Hockey: Ice Hockey World Championship
Match start: 15:15 (GMT+1)
The North American derby in frames of the World Cup will be held in Herning. Opposition of the USA and Canada was always famous for its tension and such battle will glam up the starting game day. Both national teams are deprived of a number of important hockey players from the teams-participants of the playoffs of NHL but even without these players their squads are full of stars.
The USA
John Tortorella has perfectly worked over the squad of the American national team and the main problem for this team is the lack of test matches before the World Championship. Recently, all players were participating in the matches of NHL at the highest level and there are no doubts that according to physical they are ready to the tournament. Among the main heroes of the World Cup as a part of the national team of the USA it is necessary to name such hockey players as: Larkin, Kane, Gaudreau, Butcher and Lindgren. On last World Championship the way of the American national team has ended at a quarterfinal stage.
Canada
The eternal favorite of all World Cups again wants to win. We will see several new players from the university national teams in the national team of Canada and this is quite normal for the Canadian national federation. However, Canada hasn’t missed the stars of NHL: Piccard, Johnson, Barrie, Giroux, Marner, Skinner and MacKinnon. As well as the USA, Canada didn’t prepare for the World Championship through a prism of test matches but hardly North Americans will suffer from a lack of teamwork and physical readiness for the tournament.
Match prediction
In matches with Canada Americans demonstrate poor results and to start in the tournament with such battle is a real horror for the USA. Canada has every chance to begin with a convincing victory over the main rival and at once to begin its way to a title.