BY PATRICK KING
sportsnet.ca
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Canadians are no worse for wear after another convincing victory over the Czech Republic.
Team Canada maintained its intensity and physical approach, but one player may have crossed the line with a vicious check that sent Czech player Petr Senkerik to the hospital. Zack Kassian received a five-minute major, a game misconduct and an automatic one-game suspension for the hit.
Kassian may not be the only player missing in action on Wednesday. Defenceman Calvin de Haan is a "realistic chance" of playing against Norway while forward Jaden Schwartz was a "longshot" for this game, according to head coach Dave Cameron. Both were injured in Tuesday's game against the Czech Republic.
Canada will be playing its only game in back-to-back days after the Norwegians enjoyed a day of rest. Norway opened the tournament with consecutive losses to Sweden and the Czech Republic by a combined 9-1 score.
Can Canada avoid developing bad habits?
Let's face it, Canada doesn't need their best performance to beat a team like the Norwegians. While hockey is gaining ground and popularity in Norway, there still remains a large gap in talent between them and the all-time leaders in gold medals won in this tournament.
Since a win may be a foregone conclusion, the main thing the Canadians will need to guard against is developing bad habits. Canada's final game comes against Sweden on New Year's Eve and unless the Swedes lose to the Czechs on Thursday, the final round robin game will determine which team wins the group and earns the bye to the semifinals.
The Canadian players beamed proudly that they played a complete game against the Czechs on Tuesday. Assistant captain Brayden Schenn, in particular, noted the team maintained its dump-and-chase approach. Team Canada continued working hard on the forecheck and created chances offensively. A similar approach against Norway should produce similar results.
Will Norway provide the upset?
Even with Canadian backup Mark Visentin expected to start, there is nearly no possibility for an upset. The Norwegians are making inroads in the hockey community, as evidenced by Sondre Olden being picked in the third round by the Toronto Maple Leafs in last summer's draft.
The depth of talent is just too great for Norway to possibly conceive getting the upper hand in this game. After a crushing 7-1 loss to Sweden in their tournament opener, Team Norway is using this tournament as a learning tool for the future.
Can Canada escape unscathed?
The last thing the Canadian players want to see is another player go down with an injury. The Norwegians have a big discrepancy in size throughout the lineup. Some players tower over the six-foot mark, while many others can look Ryan Ellis straight in the eyes. Norway might deploy a physical tactic to defend against the superior Canadians, which could lead to a potential injury.
Team Canada will welcome the physical play as long as it is within the rules. The Canadians were dealt a big blow in last year's semifinal when Swiss forward Jeffrey Fuglister hit defenceman Travis Hamonic from behind. Hamonic suffered an injury that not only kept him out of the final, but also kept him out of league play for the better part of two months. Avoiding a costly injury will be important in this game.
Will the Norwegian goaltender be their player of the game?
The most probable candidates for Norwegian player of the game will either be whichever goaltender is peppered with shots or a goalscorer. Maple Leafs fans will be anxious to see Olden, but unless he scores, he might not earn consideration.
The goaltending tandem of Lars Volden and Steffen Soberg each played a game, with Volden earning the start against the more talented Swedes. Soberg, who will be eligible to play in the next two tournaments, looked good in the face of adversity against the Czechs. He stopped 36-of-38 shots and maintained his composure throughout. A strong tournament could go a long way in earning consideration as a prospect for the upcoming National Hockey League draft.
How many players will Canada get involved?
The advantage of playing in a game against a team like Norway is that it will give the Canadians the opportunity to try a few different line combinations and systems, if they so choose. This would be an ideal time for Canada to broaden the bench and give more ice time to some of their lesser used players in the two previous games. Look for players like Quinton Howden and Carter Ashton to receive more ice time and in more offensive situations.
