Saturday, February 23, 2002
Stopping Hull a team effort
By AL STRACHAN -- Toronto Sun
SALT LAKE CITY -- There is no shortage of offensive weapons on Team USA, but one of the most dangerous is Canadian Brett Hull.
Team Canada defenceman Al MacInnis, who has spent years playing with and against Hull, recognizes the danger.
"The thing about Brett is he knows where to find space," MacInnis said. "He's probably one of the smartest players in the game in knowing where to position himself to make a defenceman make a tough choice -- whether to leave the front of the net or not."
Hull, MacInnis said, finds that never-never land where there is no certainty.
"There are a lot of guys who come in front of the net and bang away," MacInnis said, "but he's the guy who knows just where to go to find that space that makes you think: 'Should I go? Shouldn't I go? Could I get a stick on him?'
"And you know that he needs no time at all to get a shot away. That's where he makes it tough for a defenceman.
"Brett is great at finding space and he doesn't need a lot of chances. He can get one chance a game and it's a goal."
Still, with a concerted team effort, Hull can be negated.
"We're going to need help with our forwards coming back hard," MacInnis said, "not just the third guy, but the fourth and fifth guy to eliminate the guy who's carrying the puck, to eliminate his space and not give them opportunities to find guys like Brett or John LeClair and those other guys."
IMPORTANT TO CANADA
The effort that's needed to play a demanding, intelligent game of that nature should be in evidence. Everyone in that Canadian dressing room knows the importance of this game to this country.
"It's huge for Canada," MacInnis said. "People asked me what can compare to this in the U.S. I've lived in the U.S. for eight years and I can't find anything to compare with what this means to Canada, because sports down there are shared -- football, baseball, basketball.
"I don't think there's one sport that brings the country together the way hockey does in Canada."
As the oldest player on the team, MacInnis is enjoying his status of elder statesman.
"Trying to win a gold medal for your country is pretty unique and you don't get too many cracks at it," he said.
Then he added, deadpan: "I probably only have two more cracks at it."
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2002 Games Men's Hockey Coverage
