New Report Reveals how Important Auston Matthews is to Team USA
Photo credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
For Team USA at the Olympics all roads eventually lead to Team Canada if they want to win the gold, and after their first game it is clear that Auston Matthews has to be the player that brings them there.
The Toronto Maple Leafs superstar was Team USA's best player in their win over Latvia, and showed he is the engine that will allow this team to go forward.
Auston Matthews is the key for Team USA to win gold.
Adam Proteau of the Hockey News reported on how important Matthews is to the Americans' success at the Olympics. If Matthews cannot deliver against the better teams in the tournament, they will not win. And Matthews has to embrace his role on the team.
"And Matthews, the captain of Team USA, must build on his performance in Game 1 and pile up those goals. He's built a reputation as one of the NHL's top goal-scorers, if not the top goal-scorer, over the past few years with three 'Rocket' Richard Trophies. There's no reason he shouldn't be up there with Slovakia's Juraj Slafkovsky and Germany's Tim Stutzle (three goals each) for most goals when the preliminary round ends. And considering he's tied for 21st in NHL goal-scoring this season, a strong showing at the Olympics would be good for him to carry back to the Maple Leafs."-Proteau
The Canadians have made it very difficult for Team USA to clinch the top spot, as they have a goal difference of plus nine through two games. Meaning the Americans will have to pour on the offence with their match against Denmark if they are to keep up with them. And finishing first is important because finishing second almost guarantees a matchup with Sweden in the quarter-finals.
"As we've seen in other group action, Sweden and Finland have experienced victory and defeat already, so winning is far from a given for any team. In fact, if Finland beat Italy in regulation on Saturday, Slovakia would clinch their group, and Sweden will likely end up playing in the qualifying round and potentially face whoever isn't the No. 1 seed in the quarterfinals."-Proteau
Matthews is the best goal scorer the Americans have, and will have to rise to the occasion in every game not just sometimes, if the Americans are to clinch the number one seed, and go on to eventually beat Canada.
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| POLL | ||
FEVRIER 14|214 ANSWERS New Report Reveals how Important Auston Matthews is to Team USA Will Auston Matthews finally rise to the occasion and step up big for Team USA at the Olympics? | ||
| Yes | 105 | 49.1 % |
| No | 109 | 50.9 % |
| List of polls | ||