Canada just "a bunch of hockey birds"

10 May 2012 | Mika Leino

Canada played only one period of proper hockey against Switzerland, but it was enough to bring them a 3-2 victory.

Former Team Finland coach and now Finnish TV commentator Doug Shedden said that Canada "looks like a bunch of hockey birds".

Especially in the first period, Canada once again failed to play as a unit. There were 20 individuals on the ice and no team. For Team Switzerland, it was unfortunate that they could score only once during the first 20 minutes. That goal was scored by Damien Brunner after only 1:40 of play. Damien was left alone by the Canadian defence at the far post, where was able to easily score on Bezina's shot. Canada controlled the game, but their attitude was once again substandard.

In the second period, Canada played for the first time in this tournament the kind of hockey that we are used to seeing from them: hard-hitting, aggressive forechecking, going to the goal. They showed that the potential is there if they put in the work. The period brought them only one goal, by ohn Tavares in a goalmouth scramble, but it was nice to see the first "normal" period in this tournament from Team Canada. Their teenager line of Jordan Eberle, Tavares and Jeff Skinner was flying, showing everybody how the game should be played.

Canadian defenceman Duncan Keith knew how difficult an opponent Switzerland can be. "We played a couple of exhibition games against them before the tournament and both games were really close ones. So this wasn't a surprise for us."

Early in the third period both teams scored a goal. Eberle scored after only 41 seconds when he carried the puck into the Swiss zone. He waited with the puck, circling around the Swiss zone and then, when there was no place to pass, scored a nice goal by himself by lifting the puck up into the roof of the net with his backhand. The Swiss came back three minutes later with a really nice passing from Romy and Brunner, with Goran Bezina finishing.

Canadian captain Ryan Getzlaf finished the scoring with a solo effort. He took the puck in front of his own goal, skated all the way up the ice, and fired a hard slap shot just after crossing the blueline. The shot was very hard and accurate, and Swiss goalie Tobias Stephan didn't have chance.

Canada is playing like they usually do usual in these tournaments. They start slowly and seemingly disinterested. However, they usually improve their game as it goes along and, in this game, there was already a glimpse of the old famous Canada to be seen for one period.