After Team Canada’s 5-3 win over Team Finland, head coach Jon Cooper discussed the adjustments after the loss to Team USA, the play of his leaders, the impact of Cale Makar’s return, and the areas where the team needs to improve to beat the U.S. in the rematch.
On the team’s first 53 minutes vs. the ending in which Finland scored three goals to make it a game:
I thought we played extremely well tonight, with the way we managed the puck. We had the best players in the world doing things they are not accustomed to, all for the benefit of our team winning hockey games.
It was a 200-foot game. We have McDavid, MacKinnon, and Crosby — all of these guys — dumping pucks and going and getting them. It was the way we needed to play to win this game.
When we dissect the game, does it matter by how much you won? Bottom line, the goal was to play on Thursday night. If anything, it is great video for 5-on-6.
On the luxury of having McDavid, MacKinnon, and Crosby to turn to in a must-win game:
If you remember against the U.S., [McDavid] was basically one-on-one with Hellebuyck, and he passes to Reinhart. It was broken up.
I was talking to Connor. “Someone has to shoot it in the net. Why not you?”
You saw what he did on the first goal of the game. He just kind of circled out and got it. Stoney gave a great screen.
To win hockey games, you have to be so selfless, but it is weird how you have to tell players at times to be selfish. Being selfish is like, “You have to shoot it in the net.” Well, Mack did it twice, and [McDavid] did it once. Crosby was from a little more distance, but it was good.
On Sidney Crosby’s leadership role:
Probably a lot more will come out after this tournament ends, but you see somebody from afar, and then you don’t want to be disappointed when you meet them in person. When you meet your hero, you want them to be your hero.
Honestly, a lot of times, that doesn’t happen. How many times have you said, “Oh man, I looked at them in a certain light…”
Sidney Crosby is still the same way when you meet him. He has been a true inspiration to all the guys in that room, even the older guys.
In our country, he walks on water, and he is as humble as they come. You can see why he is one of the most respected people in this game.
On the impact of Cale Makar returning to the lineup:
He is a star. You can play him half the game, and he is the one-man breakout. He just glides out there on the ice. His reads are phenomenal. It is a luxury, to be honest. So glad to have him back.
On the adjustment of moving Brayden Point up onto the wing with McDavid:
It is hard in these tournaments. You don’t know who is going to be able to play where.
For Pointer, now he has to play the wing. That is not traditionally the spot he has played in often.
It is a short-term trial and error. You see which guys are going and which aren’t. You kind of get this feeling, “This should be able to work with this player.”
I can’t come into this tournament and sit here and say, “Hey, I am going to put Brayden Point with Connor McDavid. There is a process to this, and you have to actually watch him play and see what he needs.
Now that I am behind the bench and I am with these guys in practice, I have a pretty good feel for what they need. I thought Pointer would be a good fit for him, and he was.
On Team Canada opening as underdogs in the 4 Nations Final vs. Team USA:
Haha.
I don’t know. Listen, betting has become quite an industry now. It is amazing that we sit here in a press conference and talk about gambling.
I don’t care. Who is favoured and who is not? We come in here to win this.
I don’t know who is making the lines, but we are really looking forward to the game. It is why we came here, regardless of whether people out there say we are the underdogs.
Everybody in that room thinks we have a really good chance to win.
On how much getting a crack at Team USA again was a motivating factor to reach the final:
I can’t sit here and say that was the case. Even if the US wasn’t in the final, we wouldn’t be like, “Ah, we don’t want to be in it.” We wanted this. We came here for this purpose, and now it is to win one more game. It just happens to be against the team that beat us after the fireworks that went off on Saturday night.
It shouldn’t be a pretty good made-for-TV event.
On what the team needs to do to succeed in the rematch vs. Team USA:
Probably a lot of the things we did tonight.
A lot of this game is about puck management, and sometimes, it is not as fun to watch. There is a lot of hard work. For a lot of the game, you might be working without the puck. But when you put it in places and go get it back, you can lean on teams.
We didn’t do that very well against the US in the first game. We made some adjustments with it tonight. It worked in our favour. Any time you do that and the guys see a little success…
We have to put stress on them. I didn’t think we did enough. There is a lot of [credit] to them, too. They have a phenomenal team, and they defend and play hard. I think you are going to see two really evenly matched teams go at it.
The city of Boston will be treated to something special on Thursday night.
On what he has learned about Sam Reinhart through this tournament:
He was one of those guys with elite brains. He may not be the most fleet of foot out there, but he gets there just as fast as everyone else. He just knows where to go. He thinks this game out.
What I like about a lot of these players on this team… What did he have last year? 50 goals? 57? Damn near 60 goals, but he does not sacrifice his defensive game. Reinhart is not a cheater.
Those are tough traits to find. You don’t find many guys scoring that many goals who are that savvy and smart defensively. That kid is a winner.
On Team Finland’s bottom defense pairing (Urho Vaakanainen — Nikolas Matinpalo) finishing at minus-three despite playing just 11 minutes:
I don’t coach their team. I think Finland has a really good team. This is probably a little bit of a fluke.
I have Ryan McDonagh (in Tampa). He is usually plus-four, but in the odd game, he is minus-four. And he is a defensive star. It sometimes happens.
It is probably a little bit of a coincidence tonight, but sometimes, with the way the game plays out, it goes in your net when you’re out there, and it sucks. I probably felt for those guys tonight, but I can’t sit here and say, “Because they were on the ice, that is what happened.”
