3 key matchups to watch in Game 1 of Canada-Europe final

The World Cup is on the line when Canada and Europe kick off the best-of-three Final on Tuesday. It's a matchup between the tournament favorite and a European varsity squad that's banded together to beat the odds.

Here are three key matchups that will impact Game 1:

Between the pipes

You can't win without solid goaltending, and Carey Price and Jaroslav Halak have been the tournament's top two starters.

Former teammates with the Montreal Canadiens, Price and Halak have three wins apiece at the World Cup. Halak has allowed just eight goals in four games, showcasing a .947 save percentage and 1.96 goals-against average.

Meanwhile, Price is a perfect 3-0, with an oh-so-slightly better save percentage (.948), alongside a 1.67 GAA. Price has won 14 straight games on the international stage, dating back to the 2007 World Juniors.

Both goalies have proven capable of stealing a game - and a series - so it's a safe bet that either could repeat that in the finals.

Down the middle

Strength down the middle counts, and while Canada has a roster chock-full of elite centers, primary pivot Sidney Crosby rises to the top. Crosby leads the Canadian squad in scoring, and the entire tournament field as well, collecting three goals and four assists through four games. He's also been impressive in the dot, and defensively, owning a World Cup-best plus-seven rating.

Team Europe counters with superstar center Anze Kopitar, the lone Slovenian on the team, and like Crosby, a two-time Stanley Cup champion. Kopitar is second on the roster with three points, trailing only winger Mats Zuccarello, with the Norwegian tallying four.

Behind the bench

Credit European coach Ralph Krueger for rallying the first-year squad to beat the odds, giving it a chance to win it all. A skilled tactician, Krueger has his team focused, having already achieved upset victories over tournament heavyweights Team USA and Sweden. The Manitoba-born Krueger faces a unique challenge as he looks to extend that streak by defeating his home country in the final round.

On the other side, Canadian coach Mike Babcock is the only bench boss with membership in the Triple Gold Club, having won titles at the World Championship (2004), Stanley Cup (2008), and Olympics (2010). Babcock also repeated his Olympic performance, leading Canada to victory at the 2014 games in Sochi.