‘This is the big one,’ says Toews

Jonathan Toews said what most hockey observers – at least those in North America – have both been thinking and saying out loud at various points during the past several weeks.

“It’s the final that I wanted, and people in North America wanted,” said Toews, the Winnipeg Jets centre who has some first-hand knowledge of what is on the horizon on Sunday morning when Canada takes on the United States in the gold medal game of the Olympic men’s hockey tournament. “It’s great for our game. The game of hockey has grown so much. And I know the final in 2010 Vancouver was great for the game as well.”

After the Jets completed their on-ice session on Saturday, Toews fielded questions about the high-profile Olympic tournament that has lived up to the hype so far and also shared some insight on what it’s like to appear in a game of this magnitude, given his international experiences.

“It’s funny to be on the other side of it now, and just see how everyone’s holding their breath (when) we were down 2-0 against the Finns. And you feel how important this is to everyone across Canada in games like that,” said Toews. “So obviously, this is the big one. There’s some great teams in the tournament, so it hasn’t been an easy road for Canada. So I’ll definitely be cheering for them.”

So, what’s it like to prepare for a game like this, with so much at stake?

“I mean, I don’t know there’s not really any moment in your life that’s going to prepare you for that, really,” said Toews. “I’m sure some of those guys probably felt a lot of nerves, even just showing up to the Olympics and being in that locker room, and you play your first game, and you slowly kind of just get comfortable.

“Playing in the gold medal game is a whole different thing. I can think back to the game in Vancouver, especially where I don’t remember getting much sleep that night and basically laying wide awake, and all of a sudden it’s time to go to the game at like 9:30 in the morning. And then, I don’t know, you’ve just got to find a way to get to that place where you can just go and play, because you have to play the game.

“You have to execute, and you have to find ways to make plays and kind of just let go of the nerves and the pressure, because the other team is feeling it too. It’s a pretty special moment, one way or another, to be part of a game like that, and obviously, you want to see Canada get the gold.”

There’s been plenty of discussion the past several days about Canada’s ability to rally from deficits in each of the past two games just to reach the gold medal game.

Toews faced similar adversity in 2010, when the U.S. got a goal in the third period from Zach Parise to send the game to overtime, setting the stage for a seminal moment that followed – the golden goal from Sidney Crosby.

“You feel how important this is to everyone across Canada in games like that”

“After the fact, and when you have time to reflect on it, felt so fitting that he was the guy to score the goal. And winning on home soil in Canada at the Olympics was such a huge incredible cap off to Canada’s performance at the Olympics,” said Toews. “So, it was pretty special to contribute to that. But in the moment when the U.S. tied the game late, I’m not going to lie. I know a lot of guys said that the feeling was calm in the locker room. And I don’t know if I was feeling that a whole lot. I feel like if we’re being honest, obviously there were nerves.”

The ability to handle those nerves in tense moments could be the deciding factor in a game between two closely matched teams.

Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck has been excellent for the United States and he’s ready for the 4 Nations Face-Off matchup with Jordan Binnington.

“It is the one game everyone is excited about,” said Jets defenceman Dylan Samberg, who has represented the U.S. at the world junior hockey championship and the men’s world championship. “It is good to see (Hellebuyck) playing well and the team in front of him is playing well. The (U.S.) went up against a (couple of tough) opponents. The Sweden game, it was pretty tight checking. It was a scary one, but it was good to see them get through that one.

“(Canada) is a heavy team with some bigger guys who like to throw their weight around. I think it will be a good battle.”

Jets head coach Scott Arniel has been watching the games intently, both from the perspective of a hockey fan and as a coach with players involved in the competition.

“There’s not really any moment in your life that’s going to prepare you for that”

“It’s pretty tough to predict how this is going to go,” said Arniel. “It will have a lot of that 4 Nations (Face-Off) look to it. It’s going to be tight, it’s going to be fast. It will be really interesting to see the match-ups. Canada has the last change. The U.S, has their heavy line, with the Tkachuk’s and now it looks like (Canada) has got (its) new heavy line, with Tom Wilson, Marchand and Bennett. We’ll see how they match up.

“I don’t imagine there’s going to be a lot of free ice out there.”

How about a prediction, coach?

“These games so far have been so much fun to watch, watching best on best with all the games, not just Canada and the U.S. and when you get to see that, it’s pretty exciting for the fans,” said Arniel. “You’re just hoping for a great game. I just hope it lives up to what everyone is expecting. We’ll just leave it at that.”

Jets injury update

Team Canada head coach Jon Cooper announced on Saturday that defenceman Josh Morrissey won’t be suiting up in the gold medal game because of an upper-body injury that has limited him to just over one period of action in these Olympics.

“He’s pretty frustrated,” said Arniel. “But at the end of the day, you don’t want him playing in a game of that magnitude if he’s not able to do what he needs to do.”

Arniel said he won’t know Morrissey’s status for Wednesday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks for a few more days.

“In the moment when the U.S. tied the game late, I’m not going to lie… a lot of guys said that the feeling was calm in the locker room. I feel like if we’re being honest, obviously there were nerves.”

There was some promising news on the injury front as Neal Pionk shed the non-contact jersey on Saturday and was working with his regular defence partner, Samberg.

“He’s ready to go there for Vancouver, which is great news,” said Arniel. “Having him and (Samberg) back together is a big piece for us. When you lose those top-4 guys, that has a big impact. Him being back and up to speed is a really good sign.”

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