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Babcock to Canada after win vs. Czechs: 'Live scared and get better'

Marc DesRosiers / USA TODAY Sports

Head coach Mike Babcock had a simple message for his players following Canada's seemingly easy win over the Czech Republic in the first game of the World Cup of Hockey: anything can happen in the context of a short tournament, so don't let up.

"You know, I've been to a number of these events, and the team that loses today usually gets better tomorrow, and the team that wins today usually gets a little fatter tomorrow. The important thing to do is just live scared and get better tomorrow," Babcock shared with reporters following Saturday's win.

Babcock said this after seeing the United States fall to Europe earlier in the day, helping carve an easier path to a first-place finish in Group A for the Canadians, but also serving as a reminder to not sit back and expect to win without exerting the necessary effort.

Live scared and get better tomorrow. Babcock may have also come up with the title for a Die Hard-James Bond crossover movie.

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