Canada vows to clean up sloppy play, edges Europe in uneven performance
TORONTO — In between periods and again after the game Team Canada talked about it.
“We didn’t play our best hockey there’s no question about that,” Canadian forward Brad Marchand said.
Their off-game was enough to get by Europe in the opener of the World Cup of Hockey final, a 3-1 decision at the Air Canada Centre on Tuesday night. Canada didn’t come close to dominating like it had previously, outplayed for long stretches of a game that saw Carey Price shine (32 saves) and Sidney Crosby’s line continue to produce.
Some of that was resistance from Europe, a concept team that’s unlikely to return for future World Cups. They offered what’s become a standard fight in the first game of perhaps their own only final appearance, limiting Canada’s chances while generating more than a few of their own.