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The TSN Mark Masters reporter checks every day with news and notes about the Canadian Team. The squad held off-ice training ahead of Thursday's match against Switzerland.
Tim Hunter showed the players video clips about them doing good things to pump them up before the match opening for the World Juniors. But Thursday morning is about pumping the brakes.
"Last night was an anomaly in this tournament," Canada's head coach warned. "We won't see it again. I don't want to make it too big about 14 goals and all of these people get points. This will be a different story against the Swiss team tonight."
Switzerland played tightly in Canada in last week's pre-tournament match, losing 5-3 with a clean goal at the end of the match. Canada built a big advantage in the game, but the players released their feet from the gas in the second period.
"They are a pretty good hockey team and if we don't respect our opponents, everyone is a pretty good hockey team," Hunter warned. "I believe in maturity and leadership in our team. We will not have advantages [and act] like we left all our goals on the table last night and we will fight to score tonight, because they know it's about the process. They all understand. They knew they were not as good as their friends and their parents told them last night. "
Although Canada was dominant in the 14-0 win over Denmark, there was room for improvement, if only a little.
"We did something right last night, 95 percent of the time and that was 5 percent that we had to get out of our game as we moved forward and started building our game," Hunter said. "It's difficult in a match like last night to be perfect every shift, but that's what we tried to get up and human nature and our people got it so I don't think that would be a problem with that 5 percent tonight."
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After watching Mikey DiPietro do a shutout against Denmark, Ian Scott got a chance tonight. And based on Hunter's post-game comments, it might be the only Junior Prince World goalkeeper to start.
"Mikey started the first match, because we believe in Mikey," Hunter said. "You started the season with your number keeper. Mikey is our person and he will carry the burden."
So, Scott will be looking to prove that he is ready to fill in if DiPietro stumbles and the prospect of the Maple Leafs relies on a special mental strategy to stay sharp against Switzerland. Just like DiPietro, Scott wrote notes for himself on his equipment.
"I have items in my blocker – EEE – and a lot of self-talk along with it, keeping myself involved. I like to touch the pieces too, if they squeeze chips or play around try and touch the pieces inside like that and talk with my D.
Focusing on three Ice – Efforts, Efficient and Easy – is something he took from the current Marlies goalkeeping coach, Piero Greco during his amateur trials in the American Hockey League at the end of last season.
"If you try and you are efficient, that will make the game easy," Scott explained.
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Just before the Canadian Team took ice for the match last night, the players gathered in the tunnel and Maxime Comtois, a UFC fan, channeled his inner Bruce Buffer, who was the official octagon announcer.
"This is the main program tonight!" Comtois exclaimed, echoing the classic introduction to big battles. "Junior World Fighting between Canada and Denmark directly from Rogers Arena in Vancouver, BC! IT'S TIME!"
Some of his teammates seemed a little surprised by the impromptu explosion of their captain.
"Nobody really knows what that is," said the center smiling Shane Bowers, who was standing right next to the prospect of Bebek at the time. "We heard him come out and everyone looked and didn't know what was happening. But it was very funny. It was cool."
"I did it last year," Comtois said. "Just trying to get people pumped up before the game. I don't usually do that with my club team. It's just something I do here."
Comtois kept its biggest statement for an ice match against Denmark, becoming the fifth Canadian to score four goals in the World Juniors match.
"I'm not sure what is happening there," said the center Cody Glass, laughing. "He just started screaming and all the men said, & # 39; What happened? & # 39; But that's the ritual he did. I mean, if he scores four goals, he can do it every game if he wants to."
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In theory, that makes sense.
"Obviously, after the goal you want to party," Glass said in explaining the choice of Canadian songs at World Juniors. "I think it's fun and a great way to attract the attention of many people."
"We want to invite fans to the party in the stands," Comtois said.
Although after hearing Pitbull's Stop the Party basically being in a constant loop last night, Glass joked he was thinking twice.
"After hearing it 14 times, you might want another song to play," said the Winnipeg native with a smile.
"I'm sure people might be sick of hearing Pitbull after last night," Bowers admitted.
Further details continue to appear in the decision making process. Apparently it went down to three candidates and one was vetoed by Canadian Hockey. Bowers revealed that Everytime We Touch by Cascada was runner-up.
Perhaps not surprising, like last year, no one wants to be known as the person who came with the winning song.
"The team itself," Comtois insisted. "I don't think anyone will take full credit for that. There are some that we have risen to, but I think we end up with the right one."
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The lineup projected for Team Canada:
Advanced
Comtois-Glass-Tippett
Lafrenière-Anderson-Dolan-Suzuki
Frost-Hayton-Leason
Veleno-Bowers-Studnicka
Stuck
Defensation
Phillips-Bouchard
Brook-Mitchell
Smith-Dobson
McIsaac
Goalkeeper
Scott started
DiPietro
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