5 Keys: Team Canada vs. Team Europe, Game 1

TORONTO -- Team Canada and Team Europe play Game 1 of the best-of-3 final of the World Cup of Hockey 2016 at Air Canada Centre on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; ESPN, CBC, TVA Sports).
Here are 5 keys to the game:

1. LIVING IN THE MOMENT

Team Canada cannot plan its victory party, even though it has won 14 consecutive games in best-on-best tournaments and few give Team Europe a chance. But few gave Team Europe a chance to make the final, and Team Europe did it by defeating Team USA and Team Czech Republic in the preliminary round and upsetting Team Sweden in the semifinals.
Team Europe cannot afford to dwell on the fact it must upset Team Canada not once but twice in three games.
"This is the best team in the world," Team Europe forward Thomas Vanek said of Team Canada. "To beat them once is going to be tough. To beat them twice is going to …"
Pause.
"It's impossible," Vanek continued. "So I think again, our mindset is, it's a best-of-3. We can't look at all three games. We've got to look at tonight.
"Again, play our best game tonight. Whatever happens, adjust tomorrow."

2. CONTRASTING GOALTENDING CHALLENGES

Team Canada has outshot its opponents 44.3-29.3 on average. Team Europe has been outshot 37.5-27.3 on average. In its 4-1 victory against Team Europe in the preliminary round, Team Canada outshot Team Europe 46-20.
So Team Canada goaltender Carey Price might go long stretches without much action and then have to make a big save, and goalie Jaroslav Halak likely will have to be First Star for Team Europe.
Each is capable of doing that, and each has been excellent in this tournament. Price's save percentage is .948; Halak's is .947.
"Jaro's played extremely well in this tournament," said Team Canada forward John Tavares, who plays with Halak for the New York Islanders. "So we know we're going have to be hard on him and put a lot of pucks on net and create some second and third opportunities."

3. JUST A LITTLE PATIENCE

In Vanek's words, Team Europe is "not the fastest team." Team Canada pushes the pace, so Team Europe's game plan is simple.
"For us, it starts from goaltending out," Vanek said. "I think Jaro has been the best goalie in this tournament, and for us, we've got to be in good position defensively. We know they're going to get their 40-plus shots. We've just got to make sure we limit them to the outside and not give them those big chances we gave them in the first game."
Team Europe cannot stray from the plan when Team Canada comes in waves and must wait for its opportunities to attack. Team Canada cannot turn over the puck and give Team Europe those opportunities to attack.
"Just try to use our speed," Team Canada captain Sidney Crosby said. "I don't think you change anything. Just understanding it's important not trying to force things when it's not there and knowing it may take time to get certain chances or get certain looks and not kind of waver from our game and take chances. That's when they're going to take advantage of things."

4. ROLLING IN THE DEEP

Team Canada's greatest advantage is its depth of talent. It rolls four lines and three defense pairings, challenging opponents to keep up. Team Europe cannot match Team Canada line for line or pairing for pairing, especially now that forward Marian Gaborik is out with a foot injury.
So Team Canada must keep the pressure on, and Team Europe must deal with it somehow. Expect Team Europe's leaders to get plenty of ice time, especially center Anze Kopitar and defenseman Roman Josi.
Look at it this way: We have spent a lot of time talking about sacrifice in this tournament. Well, Kopitar and Josi don't have to sacrifice. They can play the same roles they do for their NHL teams, and they must at an even higher level.
"I don't think it'll be a challenge for him," Team Canada forward Joe Thornton said of Kopitar, whom he has faced often in the NHL. "I think he's probably in incredible shape, and he's used to it. So he's probably relishing the time he gets on the ice. He's a big-game player."

5. GABORIK'S ABSENCE

Gaborik is one of three Team Europe players with two goals in this tournament. No one else on the roster has scored more. That's a huge loss for a huge underdog.
Mikkel Boedker will take Gaborik's place on a line with Frans Nielsen and Mats Zuccarello. He has speed and hasn't played in the tournament yet. The positive: "He's completely fresh on those powerful legs," Team Europe coach Ralph Krueger said.
Boedker knows what he and his teammates are up against.
"They're obviously, some say, the best team that has played in a while," Boedker said. "I don't think they've lost a game in I don't know how many. So we just got to keep it simple and keep it smart and make sure that we stay the course.
"I think they're obviously going to come at you again and again and again, and the shot total is going to be way up there. But I think if we stay the course and we keep it simple and make sure we play a good D zone, we're going to give them some good games."