Team Europe has done it again. They upset another heavily favored foe yesterday in Team Sweden, and advanced to the finals of the World Cup of Hockey. Their commitment to a system and their disciplined coach has carried them to a showdown starting on Tuesday again Team Canada.
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It’s official the journey of Team Europe in the World Cup of Hockey is not a fluke. When they seem to be counted out as an old ragtag group of players, that’s when they prove everyone wrong and just beat their competition even if they’re not supposed to. Yesterday they did that again in a big way as they took tournament darlings Sweden and out played them for a 3-2 win in overtime.
The Swedes were a favorite to make the finals and it looked like they were on a collision course with Team Canada in the finals. Enter Team Europe who took the disciplined system of Team Sweden and just plain beat them with an even more disciplined system. Team Europe’s Head Coach Ralph Krueger built an amazing system and culture over the course of the last three weeks that carried this team to the win today and to all of their other tournament successes.
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What’s more amazing is that Krueger took a group made up of eight different countries who had never played as a group before, and made them a cohesive unit. After two very tough pre-tourney losses to Team North America, Krueger found a way to adjust a bit but moreover he found a way to motivate his players. He kept his squad believing in their skills and that that could actually win.
Marian Hossa explained how Team Europe has raised above low expectations. “We are happy where we are and definitely pleased. I think nobody would guess we could be in the final. It was 33-to-1 odds against us. So it just feels good to be where we’re at. I think everybody here is really happy.”
Being that this was the oldest club in the tournament many thought they didn’t have a chance. Krueger didn’t see it that the age of his club was a weakness but rather as a strength. He knew this group had the smarts to play strong defense first and that keeps the score low enough for the team to win on the few goals they would get.
Their win over Team USA is the shining example of only producing 17 shots, but tallying three goals was good enough to win. They did let the US get 35 shots, but very little of them were great shots and they kept them manageable to Jaroslav Halak to post the shutout.
It’s a focused game that Krueger preaches. After his underdog win to Sweden Krueger already is thinking about the next round and what his team needs to do to show their best. Krueger explained the focus and pride he has and wants his team to have when he said after the Sweden win that “It’s important we don’t get giddy. We want give Canada and the world a really good final.”
Most of all though this Team Europe is an awesome team just like the rest of the teams in the tournament. What seems to set them apart though is the balance they have. After Tomas Tartar, the hero of yesterday’s win over Team Sweden, scored two goals the team finally had all of its players with at least one point. No other team can boast such top down balance.
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Whether it’s the top line with Anze Kopitar and Marian Hossa, or the fourth line with Leon Draisatil and Nino Niederreiter Team Europe is getting production and hero type play from all their lines. And that’s why they have a chance, because Team Canada will have a heck of a time figuring out who to put their concentration on because all the Europeans seem to have broken open a game or two thus far. Also if Canada is looking to wait for Team Europe to make a mistake they might be out of luck because they don’t make mistakes. Team Canada will have to beat them, because Team Europe will not beat themselves.
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Team Canada may have more depth, but Team Europe has a chance. The championship is a best two out of three so the Europeans will have a chance if they can go out and win the first game by slowing down Canada like they have to all the others they’ve vanquished. Still it’s an uphill battle to beat the best group of players in the world, but no one thought Team Europe would be here so what do they have to lose? I guess we’ll see in game one on Tuesday.