Following Team Canada's 3-1 loss to Team USA, head coach Jon Cooper emphasized the gritty nature of the game, particularly the unexpected fights early on. He also addressed Cale Makar's absence due to illness, indicating it was a precautionary decision for the player's well-being. With Connor McDavid's comparison of their upcoming match against Finland to an NHL playoff Game 7, Cooper reinforced the importance of team unity and passion, declaring his pride in the players' efforts despite the challenging outcome.
Well, a couple of nights ago, when I sat up here, if you had told me something was going to top that, I would not have believed you. But that topped it. You know why it topped it? It wasn't planned. It wasn't two coaches throwing guys over saying, "This is happening." None of that happened. It was as organic as it gets. It was probably 10 years of no international hockey exhaled in a minute and a half.
He is absolutely right. It is a short tournament, and this is our Game 7. This was our second game. We are seeing some things, and we will look after the technical side, but it does not matter who you are. If it was Scotty Bowman or name the coach, it doesn't work unless you have a team that cares. On that test, we passed tonight.
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