Here is all the information you need to know about the Olympics semifinal showdown between Team USA and Canada:
Team USA (4-0, with one win in a shootout) vs. Canada (4-0, with one in overtime)
When: 9 p.m. in Sochi; noon ET
Where: Bolshoy Ice Dome
Where to watch: You can watch the online stream here. For TV, currently the official Olympics TV listings have the game on NBC Sports Network. But be aware that yesterday, the women's gold medal match was flexed to NBC -- so be ready for a last-minute switch.
Goalie matchup: USA's Jonathan Quick vs. (3-0, 1.62 goals-against average, .935 save percentage) vs. Canada's Carey Price (3-0, 0.99, .941). Quick looks in the zone, and Price hasn't been challenged the way the Americans will challenge him.
Goals for/against: USA, 20-5; Canada, 13-3
How they got here: USA downed Slovakia, Russia (in shootout) and Slovenia in the preliminary round, and eliminted the Czech Republic 5-2 in the quarterfinals. Canada took out Norway, Austria and Finland (in overtime) in the preliminary round, and eliminated Latvia 2-1 in the quarterfinals.
Who's hot: USA's Phil Kessel is the hottest forward in the tournament with five goals and three assists for eight points in four games.
Who's not: Canada's Chris Kunitz doesn have a point yet in the tournament.
Key matchup: USA's David Backes vs. Canada's Sidney Crosby. The Americans won't use him exclusively against Crosby, but he will be out there often against him. Backes has been a monstrous physical force in the tournament. U.S. defenseman Ryan Suter will often play against Crosby's line.
What Canada wants to do: 1. Re-ignite its offense. The Canadiens have been out-of-sync with their puck movement and finishing since the start of the tournament. They should clearly be more dynamic than they have been; 2. Get Crosby going. He hasn't been as dynamic as the Canadians had hoped he would be. As was the case in Vancouver in 2010, figuring out who to play with Crosby is a challenge. Crosby thinks the game differently. It appears coach Mike Babcock will stick with Chris Kunitz and Patrice Bergeron on Crosby's line. Kunitz's Crosby's regular linemate in Pittsburgh; 3. Stay disciplined, not get drawn into penalties by USA's playing style.
What USA wants to do: 1. Be extraordinarily abraisve to play against. That's the team's identity. They want to be relentless. They want to pressure the Canadians at every opportunity; 2. Stay out of the penalty box. There's a fine line between playing aggressive and being undisciplined. The Americans can't take bad penalties. Special teams could decide this game; 3. Get a big goal from Patrick Kane. He has looked dangerous. He has four assists. But he has no goals. He's a big-game player. He's due to explode.
Prediction: USA has been the best team in the tournament. The Americans win 2-1, and Canada goes on to win the bronze medal.
PHOTOS:
USA hockey at the Sochi Olympics
