Keeping the intensity

Ryan Strome, centre, celebrates his goal against the Czech Republic with teammates.

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The Canadians will play the second of back-to-back games against a team that earned its spot in the tournament after playing in the second division tournament last year. It's hardly an opponent that will strike fear into Hay's team, if not for the fact a lesser-talented team could make his players take the foot off the gas pedal.

"I hope we don't get any bad habits," Hay said. "I think we just have to come out and play our game. That's what we want to focus on every day is play our game and play well. It's all about habits and details and repetition. If we can do that, we'll be fine."

Denmark lost its first two games to the Americans and Czechs in consecutive nights before a much needed day of rest on Wednesday. Despite the lopsided 11-3 final against the Americans, the Danes trailed just 3-2 after one period. Similar success didn't translate against the Czech Republic, who shut them out 7-0 on Tuesday.

Will Canada maintain the level of intensity?

It would be easy for any team in this tournament to look past the Danes. With the exception of Vancouver Canucks first-rounder Nicklas Jensen, they're not a very recognizable team and far from being on the same level playing field as the remainder of the teams in their group. It would be hard for Canada not to lower its intensity against an opponent of this caliber.

Last year, Canada beat Norway 9-0 in a game where young goalie Steffen Soberg was so rattled, he pulled himself. The atmosphere will be similar for the Danes, whose goaltender's head may be spinning before the night is over.

More at Buzzing the Net: WJC2012: Discipline, power play concerns for Canada| Read it here

If nothing else, the game presents a great opportunity for Canada to build on chemistry and roll each line. Mark Visentin gets the start in net against the Danes. Hay will decide after tomorrow's practice who will be the starter against Team USA on Saturday.

Can the Danes dish out some punishment?

One aspect which was easily noted from their first two games is their penchant for looking for the big hit. Many of the Danish players were like heat-seeking missiles and looked to make the highlight reels with some punishing checks, both along the boards and in open ice.

"That's part of hockey (and) that's an important part of hockey," said Denmark head coach Todd Bjorkstrand, who grew up in Minnesota and played college hockey before playing in Denmark. "It's always a good thing when you want to bump and finish checks."

Jensen will have a teammate on the other side in Canada's Boone Jenner. They play on a line together for the Oshawa Generals and Jensen made it clear he won't be holding back if he can line up his junior teammate.

"Definitely not, just because it's Team Canada or my linemate and my friend from back home," he said. "You can't just not hit or not compete against that guy. You even want it a little more."

Can Team Canada play with more discipline?

Only Sweden has played with one less player longer through two games than Canada early in this tournament. The Canadians killed off all 10 penalties through both contests against Finland and the Czech Republic, but there is some cause for concern considering the amount of penalties taken.

"You can't take that many penalties," said Hay, whose team went to the box eight times on Wednesday. "It's going to come back to hurt you and we have to be much better. We have to adjust to the refereeing a bit. I think it got a little emotional (against the Czechs) and emotion's good. Don't take that away. I love the emotion, but we have to be a little more disciplined."

The Czechs twice had two-man advantages against Canada, but failed to capitalize at any point through 60 minutes. Denmark's power-play may not incite fear, but the bad habits could carry over to a more meaningful game against Team USA on Saturday.

Will desperate times call for desperate measures for Denmark?

Denmark is on the verge of being relegated for next year's tournament, a fate most everyone expected from the outset.

"Going into the tournament, our goal is to stay up in the group," Jensen said. "It's not going in there and winning the gold. Obviously, we're underdogs in this tournament.

"We just want to give a really good game and you never know with hockey."

"It's a once in a lifetime opportunity for these guys -- for all of us here in Canada and playing in the world junior championship," Bjorkstrand said. "(Desperation) should be there every night, every shift."