Canada goalkeeper Martin Brodeur is to be replaced for his country's ice hockey play-off with Germany on Tuesday following the shock 5-3 defeat to the USA at Canada Hockey Place.Vancouver Canucks keeper Roberto Luongo has been called into the starting line-up as the pre-tournament favourites for Winter Olympics gold aim to kick-start their campaign.
Defeat by the Americans in their final preliminary group game left Canada well down the seedings in sixth place, heading into the knockout phase of the tournament.
If they get past the Germans they will have to face arch rivals Russia in Wednesday's quarter-finals, a match-up many did not expect to see until the final.Canadian head coach Mike Babcock said on Monday that he would be benching 37-year-old New Jersey Devils goaltender Brodeur in favour of hometown hero Luongo.
"We're in the winning business and to win in any game, at any level, you need big saves, you need momentum-changing saves" Babcock said. "We're looking for Lu to do that."Dropping Brodeur was not an unexpected move with he and Luongo the subject of considerable debate in Canada as to who is best equipped to help the team win gold.
"I don't think he was surprised," Babcock said, regarding Brodeur's reaction to being dropped. "He understands it's about the team, not the individual."Defenceman Drew Doughty said he understood the concern of Canadian fans about their ice hockey team, given the struggle they had in beating Switzerland followed by defeat to the USA.
"I'm sure the whole country is worried about how we've been playing so far, but we're still confident," Doughty said. "It's going to be a longer route that's for sure but there are no doubts in our minds that we can do it."
In the same half of the draw as Canada, Germany and Russia, Olympic champions Sweden await the winners of Norway versus Slovakia for their quarter-final opposition while in the other half, the top-seeded USA will play either Switzerland or Belarus, while Finland awaits either the Czech Republic or Latvia.Team USA general manager Brian Burke was in far from celebratory mood following his side's win over the Canadians.
"People can say that Canada didn't play well but I don't agree with that," Burke said."They out-chanced us (45 shots on goal to the USA's 23) and except for the goaltending position (Ryan Miller), we didn't deserve to win that game last night."
Burke, whose full-time job is general manager of National Hockey League side the Toronto Maple Leafs, said American performances in all three group games had been below what was expected."I'm not happy with the way we've played to this point. If that's how we play we're going to have a hard time getting to where we want to get and medalling."We have to play significantly better."