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Bigger is better for Sweden Canada struggled adapting to larger ice surfacePosted: Friday February 15, 2002 9:23 PMUpdated: Saturday February 16, 2002 1:40 AM
Call it inherent insight. Call it cultural bias. Call it an indication that Team Sweden has a greater understanding of how to play a team game on the big ice. Their transition game, both offensively and defensively, was far superior to that of the Canadians. Their playmaking through the neutral zone without the red line was not an adjustment -- as it appeared to be for the Canadians -- but rather a liberating experience. That ended up being the operative word -- experience. Not in the "how long have you been playing hockey sense," but in the “how studied are you in the nuances of the wider ice surface and long lead pass without the center ice red line for offside calls” context.
The answer was obvious -- the Swedes meshed immediately, while the Canadians took plenty of shots, skated hard in the first and third, but looked awkward and undisciplined at times. And it had nothing to do with the Torpedo System employed by the Swedes. OK, maybe a little. Still, the Swedes system had nothing to do with Al MacInnis looking lost on the large sheet. It was not the reason Mario Lemieux was virtually invisible. Nor was it the cause of Curtis Joseph’s pedestrian play. What is the Torpedo System? Nothing more than a method to stretch the ice and engage one of the defensemen on the attack, while the lone defenseman hanging back plays in the middle of the ice, aggressively stepping into the passing lanes. The Canadians stopped skating, watched and pulled the puck out of their net four times in less than 10 minutes. The bottom line in this game was that, without the red line, the Swedes were immediately comfortable offensively, while Team Canada never looked certain defensively. Individually, both of Canada’s goals came from the blueline -- a necessary element for tournament success -- with Rob Blake scoring two and a half minutes into the game. Yet, Blake struggled defensively, taking poor angles when checking and was guilty of turnovers on several cross-ice pass attempts. He will have to be better, but so will the rest of his mates -- the best players in this one were all from Team Sweden. Goaltender Tommy Salo again lived up to his reputation of elevating his play when the stakes are raised. Alfredsson was the best forward, being opportunistic on offense and diligent on defense. In addition, Jonsson played a marvelous game on the blueline -- simplicity on both sides of the puck never looking more efficient. That same description aptly fits Team Sweden as a whole in this drubbing of Canada. Darren Eliot, a former NHL goaltender, is a hockey analyst for CNN/Sports Illustrated and will provide Olympic hockey commentary throughout the Games for CNNSI.com.
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