Luongo gets the call for Canada
Last Updated: Tuesday, February 16, 2010 | 3:27 AM ET
By Tim Wharnsby in Vancouver, CBC Sports
Anybody who has watched a Detroit Red Wings game knows that head coach Mike Babcock likes to fiddle with his line combinations.
So we can guarantee you that the forward trios and defence pairings the Canadian Olympic men's hockey team head coach trotted out for the team's first and only practice on Monday will not be carved in stone.
But before we get to the lines and defence pairings, Babcock revealed that Roberto Luongo will be in goal for Canada's opener against Norway on Tuesday and that the veteran Martin Brodeur will get the call for the match against Switzerland on Thursday.
Why Luongo followed by Brodeur?
Although Babcock would not admit it, he wants Brodeur in the game that he will see more action and therefore — unless he puts forth a stinker against Switzerland — the three-time Stanley Cup champion will use Canada's second as a primer for Canada's third game against the United States on Sunday.
Babcock and his coaching staff put the Canadian players through an hour-long practice, in which they quickly went through defensive zone coverage, the transition game and some work on the special teams.
The first Canadian practice saw the following line combinations:
- Rick Nash-Sidney Crosby-Patrice Bergeron
- Eric Staal-Ryan Getzlaf-Corey Perry
- Patrick Marleau-Joe Thornton-Dany Heatley
- Mike Richards/Brenden Morrow-Jonathan Toews-Jarome Iginla
The defence pairings saw Duncan Keith with Brent Seabrook, Chris Pronger alongside Dan Boyle and captain Scott Niedermayer beside Shea Weber. Twenty-year-old Drew Doughty was the seventh blue liner, but don't be surprised if the whiz kid works his way up into the top six.
"We think we have minutes for everyone," Babcock said. "No one is going to play the amount of minutes they play in the National Hockey League.
"We've made that very clear to the group that it's not about them, it's not about me, it's about Canada. We want them all involved in the game."
'Nice to have an idea coming in'
Babcock made sure this message was clear last month when he called each player personally to discuss what possible line combinations and defence pairings would be when the players arrived in Vancouver. Canada's head coach wants his gang to use their speed and skill, and play with confidence.
"It was nice to have an idea coming in rather than showing up to the rink and finding out who were playing with," Iginla said. "That way we can prepare in our own heads what to expect."
It's no secret that Babcock wanted to match players together who had familiarity with each other. That's why Getzlaf and Perry remain alongside each other on a line. Seabrook and Keith will perform together.
Because the 23 players arrived in Vancouver at different times on Sunday, there was no formal Team Canada get together until Monday morning. The team went over the logistics of the event as well as reinforced the on-ice systems that the Canadians studied and practiced in Calgary last summer.
"We're like all teams in that we're a work in progress," Babcock said. "We need to get better every game.
"We think we're capable of doing that. If we don't, we won't be in the tournament very long. We have to improve all the time.
"It's real important that we have skilled team and that we free them up to play. In order to do that, we have to give them some structure so they can play and do what they do."
