Auston Matthews returned to practice and nearly took part in a full session. The question is how much longer? Tuesday’s New Year’s Eve showdown between Team Canada and the United States was best told by a lack of discipline, with the Canadians granting the Americans seven power play opportunities. Most notably, Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan took a costly boarding infraction in the third period that had the United States earning the last laugh in an eventual 4-1 victory. The penalty stemmed from Cowan’s late hit on Aram Minnetian, who had already released the puck seconds before the 19-year-old made contact with the American player. The play was reckless and was a representation of the team’s lack of discipline in the deciding game for all the marbles in Group A. Already leading 2-1 at the time, Cole Eiserman salted the wound, scoring the Americans’ third power-play goal of the night – with Cowan in the box. As he went to the U.S. bench, and Cowan skated back to the Canada side, Eiserman was caught saying, “Atta boy, Cowboy,” essentially taunting the forward. It was one of the three markers in a three-goal period for the team, virtually sealing the deal on an American win. Team Canada’s lack of discipline was a recurring theme throughout the game. Cowan, who had already escaped punishment for a blatant cross-check earlier, couldn’t avoid penalization again. His mistake proved pivotal, and the United States didn’t hesitate to make Canada pay. Adding insult to injury, Cowan blindly turned the puck over in the defensive zone late in the game, gifting the Americans their fourth and final goal with Canada’s net empty. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrjZ1fXm8bU[/embed] Cowan had a disappointing night overall, failing to register a point. Through four preliminary games, the forward has one goal and two assists, a total that falls short of expectations for the Maple Leafs prospect. Canada, which boasts a record 20 gold medals in the tournament’s history, is looking to rebound after a disappointing fifth-place finish last year. Their third-place finish in the group stage sets up a quarterfinal matchup against the Czech Republic on Thursday. The Americans will take on Switzerland. If Canada hopes to contend for a medal, discipline, and sharper execution will be paramount. Team Canada, including Cowan, must avoid the mental lapses that plagued them against the U.S. (and Latvia) if they want any chance at redeeming themselves. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjExNjM5NDEwNTc4NDM0MDI0/googlenews.svg] Stay updated with the most interesting Maple Leafs stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News [https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMK-q0gsw7sXpAw/sections/CAQqEAgAKgcICjCvqtILMO7F6QMwytvfCA?ceid=CA:en&oc=3] to never miss a story.
