World Cup of Hockey '04

[Chemical Ollie]

At least Sweden will have some participation in the finals. Toronto legend Börje Salming will hand over the buckle to the winners.

(Börje Salming recieved a several minute standing applause from the Toronto audience at Canada Cup 1976)

[Flubber]

Game day


It looks like Brodeur will play !



TORONTO -- While Martin Brodeur and Team Canada officials weren't going to admit it 100 percent, it appears to be a virtual certainty that Brodeur will be in goal for Tuesday's championship game of the World Cup of Hockey.

Brodeur missed Saturday night's semifinal victory over the Czech Republic with a bruised hand, but rest and treatment have helped Brodeur feel much better.

"Felt pretty good," Brodeur said after taking part in a full practice at the Air Canada Centre Monday morning. "First time in five or six days I was able to use it, you know. I was really happy about the way I felt this morning. I just don't know how it's going to react throughout the day after, you know, using it like that in the morning for the first time.

"But if it feels the same way that it felt today, I think if I don't hurt it tomorrow in the morning skate, I'll be fine."

Brodeur said had the final game been scheduled for Monday he would have played.

"If the game was this morning, the way I felt, I would have been all right to play."

That's music to Team Canada's ears, especially since Team Finland boasts Calgary's Miikka Kiprusoff in goal and he has been nearly as unbeatable as Brodeur in the tournament. In fact, the two have put up startling statistics during the tournament.

Kiprusoff has a 1.18 goals-against average, .948 save percentage and two shutouts in five games, having allowed only six goals. Brodeur has allowed three goals in four games for a 0.75 GAA, .970 save percentage and a shutout.

"We'll wait to make the determination tomorrow," said Team Canada coach Pat Quinn. "Obviously we'll have to see what the activity might have done, if anything, to the state that he's in right now. But he got through practice well and feels confident. Like I said, if there's not a downturn, we'll feel good."

Related Links

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Team Canada roster
World Cup schedule
World Cup ticket information
World Cup of Hockey 2004
Chat about the World Cup



Song remains the same -- Center Joe Sakic is impressed by what he has seen from Team Finland and expects the Finns to offer no deviation from the formula that has proven so successful thus far in the World Cup.

"They play a tight-checking game," Sakic said. "They don't give you a lot of chances. They all play the same way. I expect a tight game."

As a veteran of many international efforts, Sakic isn't surprised by Finland's success. He lauded their goaltending, starting with Miikka Kiprusoff and also noted the overall skills of backups Kari Lehtonen and Vesa Toskala.

"They are a very determined team and we have a lot of respect for what they're doing. They compete hard. Every team in the tournament has been very impressive, but the Finns are very good. They had a good run and beat some good teams. We expect another tough one here."

Quinn looks to up the tempo -- Coach Pat Quinn wasn't happy with a couple of Team Canada's practices headed into Saturday's semifinal win over the Czech Republic, and he was not very pleased with his team's effort in that game either, despite the 4-3 win.

So Quinn has made some adjustments to keep the spring in his players' steps.

"The last two days we've kept (practice) shorter," he said. "Kept the pace up and had a little more attention to how we were trying to execute out there. I guess that's a little bit old fashioned. I think you do end up often playing how you practice. You can practice to not succeed if you're not paying attention.

"I thought our last two practices here were good," Quinn said. "I see a better frame of mind. You always hope it carries over, but you don't know how it will show up tomorrow night ... too excited, not excited enough. That's just something these guys will be dealing with."

Gretzky: Kids are all right -- This Canadian team is utilizing a number of younger players lime Vincent Lecavalier, Joe Thornton, Shane Doan and Scott Hannan in key roles, but Team Canada Executive Director Wayne Gretzky says he loses no sleep over the makeup of this team.

"Well, I think first of all we've got so many guys that have been here in these kinds of pressure situations before, you know, you talk about guys like Mario (Lemieux) and (Joe) Sakic and (Scott) Niedermayer and so forth. So we're comfortable with the fact that our leadership has got some experience.

"And our young guys are fine," Gretzky continued. "We're not overly concerned about it. I think that they're really excited about playing in this game. They're really excited to be a part of it. All they need to do is look at this as one of the greatest nights of their lives. It's not pressure. It's a fact. You just go out there and really enjoy it.

"This is something you dream about as a young kid, playing for your country, for a championship. I think their attitude right now is they're really focused, yet they're really enjoying it."

[pchang]

Whatever happened to Gretzky? Is he still living in LA and married to that wanna be actress? Or, did he move back to Canada?

[Moral Hazard]

I think Gretzky in Phoenix working for the Coyotes. In some front office position.

[Flubber]

I found this statement on a Gretzky site

Gretzky and his wife Janet have five children: daughters Paulina and Emma and sons Ty, Trevor and Tristan. The family resides in California.


Gretzky is part of the management of the Phoenix Coyotes so I imagine he spends a bit of time over there as well.

[Kontiki]

Actually, Gretzky is part owner of the Phoenix Coyotes, and is the managing partner.

[Flubber]

On the CBC coverage they had a camera on Gretzky when Canada scored the winning goal aganst the Czechs. To say the man was exited would be a massive understatement. Reading his lips wasn't that hard either.

[Kontiki]

I honestly can't think of any other Canadian who has relocated to the US for that long that has remained so ferverently proud to be Canadian.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Kontiki
I honestly can't think of any other Canadian who has relocated to the US for that long that has remained so ferverently proud to be Canadian.

Given that his livlihood is HOCKEY, I am not skocked to see him retain a lot of pride in his "Canadianess". Most other high profile folks that have relocated seem to be actors/entertainers where there is no national team for you to show your allegience every few years. They might be every bit as proud to be Canadian as Gretzky, but its not something we would necessarily see.


Anyway-- countdown to the final-- 210 minutes to go

[Flubber]

150 minutes

[Asher]

An army of 25 interns from work here are going to hit a bar downtown to watch the game.

And we get to leave work early.

With an IBM bus to take us down and back.



They're also pushing a CBC satellite feed across all the network, so those people who are still at work can watch the games on their computers / wireless laptops / PDAs.

[Flubber]

About 90 minutes until game time here-- I'll have to leave in a half hour so as to be on my couch with beverage and snacks in hand for the puck drop.


I only plan to leave on the intermissions to post to poly and be taunted by Pekka . . . or taunt him as the case may be.

lets start now

Ville is a goon!!! ( and I say this as a Calgary fan somewhat appreciative of his brand of goonery)

err ahh-- can't berate Kipper as he is beloved .. .
Koivu-- nope scrappy guy works his behind off for my beloved Canadiens . ..

hmmm

oh aki berg sucks ( I hate the leafs)
Can't rally get a hate on for Lehtonen or Toskala


Numminen sucks !!!
Selänne is over the hill !!

etc etc-- come on pekka I know you are asleep but when you wake up for the game, bring it on !!

[notyoueither]

Great game by both teams. Thanks to the Finns for putting on such a good show.

Final 3-2, Canada wins the World Cup.

[optimus2861]

That had to be the most insincere celebration I've ever seen. Nobody from team Canada gave a fig about that trophy -- Lecavalier in particular seemed decidedly underwhelmed by the whole thing, no doubt thinking the party he had three months ago was way better. Lemieux looked like he didn't know what to do with it; "Do I just hold it upright or put it over my head? Do I actually have to skate around with this thing?" Then during his lap he took one look up at it, as if thinking, "Kiss this thing?.... No way!" then looked back down .

Next time use medals. There's only one trophy hockey players of this calibre ever want to get their hands on.

[Asher]

I just got back from downtown.

Dundas square is crazy.