A Task Of Olympic Proportion

Note: Join me on Twitter @HockeyLegends for the Canada/Germany game

Canada starts the Olympic hockey tournament again today, complete with a new goalie, new lines and more pressure than ever.

Canada's task now is to win 4 must-win games in six days. That's a tall order for any team. Given slow progress shown in the preliminary round, this will truly be a task of Olympic proportion.

The good news is Canada has a fresh start and supposedly has an easy game to work some things out. That being said, the players better not be looking past Germany. They played a spunky game against Sweden. At times they have impressed with a surprising forecheck and aggressive attack. And in Thomas Greiss Germany has an NHL goalie who will be looking to rebound from a weak game against Belarus in what must amount to the biggest game of his life.

Oh, and assuming Canada gets by Germany, a fresh Russian team will be waiting less than 24 hours later.

Steve Yzerman had a press conference late Monday night, understating the obvious in saying "Obviously, we hope to do better," but that he still believes in his players. Honestly, so do I. They may have an impossible task ahead of them, but I really do believe in the coaching staff and players and their strategies and ability. They haven't gotten the necessary breaks needed to win a tournament like this, but it is better to get those this week than last week.

Yzerman also said "I'm not worried about my legacy," and I'm sure every player and coach on the team would say the same. But they all know winning is the only option here, and what is at stake is history's golden embrace or its unforgiving stare.

Other line changes: According to Bob McKenzie, Canada's lines for the Germany game will be Crosby with Staal and Iginla, Getzlaf with Nash and Perry, Toews with Morrow and Richards and the Sharks Line of Thornton with Heatley and Marleau. Bergeron will once again serve as a 13th forward.

There has been no word on defensive pairing breakdowns. And, yes, Martin Brodeur will be on the bench dressed as the back up. Third goalie Marc-Andre Fleury returns to the press box.