Canada Adjusting Lineup After Loss to USA

After the Americans stunned Team Canada in the preliminary round, Coach Mike Babcock and GM Steve Yzerman are tinkering with the roster to ensure a victory against Germany on Tuesday.

“So it was no surprise when Canadian coach Mike Babcock announced Monday he would be handing the goaltending duties to Roberto Luongo, effectively for the rest of the tournament. Because as he said, if Luongo falters now, the Canadians will be out of the tournament.

“We’re in the winning business,” Babcock said of replacing Martin Brodeur with Luongo, “and to win anything at a high level, you need big saves and you need momentum-changing saves and we’re looking for Lou to do that for us. He’s a great big butterfly goaltender and if you look at the way the pucks went in the net (in Sunday’s 5-3 loss to USA), with traffic and people in front of you a lot, sometimes being down in that butterfly it just tends to hit you. We believe Lou gives us a really good opportunity to win and that’s why we made the decision.”

There were also hints that there will be a changing of the guard on the Canadian defense, with veterans such as Scott Niedermayer, Chris Pronger and Dan Boyle getting reduced minutes and giving way to the likes of Drew Doughty, Duncan Keith and Shea Weber, with No. 7 man Brent Seabrook seeing more responsibility.” {THN.com}

After Broduer’s performance against the Americans, it’s clear that Team Canada needed to take their goaltending in a different direction. It’s an incredible oppertunity for Luongo – he’s got the chance to lead his country to Gold in Vancouver. The Canadian defense will also undergo some changes, as some of the older vets will be seeing less ice time, in favor of some of the younger kids, like Seabrook, Keith and Weber.

With the loss to the United States, the Canadians have put themselves in an unenviable position. They’ll have to beat Germany to advance in the tournament – and immediately turn around and face Russia in the Quarterfinals. It’s a tough, but not impossible road to the Gold for Canada.

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