Lombardi: U.S. was too focused on Canada, couldn't match their skill
The men in charge of assembling and guiding Team USA say the roster was built with Canada in mind.
Team USA was criticized for going with a mix of skill and physicality over a team that would have been composed completely of offensively gifted players.
General manager Dean Lombardi said Thursday that they used that strategy because they didn't feel they could match Canada's skill, according to ESPN's Pierre LeBrun.
Lombardi felt skill on skill, had he taken all the most skilled players, didn't match up with Canada. So he went for a different mix...
— Pierre LeBrun (@Real_ESPNLeBrun) September 22, 2016
Lombardi wanted 22 guys who cared to build right culture. He feels they got that right. But wonders if there was too much focus on Canada
— Pierre LeBrun (@Real_ESPNLeBrun) September 22, 2016
Lombardi echoed comments made Wednesday by David Backes, who said the U.S. might have been too focused on facing Canada in its second game rather than preparing adequately for Team Europe in the opener - a game the Americans lost 3-0.
Internally Lombardi feels maybe they had too much emphasis on beating Canada and overlooked Europe to some degree. He says that's on him
— Pierre LeBrun (@Real_ESPNLeBrun) September 22, 2016
Head coach John Tortorella dismissed the notion Thursday that his team is "just a bunch of grinders," claiming it just didn't jell on the offensive end.
"I don't think I found the right mix quick enough," he said, according to The Associated Press' Stephen Whyno.
Tortorella elaborated on the U.S. approach to the tournament, admitting Canada was a primary focus.
"It's a situation where I still think, in our mind, we could not just skill our way through Canada," he said, according to LeBrun. "That's our first thought. I've been in situations against Canada, (and) this one's different because it happened so quickly.
"(We) watched them in games, turn up momentum, and change games. That's why we went to this with our team, to build identity and handle momentum swings. We failed."
Tortorella acknowledged this U.S. team doesn't have enough talent.
"We have the people who can change the momentum, we did not and that falls on us," he said. "But we don't have enough skill. ... I'm not downplaying, our thoughts were right at Canada. ... We could not out-skill them, and I have to be honest about that."
The United States fell 4-2 to Canada on Tuesday in a loss that eliminated them from semifinal contention.
The U.S. faces the Czech Republic on Thursday in the final game for both teams.