Backes suggests Canadian fixation caused U.S. to overlook Europe

One of Team USA's most experienced players wondered if their preoccupation with a certain archrival distracted them before their opener against a different opponent at the World Cup of Hockey.

In the aftermath of a 4-2 loss to Canada that eliminated the U.S. from semifinal contention, David Backes implied they might have been too focused on that game before being shut out by Team Europe in their first group stage contest.

"I think the equation coming into this was, ‘Hey, let’s beat the European team, let’s beat the Czechs and whatever happens against the Canadians is going to figure out who’s the No. 1 seed and who’s the No. 2 seed,'” Backes told reporters Wednesday, according to Yahoo Sports' Greg Wyshynski.

“Maybe we got ahead of ourselves and thought that that was a foregone conclusion. That’s the thing I think everyone in the room’s still shaking their heads about: Not giving ourselves a chance to be sitting here 1-1 today. That’s the thing that’s unpleasant and at the moment, it sucks.”

The Boston Bruins forward was satisfied with the Americans' level of focus against their intercontinental foes, but lamented how they came out against Europe.

"(In) the game against Canada, I think we put in an honest effort. It was a game where we hit a couple posts, they get some bounces and those games are going to happen against good teams.

"They probably made their luck and we didn’t make enough of our own luck. But I think the thing that still stings is the way we come out against the European team. We don’t give an honest effort necessarily, and we don’t give ourselves a chance to win that game. And we put ourselves behind the 8-ball.”

The U.S. will play for pride against the Czech Republic, which was also eliminated from the medal round, in the final group stage game Thursday.