Team Canada skated to a 3-2 overtime shoot-out win over the Swiss! Canada's poster boy Sidney Crosby was the hero scoring the lone goal in the shoot-out on his second attempt in the grueling goaltending battle.
Team Switzerland beat Canada in the 2006 Olympics and came very close to repeating the feat again in the 2010 Games. In the best game thus far in Men's Ice Hockey play I have to admit I was on the edge of my seat in this one. Great Hockey Period!
Team Switzerland with only two NHL'ers among their squad and a big underdog in the match, their key to their point earned in the standings was Anaheim Mighty Ducks starting goalie NHLer Jonas Hiller. One of the two NHL players on the Swiss squad. Forget the Shoot-out he was the star of the game keeping his heavily over matched team in this game and giving his countrymen a chance.
Huge saves while the game was tied at two Hiller made. Canada exploded with a of flurry of shots with his catching glove stopping play. Jonas Hiller faced 47 total shots in the memorable game.
Canada built a 2-0 lead on goals by San Jose Sharks Stars Dany Heatley and Patrick Marleau. But the determined Swiss team made it a one goal game at the 8:59 mark and capitalized on a Chris Pronger retaliation hit with the refs arm up for a penalty, the Swiss forward threw the puck at the net and it would deflect off a Canadian skate with only :10 to tie the game at two.
Period three would see a barrage of Canadian shots on goal out shooting their opponents 18-3. Jonas was the difference if I already didn't mention that in this article. Words described BIG BIG BIG.
Switzerland would escape the third period and actually out shoot Canada in the four on four over time session 3-1 and just like in the NHL a shoot out was needed.
Oh did we forget to mention Martin Broduer played goal for Canada tonight? Well if we did he was good for stopping all four of the Swiss shoot-out attempts and stopping 22 of 24 in regulation and overtime.
Did he just get the nod for the huge game against the US of A on Sunday night? Or will Canada go back to Roberto Luongo?
Broduer's play in the game against the Swiss, his seniority, reputation, 3 Stanley Cups and a Gold Medal should get him approved for the game against the Americans.
The winner get's a bye in round two of the Tournament.
Is it Luongo or Broduer? Will Mark Andre Flurey get a start? Canada's goaltending is deep and something to talk about.
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