TORONTO – So they flew in from Europe, these Finns and Czechs, not knowing where they were going. They both had to park here, adding another flight to someone’s travel.
Canada plays all its games in its own country, , the refs are all Canadians, and so are all but two linesmen, and they’re Americans.
If either European bracket team wins this World Cup, it will deserve it.
The Czechs touched down here yesterday, waiting for the North American bracket to finish with last night’s Canada-Slovakia game. If Canada won, the Czechs would stay put to face Canada Saturday. If Slovakia won, the Czechs would board a flight to St. Paul today for tomorrow’s semifinal against the Americans.
The Finns arrived here earlier and are said to have wanted to fly straight into Minnesota, gambling that Canada would beat Slovakia last night and that they’d face the Americans tomorrow in St. Paul.
Unbeaten Finland (3-0-1) wanted to practice in the arena in St. Paul, but was precluded by a concert, as well as tourney plans that had them set up in a hotel here awaiting marching orders. To add insult, neither team was allowed to practice at the game arena here, forced to a local rink.
Canada was the prohibitive favorite to advance here last night after going 3-0 in the preliminary round, compared to Slovakia’s 0-3 record. Canada beat the Slovaks 5-1 on a pair of goals by Ryan Smyth in Montreal Sept. 1. But the teams also tied 2-2 in an Ottawa exhibition August 28.
In the round-robin, Canada outscored its three foes 10-3, while Slovakia was pasted 13-4. Marian Hossa, Ladislav Nagy, Martin Cibak and Marian Gaborik each scored once for Slovakia. Martin St. Louis led Canada at 2-2-4 in the prelims, while Vincent Lecavalier had three assists.
Martin Brodeur was the rock on which Canada swept the prelims, allowing only one goal in each game, while making 77 saves for a percentage of .961.
Jan Lasak and Rastislav Stana combined for a 4.33 team goals-against average, worst in the tourney. Lasak, however, had four shutouts in this spring’s World Championships, the most since 2000 in a single major international tourney.
