Canada holds off Team Europe in Game 1 of World Cup of Hockey final

TORONTO — The undefeated Canadians showed Tuesday that even at their worst they are the best team at the World Cup of Hockey.

The line of Brad Marchand, Sidney Crosby and Patrice Bergeron created a pair of goals to lead an uncharacteristically sloppy Team Canada to a 3-1 win against Team Europe in Game 1 of the best-of-three championship series. Canada can wrap up the title with a win Thursday (8 p.m. ET, ESPN 2)

“We need more guys on deck than we had tonight,” Canada coach Mike Babcock said.

Babcock said he didn’t think “we moved the puck out of our zone at all tonight.”

His players shared his assessment of their sub-par level of play, and yet the Canadians found a way to win their fifth consecutive game of the tournament. They have outscored the opposition 22-7.

“We showed we can play with them,” European captain Anze Kopitar said.

Kopitar said the Europeans' effort was "arguably our best game of the tournament."

Sidney Crosby’s legendary résumé is missing one thing: World Cup gold

Canada defenseman Drew Doughty said the Canadians have to play better in Game 2 because he expects the Europeans to "be even hungrier."

“They definitely gave us our biggest scare,” Doughty said.

The Europeans, with players from eight different countries, have been the tournament's biggest surprise. They have won by playing strong defensively, and scoring timely goals. They just couldn't get the goals they needed against Canada.

"We have to think that we have to play our best to beat them," Doughty said.

No past or future: Team Europe embraces World Cup stage

Marchand and Bergeron scored a goal apiece and Crosby picked up two more assists to pace the Canadians. Crosby’s line has 22 points in five games. Marchand now has four goals in five games, and Crosby has a tournament-leading nine points on three goals and six assists. Bergeron has six points.

“I think we can (play) better, but ultimately we found a way to win,” Crosby said. “That’s important. We just want to make sure we give ourselves a chance by the way we play. We felt like we turned (the puck) over a little too much and lost some battles, especially in the first two periods.”

Crosby is the favorite to win tournament MVP honors.

“He’s probably the best player of our generation,” Canada goalie Carey Price said.  “He provides a lot of leadership and he’s a momentum-changing player."

The solid play of Price gave the team a boost when the Europeans generated 17 shots and cut Canada’s lead to 2-1 in the second period.

“You’d like to have things perfect every night but it’s just not real,” Babcock said.

Team Europe coach Ralph Krueger said he took encouragement from the fact that the Europeans were in the game until the end.

“We can take confidence in the fact that we can win against Team Canada,” Krueger said.  “But it has to be perfect, and it certainly wasn't today in every aspect. But lots of good things there, lots of effort, and something to build on for Game 2.”