Real Kyper & Bourne - Canada Kicks Off 4 Nations with a Bang

Episode Date: February 13, 2025

Nick Kypreos, Justin Bourne and Sam McKee look back on Team Canada's 4-3 win over Sweden to kick off the 4 Nations Face-Off. They get into Canada's torrid start, Shea Theodore's injury, Sidney Crosby's vintage performance, Mitch Marner's overtime heroics and Jordan Binnington's play in the win. Later, they look ahead at tonight's matchup between Team USA and Finland, discuss possible lineup changes for Team Canada ahead of Saturday's game against the States, and dip into McKee's Midweek Mailbag!The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

on the back of Sid, the kid Crosby's three assists last night, including a no look past to Nate McKinnon, including the ultimate neutral zone drop pass to Mitch Marner. That led to the overtime winner. Canada opens up four nations face off with a four, three victory over Sweden. Welcome into the real Kipper and born show abbreviated version fastest hour in hockey about to begin right now. Nick Kipriels, Justin Bourne, Sammy McKee, Derek Brandeo, Jake Schultz with you. We're live on Sportsnet 590, the fans Sportsnet 650 in Vancouver

and Sportsnet 960 in Calgary. This hour of real Kiprin-Bourne brought to you by bet 365, all right. Everything you imagine, Sammy. I can only imagine what it was like in your household to ride the roller coaster of a. Team Canada once again. Yeah, amazing, amazing, just full on amazing.

I will say I did have the emotion of. Feeling a bit robbed at times of how long we've gone without this. And I tried to bat back that feeling. So I wasn't, you know, feeling, not a negative feeling in that time, but having it just the spectacle and all the stuff we're gonna get into,

it's just been too long. And it just was an emotional night for everybody. And I can't imagine going into that being like this Is gonna suck and then the second that you see all those guys out there warming up being like, oh, yeah This is gonna be the best thing ever and then the presentation that was capped by the great Mario Lemieux coming out on the ice Really cool. I mean the whole thing was really cool. Like I feel like Hockey fans deserve that, you know, like he go through a lot I feel like hockey fans deserve that. You know, like you go through a lot.

We've all gone through a lot from the pandemic on, you know, going through no fans and a salary cap and all this negativity. It was just really fun. And I just thought so unbelievably cool that we got a McDavid to Crosby to McKinnon goal that like one minute into the game. It was just like, damn, it's really cool.

I got texts from friends that were like, not that thrilled about the event. We're like in. And really Chris Pronger yesterday kind of summed it up. He put any rest to the feeling of each player on Canada coming into this, the, the pride, the putting on the Jersey, uh, it all came back, right? There was no, there was no signs of anybody coming in looking like this didn't matter.

No, it was funny, like Sweden, I know it ends up being a close game and we're gonna get into the game, but it was 17 minutes till they had a shot or something like that? Four plus minutes left on the clock with no shot on goal. We were texting each other and I forget, it was like, hey, Sweden hasn't done this,

hasn't done that, and all of a sudden it's like, wait, have they had the puck for five seconds? Like, Canada came out ready to play. Well, I mean, you can imagine having these level of guys that you have with McKinnon, McDavid, Crosby, and this is their first ever chance to play together at an international competition, like a best on best. And you mix that in with the atmosphere in the building,

Merrill Lemieux, that unbelievable ovation that he gets, he walks out there. Where's my guy? Of course. And you pair that with the emotion. And then that the fact that there are three of the best hockey players on earth and that they're juiced up and that they're gonna start. And that that's what you see in the first period the other team didn't get to play

That is the huge advantage we've had in this country over the course of 40 years whether or not it's 72 Summit Series and I know it kind of left ugly for Phil Esposito and Team Canada in Vancouver right getting run out of the building before they have to go Team Canada in Vancouver, right, getting run out of the building before they have to go over and save themselves. Right. But 76 Canada Cup, 87 Canada Cup, and you go into the 90s, like think about like every opponent

that has to open up any tournament or any championship game. In that setting. In that setting. It's you against the whole world, right? The building the fans that the media the TV is all skewed towards Canada here. So I don't think it was any other Situation that we haven't seen in 40 years where you're Sweden your Russia your The US in Canada in this in any type of environment just weather the storm mad the first five or ten minutes

They must have felt like your boxing Mike Tyson in his prime standing Oh, yeah, that's a great analogy standing out of Montreal the Bell Center the way I mean You hear players who? You know who play there once in a while, or rarely, talk about the oohs and aahs from the crowd who knows the game, and there were some touches where McDavid would get it in the neutral zone. And audibly, through, at home, you could hear them be like,

ah, you know, like you could feel the rise and fall of, you know, close attention. They were paying close attention. I thought, and I'm jumping way ahead here, though, but in overtime, when anybody, like they would fight fight and fight because it's such a possession stupid game So you get second they got possession when you have the guys on your team that team Canada does when you get possession People cheer like it's there's a pretty good chance You get one shot in the net and you know

I just I I don't love to give Montreal a ton of credit for everything as the bleeding-heart Leaf guy that I am but that atmosphere was elite and they were into it. They got it They rose to the moment and sure there were some some tight You know what situations in that game where they're a little bit quiet, but any building would have been quiet. The stakes were high It's your native country. I was amazing. We have a ton to get into and specifically on a lot of subjects here, but just to kind of tee up The remaining hour here that we're on we won't have a guest so we'll just be the three of us predominantly But you have a mini

Sammy McKee mailbag for us Yeah, I just I kind of sent out a tweet just to be how people are feeling after that game their thoughts their overall Takes from just their first best on best game in eight years. So we'll have a few of those in the back half We'll do that. Yeah, and we got piles of audio clips to listen to ourselves here Alright before we get into any specifics, let's go to a John Cooper Kipper Clipper overview of the game clip 7 Well, you never really know till you're in it and

I remember the first practice I went to with that under 23 team back in 2016 and I thought that was the Fastest hockey I'd ever you know witnessed up close. Well, this just trumped it. And it was a lightning pace out there. And that's why I have to give a testament again to the job our defensemen did to be able to keep up that pace and still perform. But I'm gonna say one thing. There's some guys in this team played 10-11 minutes that are used to playing 20. And when it got

down the stretch and we shortened the bench a bit and then it goes to overtime and some guys aren't playing, they were the loudest guys on the bench. They were the one wheeling everybody and getting everybody going and I thought, wow, this is a really short tournament but I think we got a really close team and it was pretty cool to be a part of. Is he providing positive reinforcement for that attitude saying I noticed that that's important to us we love that or is that just observation do you think? Little both. I think he knows that players read and listen and yeah maybe a little bit of both. This is

close, this is good. You know a couple of things Drew Doughty echoed that sentiment where he said that that was the fastest hockey game he ever played in. Yeah but that also could have been the slowest game he's ever played in. What do you mean? I just I didn't think he was very good and that's okay. Yeah, it's alright You've missed the whole season, but I thought he was by far their worst defenseman I thought he was really good offensively. I thought defensively the gaps the speed. It's hard You just I felt sorry for the guy You're just trying to get your Your your wits coming back off being off the whole season and then you're just trying to get your wits coming back off the whole season and then

you're in, you're on a space mountain ride at Disneyland. I was just going to say, I think it is worth noting that the game did turn at a certain point and it's probably the feed or injury where all the sudden you had 5D who never have played together before who are now who's going different partners everything got a little shuffled i thought canada's d was fantastic i re so my surprise for the game was colton parejo i i just thought he broke up a lot of plays i know the numbers guys won't love it because his numbers weren't pretty but I thought he was really good. I did that when they won the Stanley Cup. When St. Louis did that, what, in 2019? Yes.

Yes, he was like that guy. Yeah, really good. I thought Josh Morris, he was excellent. Devin Taves was really good. Yes, Taves was really good too. You know. Jumping in. I do think that was a big part of the game is that it took Candid D a little while to figure out what was going on after the theater injury. Not to get ahead. But you know, Sandheim comes in now, right? I like them. But I think there was two or three options I probably would have gone to before. Yeah, having him come

in. It's funny having seen one game when I sat down with McKee earlier today, he goes, kind of wish it was Tanev coming in. Tanev? It's like, god, it would feel a little better probably. Or Montor for me. Yeah. Those were the three that I would have gone to before Sandhunt. Yeah. Yeah, I agree.

You know, I think those guys have a lot of experience and you trust them to do one thing specifically, kind of defensively. And, and you wonder like you look at the way the decor is laid out here. Actually, I put a clip in from today of Cooper talking about, you can move past the Sandheim thing, but I think they maybe brought him just like experience guy. We think you're going to be a big part of it at the Olympics. And now it's like, guess what? You're in USA Saturday night It's the Bell Center like it's a big ass, but we'll see there's lots of other stuff to get

Do you want that on shea theater in the D from Cooper? Yeah, let's play that. Let's play the clip 3 Yeah To be honest she's out for the tournament. So that's a that's a big blow what a kid and he only got to play six minutes and big blow. What a kid and he only got to play six minutes and it's heartbreaking for the kid. And he was the first one there that the door hugged on everybody when we came off. And it's a tough one to swallow because you just don't know how much it means. But I guess hopefully in hindsight he got to touch the ice and and get some time in there, but it was you know for us it was tough because you talk about the speed of that game and

You have to fight through the last 50 minutes with five defensemen. That's a that's a grind. They did a hell of a job That's true. I think we're burying leads though. Are we not said said Said still good That's true. I think we're burying leads though, are we not? Sid. Sid. Sid. Still good. Next. Next to Avik? Still good. Okay, let's go to John Cooper. I'm Sid. Yes. I'm kind of gonna write a book on just my time around Sidney Crosby in this short little window I've had. I think if you were really listening what happened at the beginning of the game when everybody was announced and that Mario Lemieux's roar aside, Sidney Crosby, I mean the roof was coming off and it's, you know, he's been a Pittsburgh penguin his whole life and that just shows you how many, how much people care about him and respect him in this country.

And I thought that was, you know, if I'm gonna think about my top three or four moments of this, it'll be the ovation Cindy Crosby received from this, I mean, what a crowd. And, but just his demeanor on the bench that just says all the right things at the right time. And then you need a lift and team's pushing. He's the one that sets up the helper.

And then you need a lift and overtime, and he's the one that sets it up. And it's no coincidence, his record of when he's wearing a Canadian jersey. It's not fluke. And he will go down as the greatest player to ever represent his country. If not, he's gonna be on the Mount Rushmore for sure

of people that have thrown the Canadian jersey on. Love it. It's a long clip, but I had to play it all because Cooper's got away with words and couldn't have said it better. Yeah, it's, he hit it and couldn't have said it better. Yeah, it's. He hit it. He's hit every high note and.

It hasn't really slowed down since his golden goal in 2010. It just follows him. His game doesn't really change no matter the situation, the game state. You look at the clock, the score, the way he plays, he still kind of does the right things and it's funny watching him switch from using raw tools as a younger Crosby might have done to deception. And I think the stone goal is a perfect example of that where he okay, he's off to the races and he hesitates a step of the blue like maybe he won't go and then he leans in again and

takes the step in like he might cut in. But it's it's only after he's assessed everything. And if you go back and watch the stone goal or the no look pass to McKinnon or the set up to Mitch Marner, just maybe hockey night could revisit and just look at the amount of times he snaps his head to take a Polaroid. The guy's the best, he's the best guy at taking Polaroids.

He assesses everything, he looks, he knows exactly where everybody is. He must've looked six or seven times around him. Oh, look at this. Coming up the ice. And that's where he is. It's not a no look pass on the first goal. The look was there.

It just happened a lot earlier before anybody noticed. And that's what makes him so great is that one, two, three, four, five, six, seven. Look at that. That's a great example. Just taking pictures. Where is everyone? And he's driven everyone back. And he knew Mitch Marner was coming up and

And Bob's your uncle that's what he's so great at and being 37 doesn't slow that down no really cool it was just a really cerebral performance and So long overdue since we've got to see Sid in that jersey and to get a show like that to kick it all off It's really cool. It's you know you go into this and everybody's freaking out about the opening clip where you can't get the jersey over his shoulder and everyone's like oh my god Oh, you guys you texted me well What do you it's not ridiculous to be this guy can't put his own sweater on maybe There's a tight one in a hell, baby Jersey's I tight you want to pull it twice when I say that same the jerseys a little okay?

You're a bit of a conspiracy I would be the guy you watch too much Netflix. He hasn't played for He couldn't put his kid on but I think it's unreasonable to be like hey I just think it's amazing that we're kind of expecting him You know, it's all all the talk before this tournament is about his role as the leader and the elder Statesman and the puck drops. He's the best forward. Yeah, right. And she's like, oh no, I'm the guy that's going to win the game for you guys. I'm going to set up the opener. I'm going to biggest goal, set up the winner. You're just

their best forward. Yeah. A lot of that game. You got, you got a couple of sounds from Sid. Let's see. Let's hear from clip one on the atmosphere. I just want to hear on Sid. Yeah. Yep. Obviously the ovation for Mario to hear. On Sid? Yeah. Sid, yep. Clip one, please. Obviously, the ovation for Mario to start, that was pretty cool. And then just the crowd coming out for a warm up. Just the anticipation through the whole overtime. Seeing Nate and Connor pick the puck up and do their thing. And just all that stuff just it was a

Kind of roller coaster just the way the game went but they were incredible and it was a lot of fun to play a game like that I Think we we will get to Mitch Marner and the ot winner Unbelievable moment for Marner and you know Canadians to have that happen but he mentioned McKinnon and McDavid. Do those guys not seem like they should be in the league above whatever league they're in? Like the speed of the game like their touches.

The McDavid back check he turns one over and then he just goes back and gets it. Just like it doesn't seem fair to be able to play the game. Wow. Let's just swear especially over 10 minute three on three is like Sweden had no answer there. That type of speed. And people are all over McKinnon because he shot the puck like four times or whatever, but he was in great shooting spot. And I do think the way it worked out that he had taken a couple shots.

Somebody's got to shoot. And he's on that rush with McDavid. And everyone's like, God, he shot it a couple times, but the guy takes the pass, like he's gotta take the shot. He was dying too, but yeah, just playing at a different speed than everyone else. The first eight minutes of that game, McKinnon was out of this world. Yeah. Where.

Hits. Shots. And same with McDavid as well. They're just, the intensity, the McDavid thing. I was just ready to be like, oh well been a good run as a Leaf fan I guess I'm now oilers guy This guy is way too good. I'm ready to trade it in but Nate still has that The different element that McDavid doesn't have in that I think Nate can still go through you Yeah, more physical. And bowling ball.

Wow. I mean, McDavid's by no means passive, but you're right. McKinnon's just a larger force. Yeah, it's the torque in his game. It's a perfect word. If I can describe maybe the difference, the differential between the two is he's got more torque. Like he can, he can Ben Steele this guy the way he plays. I mean he is on like one on twos at times in traffic

and taking crossovers. He's making strides in traffic. Just like stop me. Most people can't. Mitch Marner. Yay, there you go, your boy. Your boy under the big stage fires a little. Was it you that texted me or a thousand other people

saying, okay, I want you to pay him now. I know, I said. I want you to pay him now. It was me who sent you the tweet that said, live look at Kip, and it was the show me the money Kip. I thought it was funny, I'm poking fun. Go ahead, go tell everybody how wrong you've been over this, how long you've been wrong about this guy. Go ahead, go tell everybody how wrong you've been over this, how long you've been wrong about this guy.

Go ahead, it's your platform. What I'll say, and I said this to Borny when I came in here, I have never ever liked Mitch Marner like I like him today. And I think that's a perception, and that's what playing in these tournaments can do for guys' reputations in their cities. I have never watched a moment like that is,

I watched that clip of that goal, of that play a hundred times today. And the feeling I have towards Mitch with that goal is higher, I like him 10 times more today than I ever have. But you've seen it a hundred times as a leaf, Sam. It's different. It's different because like this is, I'm about to watch it for my hundred and first time if we're away if you're watching on on TV

Or on YouTube. It's a great shot signature Mitch shot around the blocker through traffic because Listen, then the perception around this guy has been the lack of big moment stuff whether it's fair or not That's been the perception so for him to come through in this moment be at three on three Which doesn't real hockey which is sometimes what you've said I think that Can actually propel him to greater heights yeah, I think that That couldn't help you have every best player in the world

Pouring over the boards to tap you on the head and say way to go Marnes you did it you did it. How can that not help? Yeah, it's incredible. All right, let's go to John Cooper on Mitch Marner Good one, I don't know if you're saying That like is that a confidence building goal That kid oozes confidence. So I thought it was a big time player making a big time play at a big time moment. And that's why guys like him are on this team. He was fabulous.

Interesting comment. Quip two, I took clip two and then we can talk about it. When you're that size, you have to have something. You have to be unique at something. You have to be better than everybody else at something. And if you really watch that game, the plays he made, the plays he made in tight, the plays he made in traffic,

and he's not the fastest kid in the ice, doesn't have a hard shot in the ice, doesn't do a whole bunch of things that a lot of guys out there on both teams do better than him. But that's really hard to sit here and say, well, is there a better player? He puts himself at that elite level, the way he thinks the game, the way he processes the game at such a high level and at such a high rate of speed. And that's why he's the player he is.

And you know, I've watched him close up. I've played against him and coached against him in playoff series and I've watched what he can do. And you know, there's not too many guys that can excel both as a power play player and a penalty killer and a five on five guy and three on three and you know, Mitch can do it all. And just, I've watched this kid grow from when he was a young kid and pro hockey to what he is now and just keeps getting better.

I'm really hoping Darryl Ferris is on vacation. He's unplugged. He's not listening to anything. He's like, oh, I'm just gonna unplug for two weeks. And I didn't think he was That great last night right? I think you got better as the game went along a rewatch today and I feel the same way again You went from a certain style of play including Playing with Tavares and Matthews and then you go on

Like I said Space, the roller coaster, and that can't be an easy thing to do. I think he's gonna be even a lot better Saturday night going against the US, but he did get a lot better. It's interesting though that, I'm not sure how the question was phrased, but he said, do you mean that, you know? The question was like,

what kind of goal like that do for Mitch Marner? Yeah, which kind of sets up the basic narrative about him. And then we heard from Kelly Rudy in the pregame, Kelly talked about basically a guy that gets down on himself, right? This could be a good tournament for a guy that gets down on himself.

And it's like, it's a different narrative than a one that says he's using with confidence because a guy that gets down on himself who doesn't have confidence. And it kind of sets up kind of like the whole kind of feel for Mitch Marner. Either you're a guy that really appreciates him like Cooper does or the narrative that many have carried, including you, Sammy Sammy where he's just not good enough He's just not good enough and he cracks under pressure and he's no good in big moments And it's like not too many other guys in the league Carried that big of a gap between and I'm not saying Kelly's right or John Cooper's right. I'm just saying that no, that's totally true

It's it's amazing. It's amazing. It's amazing the difference between the guy that loves everything he does and the guy that questions it. Yeah, I think a lot of it is. Polarizing guy. What's that? Polarizing guy. He is, but I think a lot of it is,

you know, because of what Cooper's talking about, the way that Mitch plays, and I don't mean this to be condescending to anyone who was not a hockey player but if you haven't played it's tough to see all the things he does well. You know it's tough to understand the little nuances and the positioning and the way he's reading and thinking the play. You know not all people can see that and his coach can. The overtime goal. Like go back and really take a look at it because It takes a stick at the side of the net in his own zone.

It's, but he starts out as the third man guy high, right? And then there's the two on one between Brad and Nylander. And if you watch him play it, he's got the 10 to two going back and forth and back and forth. Brad doesn't know what to do He's like at the end of the right at the last second he's like I'm gonna send it over to Willie forces it and he forces a bad pass and Then if you watch Marner after the puck goes below the goal line He actually picks Brad

like he he lifts his stick or he picks him. Rubbed him out a little bit. Rubbed him out a little bit and allows Crosby now to go do his thing. And it's like, does anybody notice that? Does anybody see that? Like to me, that's the first highlight you show of the development of that play

and how Marner did it 400 feet, 200 feet one way, 200 feet the other way. Yeah. And that's the thing that Cooper's talking about that to your point, I don't know how many people see that. Yeah. And so when it doesn't, when it doesn't come through on the offensive side of things, you know, I think one of the things when people say Marner has struggled in the playoffs in these big games,

a lot of it is that he's hyper-defensively conscious. He doesn't want to be the guy who left someone in behind him. So he errs on the side of things defensively. So when it doesn't happen offensively, it's... But I think... He's also playing with a guy like Willie Nylander, who's the opposite, that will cheat all day long. But I think this is the thing is that for Marner, I hope that this goal helps him recalibrate

a bit and say, it's okay to get up there and do those things on the offensive side because he can do that, put a game away and people notice that. But he's not playing with other people like this. He's playing with Austin Matthews, the best scorer in the world. But he's also playing with guys that cheat or take bad shots at bad angles and he's overly cautious being defensive still for the Toronto Maple Leafs because they got other guys that aren't. Okay. That's my point. That's fine. I think a lot of people would love to play with the guys he plays with, but yeah.

This is good for him and I hope it's a building point for him and hopefully for Canada here. I talked about this before the season even started, that what this tournament could do for the perceptions of the Leafs that are playing in it. And I think, I really do think that last night was a huge moment for Mitch in terms of being like listen There's still big moment because if he doesn't shoot it in three on three, it's like there's no points There's still I mean, yeah we could be talking about how he didn't play well for 40 minutes of the game or whatever, but I just I Really do think that helps his perception and I said it from the start of the year that could help and it's great

It's a great moment the Bell Center's cheering for him, but like why why can't you enjoy it? Why does it have to be like like this big so it's it's funny because it's almost as if like you're waking up now It's not he's the same guy. He's still the same guy. He's still the same player. He's gonna do He's just gonna do the same thing that's always all the big overtime winners he scored for the Leafs get yes Marner and Matthews and Nylander and all the rest of them for sure. Tell me something No, and this is just a perception thing, right? This is the perception thing. Yes Bittington doesn't come up with key saves at the end. They lose 3-2. He doesn't score the overtime You're crapping all over him.

That's the fine line. Yeah, that's hockey. That's what we do. That's the business. But it's not necessarily like, it's not good enough, Sam, that you just get to do that. It's not because-

But I think the opposite is true, Kip. If he had better goaltending in the last five or six years in Toronto, then he would have been better to you. And it's like that's out of his control. He doesn't have a Binnington to make a big save. He hasn't had Stolarzer wall all this time. He's got Samsonov. Yeah.

Okay. Jack Campbell. Sorry, but not good enough. But you know what? Put the blame on poor guys. I'm not putting the blame on them. All right, anyway, send it. It's fine, it's fine.

I'm telling you, I've never loved them like I love them today, and you're the maddest you've ever been at me. Go buy a jersey, go buy a jersey. I will not buy a jersey of someone who's younger than me. I love that rule. We got time for? Bennington. Bennington.

Bennington, we do. Bennington, I put out a tweet today and said said I don't know what they're gonna do with him Come Saturday night because he wasn't great, but he did make some big saves down the stretch I don't love the idea of launching Aiden Hill into his first game against USA on a Saturday night Chris Pronger our guest yesterday responded to me on Twitter and said basically guest yesterday responded to me on Twitter and said basically Bennington's net to lose, you know that that he played well enough didn't and also Cooper said that it's not going to be a rotation in his mind. So I think we're gonna get

Bennington Saturday night again. Can we play clip five, please Cooper? We spoke and when I you know, told him he was going to start tonight. And we just talked about you know, playing in big told him he was going to start tonight and We just talked about you know playing in big moments and big games and he's done it all and even in his cup run he had to go on the road to to win game seven and But in the end I said you're gonna have it you're gonna have a team that's gonna be playing hard in front of you. Just make the saves that you're supposed to make. Maybe slide in one that you're not. And that's what he did. And you know, when you need the big

save and over time, he made it and gave us a chance to win and we did. Not a snowball's chance that he's pulling him out Saturday night. No, completely agree. That's it's a non issue.ue completely agree, you know, and I have seen people Particularly critical of the Kempe goal Was that the one debt was a dowdy who was in deep on that one and it's like that guy shoots it Almost as well as anyone in the league not named Matthews. He's in the hash marks, you know, or just above them That's I mean, I know it goes through him and you should save it Yeah, not the worst goal the the Eric's in that one

What are you supposed to just the flutter puck from the half boards is a weird one kind of a screen not perfect, but He just Cooper just said it just make the ones you're supposed to make he Does not have to steal you games. No, if you if this team forces that guy to steal games Then this isn't the team we thought it was. No. And that's it. Like he does not have to win it. And he can, this lineup should be good enough

even if he give up a bad goal, that they should be able to overcome it. It's funny like thinking going into this that, you know, all these guys might get a chance and we'll see how everyone plays in the game or whatever. But the tournament is so short and I'm sure there were some nerves and I didn't love that first call Sammy that he let in, but it's like, okay, he's been in it now. That's as loud as it gets as nervous as it in an OT.

He didn't look nervous. He made some big saves. I think you're going to get a better version of him. I don't like the idea of saying here's the Americans did to Aiden Hill. So The best word I've given it to Benner. Yeah, the best word I can say about him is kind of a gamer You know where confident? Yeah, I hated that camp eagle I really feel like that flipped the whole game in terms of just the way the game felt the Canada was in control That goal goes in it's 3-2 everybody starts to tighten up a little bit,

the building tightens up a little bit. But he was brilliant after they tied the game. Like he made multiple key saves, including those ones in overtime. But at the end of the third period, I don't know who it was that shot it from the left side of the ice through a screen. Seeing I shot, he gets his pad out.

Like it's not an enjoyable experience having him in the net at all And I'm not really in but I'm not gonna be like yeah, Aiden Hill if it was Logan Thompson They were putting in to be a different story, but of the options here. You got a snow game is over He needed to lose For big time for them to consider it. It was it was just that simple. He found a way to make One bigger save to win a hockey game and that's that's good enough There's no time to feel out to goalies. I

Have lots more thoughts on lots more topics. We should get in a break before yeah, let's go. Let's take a break Yeah, yep that work for you. It works and then we got a little mini McKee's mailbag got a few but I think if he's got still thoughts we don't have to be on the forceman there but You got some thoughts. We'll go to it. We'll get to break and we return more For nations face-off talk on real kippur and born Hey, it's Ben Ennis and I'm Brent cutting we got you covered on all things leafs rafters and blue jays every weekday morning Six to nine. It's the fan morning show sportsnet 590 the fan and wherever you get your podcasts. The Kipper is just important.

Sammy McKee, a reminder. Sour Real Kipper brought to you by bet three, six, five. All right, Sammy, what do you have for us? It's game time presented by bet three, six, five. Visit the app for the stars and find out why it's never ordinary at bet 365. That's 19 plus on terror only. Please play responsibly. And if you like that last night, get to do it again tonight. Yay. I mean, it's not quite as good as Canada, Sweden, I wouldn't say but USA, Finland tonight. Finland, big time underdogs as you would expect at the Bell Center plus 310 underdogs USA minus 390 on the money line expecting a big US win I would imagine that this

one just has a funny feeling to me I think the states will win but I don't think plus 310 is a awful number if you're thinking of an upset. I think you could probably take Finland plus a goal and a half or something. Plus a goal and a half is plus 125. So I think they have the ability, they have enough good players to keep this baby close. Barkov, Rantunen, and Lekunen.

Yeah, in the middle, yeah. No, that's the line. That's their first, that's the first line. Aho on their team. No one in the NHL has scored more since December 4th than Lekunen. Most team. I know one in the NHL has scored more since December 4th and Leckinen I was cool. I think I think it's a really good line. Yeah. Yeah, because it is now is it Is he gonna is Barkov going against Ike or Matthews tonight? Oh, I mean he put Matthews Hughes probably. Yeah, I

Think I don't know if they're gonna win it But I definitely think they have the potential to keep it close and then it's a close game It gets a little tense who knows you can do worse than plus 310 and I think Austin Matthews will score tonight So plus 140 on an anytime goal for Austin Matthews Last minute of the game Kyle Connor Jack Eichel Matthew Kachuk or Jake Gensel Austin Matthews and Jack Hughes What line do you put out? Or Jake Gensel, Austin Matthews and Jack Hughes. What line do you put out? Uh, you're probably doing some mix and match, right?

You get to put out four forward, some sort of Kyle O'Connor. Yeah. Connors. Connors. Yeah. Yeah. Right. I would go Conor Kachak Matthews probably if I had to get, get, uh,

Kachak in the net front with the God, Saturday night's going to be so good. Uh, yeah, we got a game tonight. Anyways, that was Game Time presented by Bet365. Visit the app for latest odds and find out why they're ordinary. Bet365 with 19 Plus Ontario only. Please play responsibly. Finland down the middle. Pretty good.

Aho, Lundell, Barkov, like good defensive. They're good. Just don't look at the decor. You don't like Yokoharu and Olimata? Nicholas Matanpalo? Boom. Yep. That sounds great. So what were your thoughts that you had before we were going to break?

Now, the NHLPA didn't want to take or the NHL either didn't want to take a bunch of extra guys, have them sitting around, right? Skip this two week break so they could watch and not get in. I got to believe everyone's getting in right Sam Bennett's gonna play They're not gonna have Bennett sit in the press box for Saturday night. So who's Bennett in for is my question Yeah, I I don't I don't believe that for a second to be honest with you I think that there's a possibility he could not play but but again, a more of a US feel. Why wouldn't you wanna put him in? But I do believe that there's a possibility that someone in this tournament's not gonna get in.

Yeah, I find it hard to believe. You know, you ask how to give up the time, and I mean, maybe if you're talking about like Finland's extra D or something. You're giving me participation kind of ribbons right now, and I don't like that feeling at all So connect me played 10 minutes and 20 seconds. He was a dash to well the whole Serele and connect me and hagel they were minus two. Yeah, they were yeah But more than that before the connecting fall down on the face on I text you guys it connect

He'll be out next game. It just a little lost, all over the ice, like, you know, couldn't figure out what wing he was playing sometimes. Felt like a big moment for him. Yeah, a couple of dashes, falls on the draw and they give one up and all of a sudden it's like, okay, well, I gotta believe he's coming out.

That's just my two cents on who it would be if I were coaching. I think that's fair. I'm not sure it's an automatic, but I think it's fair. And if you're going in, I guess if you're going in against the States and the way that that game's probably gonna unfold, maybe you want Konekne's sort of nastiness

and his little bit of grittiness and his ability to get under other people's skin. So you can put the greatest power play of all time out there for a couple more times, more than 10 seconds. Yeah, I love Hagel by the way. Hagel does that. He was a, he was. But you want Bennett's physicality and size in there against the States.

You look at that lineup, like I feel like that's the game that he gets in for. So only other note then for me is just, how do you guys feel about the Shea Theodore injury? Obviously, no one's like, great, it's awesome. I love it. But you know, you see people tweeting stuff like, you know, how do you think the teams feel about this? And how is this going to dampen people's excitement? Oh, I don't think it'll dampen excitement, but it may factor into whether or not a week

from now we're talking about the right decision on seventh defenseman. Buddy when Vegas LTIR is a Theodore, maybe Vegas fans will like it a little bit more. No, he's going to be out four to six weeks. Week to week? They say week to week. Yeah. So, I mean, they've done some chicanery before. Wouldn't be the first time. It's only eight weeks till playoffs. I do think that's a big blow for Team Canada in terms of...

Yeah. Van Hyme to Theodore is a big swing. Yeah. You have... Oh, there's the injury there. Right hand. Crunch is... Crumpled up underneath. Wrist. Yeah, he and I'm to Theodore is a big swing. Yeah, I mean you have oh, there's the injury there and crunches Wrist yeah Like you look at Kale mccarr who was probably the best puck mover in the world So you have him on your top pair and I thought him and Doughty were really starting to kind of look good together They were snapping around a little bit. He can really break the puck out. Shea Theodore and when he's not there You know break was not necessarily gonna snap it out as much.

Doughty's not snapping it out. Sandheim. Prieko got a hard time for the icing last night. That's a mental, sorry, physical, not a mental mistake. Just to continue the leaf flavor of our national hour here. God, he looked good in blue and white, Prieko. I think a lot of fan bases looking at Prieko going, can we get one of those?

God, he's a force. Two or three weeks ago, Doug Armstrong just said, don't call me about Pareco. Did he? I don't know what's changed, if anything's changed at all, but that guy was earlier in the season,

an untouchable for Doug Armstrong, and you can see why. Yeah, he's just so long. You know, I looked at the numbers and they weren't great and all that, he's just so long. You know, like I looked at the numbers and they weren't great and all that, but there's so many times where I was like, oh God, and Preco's just like, go, go Gadget Stick. It's in the corner, body's wrapped up,

breaks it out, I was like, oh God. He's really, really good. You understand why he's there. Yeah. Couple questions? Shall we? Let's do it. All right, this is from Ethan,

member of the passion zone President Sammy McKee, it seemed like John Cooper was rolling out Hagel Sorelli every other shift whilst also rotating in point as the tournament goes on Do you think John Cooper will keep this up when Canada needs a goal? How do you not default to 87 29 97? 87 didn't get a shift in overtime until after those guys went on the ice I think in overtime it was started Marner McDavid Yes

and then it went to McKinnon and stone was McStone out there for a little bit and then it was Sid and And then it was Sid I think or over there they went back. I think yeah Yeah, I think Tampa guys came out. I think if I'm not mistaken I could be wrong I you know Sammy at one point last night you didn't love that they were throwing think Tampa guys came out. I think if I'm not mistaken, I'll say you're wrong I you know, Sammy one point last night You didn't love that they were throwing the Tampa guys together, but late in the game like that I thought they're really good two-way forwarder forwards who are familiar with each other I didn't find that any sort of like coaches dad stuff where he's like playing as him who played the

played 12 minutes Yeah, that's hardly favoritism Hagel 15 like how about Braden points scooting down the ice and then just laying a like a Pill on a pillow for Martian pillow Braden point is not going to play you played 1418 last night 1418 per game No this tournament. He's gonna end up with bigger numbers. I'm curious to see how that works out couple couple thoughts But it's easy to say that yeah, but Where well, I want to have a thought. I want to have a thought and I don't want you to yell at me What's that because?

Reinhardt I thought was didn't have his best night. I thought he forechecked. Oh my god. I think he's so smart He's so smart. He's a great player elite defensively. Yeah, so he was just okay for yes Okay, and then Marner and McDavid to me are both puck carriers They both hang out of the puck control the play both of them were the top forwards in ice time Yeah, I think one Marner was only 20 seconds behind McDavid Yeah, he was so I don't know if they work for me and that doesn't mean I'm not saying put more on there I'm just saying I wonder if there's some configuring that happens to have the guys who have the puck a lot and play a lot On different units. I don't know they're lying at five on five for me

Well, you know most of the danger came from McDavid being fast. So yeah We'll see if they do a shuffle or not heading into Saturday night. I it's funny how long it took Cooper to be can we just maybe get McKinney Mcdave McCar on the ice together and three-on-three like do we have to wait three Shifts for this can we just start with that like that? Well, I'm always having an unbelievable like you know he's been one of the guys you're going to but let's just start with that and They had a million chances and the drop passes and just those two together. It's unbelievable. So Yeah, it was really really good stuff this this is probably the last time that Mitch and Brad will get a

cheer in the Bell Center what'd you think of the the reception for Willie and Matthews yeah I think probably appropriate for Canada right now yeah Matthews really got booed you know, he's the worst things. He's a Leaf and he's an American captain. I mean, he's the bad guy there, which is, he smiled, eh? Like he was like, all right, we're doing this. I think you kind of have to lean into that a bit.

I'm interested tonight to see what he looks like tonight because arguably he's having the worst season of his career. Outside of the injury, there has been a level of inconsistency in his game. Like, McDavid looked like McDavid, McKinnon looked like McKinnon. Can Matthews look like Matthews

that you're accustomed to seeing? Yeah. Tonight, as early as tonight. Yeah. Yeah, great question. You know, those two guys do it so differently look like Matthews that you're accustomed to seeing tonight, as early as tonight? Yeah, great question. Those two guys do it so differently in that they do it with the puck with speed. Matthews kind of has to find pockets a little bit more. Who's he playing with?

Oh, but Hughes. But there's a level of intensity that is missing out of Matthews that when you watch McDavid and McKinnon last night those guys played with a chip on their shoulder you can tell from the first two shifts hey oh these guys want to be here they want not to be denied last night that there's no choice we're coming out here and we're gonna leave it out on the ice but Kip Matthews doesn't have that he doesn't play like them but no one There's no choice. We're coming out here and we're gonna leave it out on the ice. But Kip, Matthews doesn't have that.

He doesn't play like them. No one else in the league plays like them. He must have at one time because you two called him the second best player in the world. No, he had the second best season in the world. Absolutely, he had the best season in the world. No, no, it wasn't the best season in the world.

It was the second best player in the world. You're wrong. I said he was the best player in the world. Oh, oh, contraire, mon fr Contraire Monterrey like them I'm not saying he's worse than that it's a different style version that he played yeah it it should surface tonight for sure yeah US team to have a statement like like the other top players have had he doesn't do it like those guys didn't like Mc McDavid had one assist, a second assist in the game, but he controls the play with his feet and with rushes.

And that's not Matthew's game. So yeah, we'll see if he looks good or bad or otherwise, but it's tough to look like those guys because no one else does. This is from Bob Smith on Twitter. Definitely his real name, Bob Smith. For sure. Can't help but feel like the lack of

best on best tournaments in the last 10 years as hurt guys like Matthews and Marner in missing out on opportunities to learn from the great leaders at these type of tournaments and Bringing them back to the club thoughts on that they've had Thornton and Spetsa and well and all these guys come in and Tavares and we're in first place Yeah, fair enough, but I mean, I don't just named everybody that's never won before if you don't have it by now, you know what it's supposed to be. You know What's Marner? I think there's something because I think there's something I do that. I think The answer is yes Definitely that there's something to it at this point of their careers

It's a little late. You want to get those guys in front of them When they're 21, yeah 22 and then let them take over at 23 24 25 which are 27 now Yeah, what's so hard about that is like when teams are bad and then they could get good players. It's like what Buffalo did They're like, here's the money. Here's the team here's the captaincy and then they don't have anyone to sort of bring them along. And it doesn't necessarily work out. That's the hard thing about handing it to guys before they've earned it.

But you also handed it to a very inexperienced general manager, Kyle Dubas. And coach. That, like, how would he know? How would Kyle Dubas know this? Sault Ste. Marie would have taught him that? Yeah, but I mean, like he's not the one. If you're comparing Kyle Dubas to going and playing in the Olympics with Sidney Crosby, it's two different things. No, we're talking about having proper mentors

in situations where you can pass the torch. And to JB's point, when you're're 21 22 and they hand you the world and all of a sudden you've skipped a very important part of development A Couple of these are just how robbed everybody feels of not having best on best for eight years And I kind of opened up with that but mm-hmm you know just seeing everything last night and seeing all

those guys together and seeing the intensity in the game and seeing everything it's a huge loss eight years you think about all the players that people call you said the best player best Canadian player ever and he hasn't played for eight years so is everybody screaming for ten minutes now and overtime yes yes also they're screaming for the point, the way they did the points. So glad you mentioned that. It makes so much sense,

and I don't feel like the players are as aware of it as they need to be, that there should be a press at the end of regulation to get that extra point. I thought both teams were like, let's get a point, that's, you know, and they kind of let it go to OT. Canada wins, they only get two points. It's better to win in regulation, and it should be. It should be worth more. A two-point win

really raises the stakes for Saturday night though. It really does. Pretty awesome. Can't wait. Wow. Oh, it's over? It's over. They're playing our song right now. All right, our thanks to no one. My thanks to you. Except you two. Yeah, you buddy. Still love you, Sammy. Oh, I love you more, buddy. All right. Team USA, Team Finland tonight, 8 p.m. puck drop. Don't change that channel.

Just leave it on Sportsnet all night long. Enjoy the game, everybody. We're Off the Rails Friday with Doug McClain. We will track him down. And Leafs line 416 413 4141. Canada this time. Canada time!