game via NHL.com, “I don’t think either of us doubted it at all that at some point we’d be facing off, whether it’s the semifinal or the final. To win a gold medal we felt like it’s pretty much necessary to go through the U.S. at some point and them the other way around.”

He will hope Kane continues playing like he has been in the Olympics as he has scored zero goals with four assists. But if the player turns it on, he can be clutch (see Game 5 of the 2013 Stanley Cup).

Kane said of his recent play via NHL.com, “You’re always looking to do more when it’s not going into the net, but [I’m] just trying to get the shots through, get them on net and see what happens.”

With these two players on the ice, Vegas gives Toews +190 to get the most points vs. Kane to do so at +170 while a draw is +125.

Many U.S. players will have the 2010 medal game on their minds as 13 of them had played in the U.S. – Canada game that ended as a Canada gold thanks to the Penguin’s Sidney Crosby getting the winning OT goal. U.S. coach Dan Bylsma was not at the helm but saw his NHL  star player win it for Canada. He has said he understands this rivalry’s intensity and his players’ need for revenge on Friday in his first U.S. Canada game.

As for scoring, Crosby is 8/1 to score the first goal on Friday while Toronto Maple Leafs Phil Kessel sits at the top at 15/2.

Topping the headlines a few hours before game time is the news that Penguins veteran Paul Martin will not take the ice. He has played more than 19 minutes in the games and is plus-2. Sochi represented his third Olympics (2006 and 2010) but he did not dress to play.

Justin Faulk

A specific reason wasn’t stated for Martin’s absence but it may be due to illness. Now Carolina Hurricanes Justin Faulk, the team’s youngest player on the roster at 21, will get the starting nod instead. This will represent Faulk’s first Olympic game but he does bring some international playing experience as he represented the U.S. in three World Hockey Championships.

Earlier, U.S. Hockey tweeted Friday’s lineup with the following: “U.S. D for tonite’s semi vs. CAN: Fowler-Shattenkirk; Orpik-Carlson; Suter-McDonagh; Faulk. Quick in goal; Miller backup. #DawnsEarlyLight“ and “U.S. forwards for tonite’s semi vs. CAN: Brown-Backes-Callahan; Parise-Kesler-Kane; JVR-Pavelski-Kessel; Pacioretty-Stastny-Oshie; Wheeler.”

With Quick in the net, Vegas gives him 29 1/2 saves (not including a shootout) at -120 o/-110 u.

As for the game winner, besides bragging rights and an opportunity to get the gold, the nod goes to Canada (-1 1/2, 5.5 o/u).