Camp pleases Quinn
Says team ready for Americans
By BRUCE GARRIOCH -- Ottawa Sun
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Joe Thornton yawns -- or is that a yodel? -- before Team Canada's practice yesterday at the University of Ottawa. (Ottawa Sun/Jason Ransom) |
Team Canada is ready to let the games begin ... at least the exhibition ones.
After three days of hitting each other at the University of Ottawa, the Canadians will shift their focus tonight to the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, for their first World Cup exhibition game against the U.S.
With three exhibitions games to play before the start of the tourney in eight days, Team Canada brass will try to get a look at everybody on the 26-man roster before the World Cup begins for real on Aug. 31 in Montreal.
"I've been really pleased with what we've been able to accomplish to this point in camp," coach Pat Quinn said yesterday. "The guys showed up in great shape, they've worked hard and we've had really good, intense practices.
"Usually, it falls off on the third day, but that hasn't been the case. I know when we make the decisions on who is going to play and who won't, we're going to have some tough decisions to make."
Quinn intended to change his line combinations for yesterday's practice, but didn't touch anything. Captain Mario Lemieux remained with Brad Richards and Martin St. Louis; Joe Sakic was with Simon Gagne and Jarome Iginla; Kris Draper skated alongside teammate Kirk Maltby and Shane Doan; while Joe Thornton looked good with Patrick Marleau and Dany Heatley.
Judging by the workouts, Vincent Lecavalier could be the odd man out with Brenden Morrow and Ryan Smyth.
But for tonight's game, Quinn will sit Lemieux, Richards and St. Louis.
Quinn said he's going to try several different combinations before settling on the 20 players who will start the tourney.
"There are three extra forwards at this camp and the guys who aren't playing just have to stay positive," said Smyth, the Edmonton Oilers star who has competed six times internationally for Canada.
"We're all part of this team and we're competing for playing time. There's not going to be anybody in that dressing room who is negative if they're not playing. Of course guys are competitive and they want to play, but you don't want to be a distraction. You want to be there to support the team."
As expected, Quinn finally named Martin Brodeur as Canada's No. 1 goalie yesterday. The New Jersey Devils star will start tonight and play the first half of the game before giving way to Roberto Luongo.
While Brodeur will play a full game Saturday vs. Slovakia at the Corel Centre, he won't be in the lineup Wednesday vs. the U.S. in Ottawa. Luongo and Montreal's Jose Theodore, who won't dress tonight, are going to split the duties in that game.
"We talked about a schedule a little bit (yesterday) and I made a few suggestions," said Brodeur. "Usually that's the way it works for me in the pre-season in New Jersey, playing half games and then a full game in the final exhibition game.
"The thing I want to do is make sure I'm ready for the start of the tournament. I know the two young guys are there to push me and they're both competing for playing time. This should be good for us."
