Ryan was simply flyin'
Smyth's night sets table for win
By TERRY JONES -- Edmonton Sun
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Canada's Ryan Smith, centre, is congratulated by teammates Dany Heatley, left, and Adam Foote following a goal against Slovakia during first period World Cup of Hockey action Wednesday in Montreal. (CP PHOTO/Ryan Remiorz) |
MONTREAL -- This one just didn't have the same mustard on it.
While the same 21,273 fans sat in the seats as the night before, watching Canada wear those dreadful mustard-coloured jerseys, this one didn't have the same sizzle or scene around it as the 2-1 win over the U.S.
Unless, of course, you were Ryan Smyth.
Then it was special. Then it was sweet.
Playing a record 66th game wearing Team Canada colours, including the one that looked like French pea soup, the guy who answers to Captain Canada every spring at the world championships scored two, including the game winner, in a 5-1 win over Slovakia.
Sweet when you consider the Edmonton Oilers apparently really did not come close to making it into the lineup with this team.
"He's a guy who needs to have his workboots on," said head coach Pat Quinn.
"There was a point in training camp when maybe he was trying to be a little too fancy. There were thoughts on our part that maybe that's now how we were going to go," he said of going with Smyth in the stands.
PROTOTYPICAL CANADIAN PLAYER
But then, said Quinn, they all collectively shook their heads and reminded each other that he was Ryan Smyth, the prototypical Canadian hockey player.
"He's always done it when he has to do it. He did it for me in Salt Lake. He's a very reliable guy, a guy who does good work."
Smyth was a physical force a night earlier against the U.S. and went to the net prepared to do something with the puck in this one.
"That's why he's so valuable," said Quinn. "He's been on the Canadian team a number of times and he's a physical player who goes into tough areas. We put him with a couple of high- skill guys and he fits in really well. He makes room for the guys he's playing with, too."
Smyth, who has previously won an Olympic gold medal, a world junior gold and the last two world championship gold medals, didn't manage any goals at the Olympics and only two in each of the three tournaments in which he won his golds.
So he already has his quota?
"Obviously it's exciting when you feel like you're contributing," said Smyth when I threw those numbers out in the post-game press conference.
"It's a matter of opportunity and making the most of it. It feels great to contribute, especially with the excitement in this building."
The Slovaks, who won gold, silver and bronze at the last three world championships but are missing Peter Bondra, Ziggy Palffy and Michal Handzus with injury, were out of this one early as Joe Thornton and Smyth, on a wraparound, provided a couple of quick goalss in the first four shots on net.
Simon Gagne's second-period goal and Martin St. Louis's second of the tournament to open the third staked Canada to a 4-0 lead before Martin Cibak finally put one past Martin Brodeur only to have Smyth respond with his second of the game.
St. Louis goal was also his second of the tournament. And with Vinnie Lecavalier picking up assists on both of Smyth's goals and Brad Richards on St. Louis' marker and St. Louis on Gagne's goal, it was a five-point night for the Stanley Cup-champion Tampa Bay Lightning, too.
"That's not important," said St. Louis. "It doesn't matter how Tampa Bay is doing as long as Canada is doing well."
LOVE PLAYING IN HOMETOWN MONTREAL
But he did say he figures he and Lecavalier love playing in hometown Montreal, a fact they need not remind the local citizens after Tampa's sweep of the Canadiens in the Stanley Cup playoffs last spring.
"I think we feed off the crowd and energy. I think if there's a reason we have success here, it's because it's special to us."
Quinn said St. Louis, Richards and Simon Gagne "were our most reliable line tonight ... I thought they were our best group."
Bottom line after the first two games here is that just about every line except the one with Mario Lemieux on it is doing very well.
But forget the forwards. Maybe you noticed. This team lost Chris Pronger and Rob Blake on defence before the tournament, Ed Jovanovski in the opener, and now it looks like Lloydminster product Wade Redden with a left shoulder strain in this one. Scott Hannan got in last night and Edmonton native Jay Bouwmeester will likely get in for the Russia game Saturday night in Toronto.
That's it. There are no defencemen left.
