Penguins/NHL
OLYMPIC ROUNDUP Finland is on a roll with a +9 goal differential (14 GF – 5 GA), winning today 6-1 over Norway. Those in the national media who haven’t realized how good Olli Maatta really is, they are seeing it now.
Maatta had a goal and 2 assists and a +4 rating in Finland’s 6-1 victory, giving him 4 points (2G-2A) in two games.
Maatta is tied with Canada’s Patrick Marleau and Finland defenseman Sami Vatanen for the points lead in the Olympics with 4 points.
Few would have imagined that through two games, Maata would have 4 points and Sidney Crosby would have just 1 point, but that’s the case.
Canada rebounded today with a 6-0 win over Austria but the six goal game was done without much production from the worlds best player.
Crosby picked up 1 assist in the win and was only on the ice for one of Canada’s six goals. The star of the game was Jeff Carter who recorded a hat trick. Carter, though, was taken off Crosby’s line and played very well with Patrick Marleau who had 3 assists in the win and leads Canada with 4 points. Carter had 3 goals in just 8:46 of ice time
With Carter bumped off the top line, Marty. St. Louis got the first look today with Crosby and Kunitz. The line was shutout as Crosby’s assist came when he was out on a makeshift line with Patrick Marleau as Carter come out of the penalty box and scored 10 seconds later.
Meanwhile, pressure is starting to mount as Chris Kunitz is pointless and has just 3 shots on goal in the tournament.
You’re starting to see the some of the media turn on Kunitz and certainly the fan base who feel regardless of his chemistry with Sidney Crosby at the NHL level, he doesn’t deserve to playing with him on Team Canada.
Will the coaching staff buy into the pressure? We’ll see.
