Trailing Finland in the semifinals 2-0 on Friday afternoon in the Olympics, Team Canada coach Jon Cooper decided to mix things up. His team cut the deficit to 2-1 in the second period, but they were still chasing a goal entering the third period.
During the NHL regular season, coaches will mix things up with their lines to try to jump-start the offense and get a goal. You tend to get some weird lines when that happens. However, when Cooper is coaching Canada, he can put together some talented lines. Nobody had on their bingo card what he was cooking up.
Former Bruins forward Brad Marchand helps Canada rally past Finland
Raise your hand if you envisioned a Canada line in the third period chasing a goal of Brad Marchand, Sam Bennett, and Tom Wilson. Yeah, I didn't think so. That's exactly what Cooper out there and of course, he was rewarded with the game-tying goal.
The line caused chaos in the offensive zone, and Marchand drove to the net and created a dfistraction and defenseman Shea Theodore tied the game 2-2, setting the stage for the game-winning power play goal from Nathan MacKinnon late in the game on the power play. So, what did the trio think about playing together?
“I think we’ve been excited to try to play together,” Marchand said. “I think we’ve always felt like we would kind of connect well. So it’s nice not having to worry about those two guys taking my head off.”
“I think we just all looked each other in the eye and we knew what we were going to do,” Wilson said. “Fast, hard, create chaos, play physical, get pucks to the net… Simple, fast, hard hockey.”
“It’s three guys that understand the energy, the physical play, the grittiness of the game a little different,” Bennett said. “We talked about hopefully getting a chance to play the other day, and we got that chance. Those are two guys that are best at disrupting games and swinging energies, and it was a treat for me to get to play with them.”
Cooper putting that line together, is putting together a line that will cause chaos, and they did to spark the comeback to advance to the Gold Medal Game. It must be nice to have those choices at your disposal.