TORONTO _ Team Canada's roster for the World Cup of Hockey is so stacked that it features six-time NHL All-Star and former Hart Trophy winner Joe Thornton on its fourth line.
The two-time reigning Olympic gold medal winners are the favorites to capture the World Cup that began Saturday at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto and just happen to be the next opponent for the United States, which is reeling after a 3-0 upset loss to Team Europe in the opening game of the two-week tournament.
The U.S. put itself in jeopardy of an early exit with the sluggish effort against Europe and will need someone to take control if it has grandiose ideas at making a run to the tournament championship.
Someone like, say, a certain No. 88.
"I'd go as far as to say our team has a good chance because Patrick Kane is in his prime," Team USA's Max Pacioretty said of the Blackhawks winger. "I feel like he's the best player in the game (and) ... this tournament sets up perfectly for him.
"A guy like that can change a game in one shift so for the rest of the team our identity is be hard to play against and make life difficult for them. But 'Kaner,' let him do his thing, let him play offense. He's the best in the world at it and it's going to be fun to watch."
It was mostly hard to watch the Americans against Europe as the rag-tag group of players from eight countries controlled play throughout to pull off the stunner.
Jaroslav Halak made 35 saves to record the shutout while Marian Gaborik, Leon Draisaitl and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare scored to provide the offense for Team Europe.
"We're chasing the tournament _ it's a spot that we didn't want to be in," U.S. coach John Tortorella said. "It's a very dangerous spot but we are here. So we just need to stay together, not blow ourselves up here and have a couple of good days of practice and get ready for our next opponent and try to do better."
Kane, who led the NHL in scoring last season with 46 goals and 60 assists, will need a better effort against the Canadians. The Buffalo native had four shots on goal in 18 minutes, 48 seconds of ice time and also a turnover while trying to control the puck that led to Draisaitl's second-period goal that made it 2-0.
"On a couple of our mistakes, turnovers, pinching, giving them odd-man breaks, they were able to capitalize," Kane said. "On that second goal, I'll definitely take the fault on that one. That's a play I've made a million times in my career. I just kind of lost the puck and the next thing you know they go down two-on-0. That's unacceptable from me."
The consensus is that Kane is the type of player who can alter the outcome of a game _ and therefore the compressed tournament schedule _ with his offensive talents and that will be needed more than ever after Saturday's loss.
"There are a lot of guys here who can have that big play but he's certainly at the top of the list," said Sidney Crosby, who later led Canada against the Czech Republic in the evening round-robin contest. "Ultimately you try to help each other as a group but I think Patrick Kane has shown time and time again that he can make those big plays. They'll look for him to do that in this tournament."
Crosby & Co. will get a first-hand look at that Tuesday night when Canada and the U.S. will renew their rivalry as the preliminary round continues for both teams.
"(Kane) is a game-changer," Canada forward Matt Duchene said. "He's a guy who has just gotten better and better and better. He makes them really dangerous."
