Canada hammers Slovenia at Worlds

[Rock]

Canada hammers Slovenia at Worlds

http://www.tsn.ca/canadian_hockey/news_story.asp?id=123696

Canadian Press

5/3/2005 12:51:20 PM

INNSBRUCK, Austria (CP) - Joe Thornton scored two quick goals and Canada never looked back in an 8-0 victory over Slovenia on Tuesday at the IIHF world hockey championship.

Brendan Morrison also scored twice while Kirk Maltby, Simon Gagne, Rick Nash and Ryan Smyth added singles in a mostly listless mismatch before a less-than-capacity crowd at the 7,140-seat Olympiahalle.

Canada, a 6-4 winner over Latvia on Saturday, improved to 2-0 and clinched a spot in the qualification round. Canada ends preliminary round play Thursday against the United States.

The first world championship game ever between two-time defending champion Canada and lowly Slovenia was short on drama as the Canadians coasted through much of the game and rarely used the body on the slower, less-skilled Slovenes.

Slovenia, beaten 7-0 by the United States on Sunday, fell to 0-2 and must beat Latvia on Thursday to avoid dropping into the relegation round. Latvia was to play the U.S. later Tuesday.

Running up the score against Slovenia was important in case goal differential is needed to decide first place in the group.

Despite the score, two large sections of Slovenian fans in red, white and blue sang and waved banners throughout the game, while the scattering of Canadian fans got support from the large contingent of Latvians at the game.

Canada took a 3-0 first-period lead as Thornton shovelled both the puck and goaltender Gabar Glavic into the net on a breakaway at 1:03, then put a deke on Glavic from alone in front at 5:08.

Morrison banged in the rebound of Smyth's shot at 13:17, but Canada let up late in the period and Slovenia had some dangerous chances.

Anze Kopitar, the eye-catching 17-year-old expected to go high in the next NHL draft, skated out of a corner and was stopped by Roberto Luongo in a bid to jam it in.

With 1:22 to go in the period, Luongo made a smart toe stop followed by a quick glove save on successive shots from Kopitar and Marcel Rodman.

Maltby banged in Kris Draper's pass after a turnover 1:49 into the second frame and Gagne deflected in Wade Redden's point shot on a power play at 12:58.

Nash, with his fourth goal in two games, put Thornton's pass into an open side 4:53 into the third period and Morrison put in a rebound for his second of the game at 6:43. Smyth scored at 14:23.

Canada tweaked its lines midway through the second period, moving Shane Doan onto the line with Morrison and Dany Heatley and placing Smyth with Draper and Maltby.

Players got a scare 18:38 into the first period when a news agency's still camera mounted on the metal grid under the ceiling that holds lighting fell onto the ice and smashed to pieces in front of Glavic's net.

No one was hit, as play was at the other end of the ice at the time, but players voiced their concern to game officials. Some photographers place cameras operated by remote control above the nets.

[bruins4777]

OMG LUONGO GOT A SHUTOUT AND BRODEUR ALLOWED 4 GOALS!!! MAKE LUONGO THE STARTER!!!!

[Don]

You wouldn't believe how many times I heard that today.

I know about half were trying to get my goat. But it's frightening that the other half were serious.

[Giuseppe]

Yeah, I've seen similar comments, as well. I'm not surprised, but Marty really is in an always-lose situation (regarding the viewpoint of his critics, at least). The Devils (or Team Canada) win a game and their defense is credited with the victory. The Devils (or Team Canada) lose a game and suddenly the defense escapes accountability in their eyes and Brodeur "blew it" because he "faced more than 10 shots for once". And yeah, before someone mentions it, I'm well aware that some people solely credit Marty when the Devils win, but they're becoming the obvious minority in comparison.

On the other hand, Luongo is mostly in an always-win situation. Florida wins a game (be it especially a close game with lots of shots against) and Luongo is exalted, yet when they lose a game he is never or rarely blamed because their defense is "weak".

Why?

[bruins4777]

Stat whores my friends stat whores.

Luongo really is in a win win situation though...cause i mean, with the situation he's in....i mean come on. He plays behind the 2nd worst defense in the league and makes all these saves its hard to ignore. Also, the fact that the panthers win maybe 5 faceoffs a game and can't score consistently adds to luongo's "cusion".

But something i strongly believe in is that if brodeur was put in the position luongo is in he'd also be in a "win win" situation. I mean we saw in the ottawa series, he can excel a remarkable amount facing a large or low amount of shots.

Also people love to go against the top dog. For the past two years Brodeur has quite simply been the dominant goaltender in the league, whether the stat whores realize it or not, and when a guy like roberto comes along and puts up these amazing stats they of course want to go against Brodeur bringing up the crap that they somehow muster.

One thing you have to be quite aware of is the fact that there are a decent amount of people who call luongo a piece of crap goaltender. The way brodeur is blasted for the defense in front of him. Luongo is blasted for his pads, his rebound control, and the fact that "stats always lie". While i don't always trust the stats, some of these people like to make the argument that luongo faces a lot of "easy perimeter shots" and anybody who believes that has never seen luongo play on the panthers. Others say, luongo only faces a lot of shots because of his rebound control, yes his rebound control has issues, but once again, if you think thats the reason he plays the way he does you've NEVER seen the panthers play.

Personally i rarely find a reason to blame either luongo or brodeur for the loss in most situations. Because usually both give their team a great chance to win, of course there are games where they are the reason the team lost, but for both its rare. Luongo is just put in the position more often to steal games facing 35 shots a night, so he recieves this praise.

[LizDevil30]

Marty's better. I will never forget that chant during the Cup finals and at the Cup celebration.