Written by Joe Tetreault | 24 February 2010

The swirling pregame question asked what troubled team Canada.  The shootout win over the Swiss was bad enough.  But to lose to the Americans, at home no less, was ignominy.  So changes were made, because changes must be made after big losses.

Lines were shuffled, and the venerable Martin Brodeur was benched in favor of his understudy, Roberto Luongo.  As our staff of experts noted Marc-Andre Fleury's services in these games remain unnecessary.

The changes helped enabling Canada to reach their anticipated place in the quarterfinals.  The path was a longer one than they wanted.  Tonight they take on the team that their own GM called the favorites before the games began.  After the jump we look at Team Canada's game last night against the Germans and their match tonight with Russia.

A Restoration of Confidence

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Winning inspires confidence.  Winning big restores swagger.  Team Canada needed a touch of the swagger back in their game after their 5-3 loss to team USA in the closing game of the preliminary round.

Any residual jitters from the Canadians were eased when Joe Thornton got them on the board at 10:13 of the first period. German netminder, Thomas Greiss, withstood much of the Canadian attack.

A period that featured a 14-4 shot mismatch and just one goal feels too close for comfort.  In the second, Germany had more chances, but lost all hope as Canada exploded for three goals, two from Jarome Igilna before Germany beat Luongo for their first goal.

By then the fans in Canada Hockey Place were chanting "We want Russia" and Germany was essentially vanquished.  The third period brought another four goals for Canada and almost an afterthought, a final goal for the Germans, with 1:02 left to play.

Canada was led by Luongo who made 21 saves and Igilna with two goals.  The other Canadian goal scorers were Thornton, Shea Weber, Sidney Crosby, Mike Richards, Scott Niedermayer and Rick Nash.

A Dance With A Hungry Bear

Victory over the Germans is one thing.  Germany had trouble scoring all tournament and were never a real threat to upend the Canadians.  Russia however could stop Canada's medal hopes cold.

Like the Canadians, Russia experienced a humbling loss in the preliminary round.  The Slovak team squeaked by in a shootout that took seven rounds before a decisive goal was scored.

Russia channeled that loss into a methodical defeat of the Czechs to win Group B.  Canada will be their biggest challenge, as will Russia be Canada's most intimidating foe.  There's more than a little history between the two, as well.

In the bad old days, when Russia was the biggest republic in the Soviet Union, the Soviets were the premier power in Olympic Hockey.  Their professional players had an advantage over the college kids the Americans sent and the junior players from Canada.  Though Canada is tied with Russia (and its prior incarnations) for the most medals in Olympic Hockey history, they sport a 1-9 Olympic record against Russia since 1960.

The playing field is more than leveled by the presence of NHLers on the ice for both teams.  Tapping the top skaters, best goalies and toughest defenders neutralizes the big advantage Russia held for 36 of those years.

They both entered the tournament with golden dreams of triumph.  One will leave disappointed.  Puck drops at 4:30 Vancouver time, 7:30 eastern.