Team USA, do or die against hated Canada

Jonathan Quick #32 of Team USA stands during pregame during the World Cup of Hockey 2016. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/World Cup of Hockey via Getty Images)

TORONTO – To be an American hockey player is to have hated Canadians, and to have been hated by Canadians.

It’s Patrick Kane, NHL MVP, who used to play on youth travel teams with Canadian teammates who felt he was an inferior talent because he was American.

It’s T.J. Oshie, Olympic hero, who would travel to Vancouver with his youth teams and get treated with hostility. “Sometimes you’re the only American team in the tournament, so everyone hates you. That’s the way it is. Even the parents get into it in the stands, for little 12-year-olds,” he said.

It’s the players from Team USA’s World Cup of Hockey squad that have battled friends and teammates in epic wars against Canada in the last two Olympics – winning a preliminary game in 2010 before losing in the gold medal game in overtime, and then squandering an epic victory over Russia in Sochi by being humbled by Canada in the tournament semifinals. (And then basically quitting in the consolation game, as Finland won bronze. The less said about that, the better.)

Now, on Tuesday night in Toronto, another challenge. Another chance to make a dent in that Canadian gold-plating. But along with it, a slightly bigger picture: Team USA needs at least one point against Canada to stay alive in the World Cup of Hockey, and likely needs a regulation win to remain in a strong position for the semifinals.

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“We lost our opening game so we’re chasing immediately,” said coach John Tortorella. “The way we’re taking it, it’s a great opportunity, and a big opportunity, for USA Hockey.”

And a big opportunity for Tortorella, whose coaching performance in the Team Europe loss and lineup decisions have come under fire.

For the Canada game, he’s scratched two of his Columbus Blue Jackets players: Defenseman Jack Johnson, who inexplicably played ahead of Dustin Byfuglien in the tournament’s first game, and Brandon Dubinsky, a curious choice considering his history against Canada star Sidney Crosby. “It’s just a decision, and it kills me to take him out because of how he competes,” said Tortorella.

But give the coach some modicum of credit: It’s not enough to compete. You have to be able to win a game against Canada that isn’t 1-0.

Kyle Palmieri scored 30 goals for the New Jersey Devils last season; Dubinsky hasn’t broken 20 since 2011. And while the bigger issue with Team USA is its baffling construction – stressing nebulous concepts of “grit” and “compete” over tangible offensive results, leaving players like Phil Kessel, Kevin Shattenkirk and Tyler Johnson at home – this is a welcome late bit of logic.

“For me personally, there’s been U.S.-Canada games that have gone in my favor and against. It’s one of those rivalries that you always look forward to and every time you put on the USA sweater it’s something you want to go up and compete against the best,” said Palmeiri. “I think there’s no doubt that these guys are the favorites and we’re going to go out there tonight and try and steal two points and a win.”

Stealing points. Playing the underdog. Winning the game you’re not supposed to win.

These are as much a part of the American ethos as the red, white and blue. They’re the reason Mike Eruzione’s message of support resonates over decades of American hockey:

“We’re excited. It’s a big challenge ahead of us, because we put ourselves behind the 8-ball,”said Oshie. “But what a story it’d be if we did all we could to get to the semifinals here.”

Oh, right, yes: It’s a tournament that extends beyond one game against Canada.

Team Europe’s overtime win over the Czechs on Monday opened the door for the United States. Two regulation wins over Canada and the Czechs, and Team USA will advance to the semifinals.

If Europe beats Canada in regulation or loses in overtime to the Canadians on Wednesday, the Canadians and Americans would finish with four points each, and Team USA would hold the head-to-head tie-breaker. Europe advances. Team USA advances. Canada would be out of their own tournament.

If Canada beats Europe in regulation, all three teams would have four points; Canada advances, and the Americans would advance for having two regulation wins to Europe’s one.

There are other scenarios, but this is the most direct one.

“We realize, in our position, we need to win both games. You don’t get a chance to win both games without tonight,” said forward Joe Pavelski.

But first, tonight. A night when the Americans are the underdog, the rude guest and, as they used to be back in youth hockey against Canada as well, the bad guys.

“It suits us pretty well,” said Oshie. “Sometimes when a crowd is loud and you’re playing in a rivalry game on the road, you almost get more energy from the hatred of the crowd. Hopefully, they’re as loud as they can be.”

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Greg Wyshynski is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter. His book, TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE PUCK, is available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.

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