Canada and Sweden are the two big teams that will fight it out for Olympic gold in the ice hockey final in Sochi on Sunday.
Where to watch live
The game is scheduled for a 4pm local time (5.30pm IST) start, with live coverage on Star Sports Sports 4 and Star Sports HD2 in India. In the US, the coverage will be on NBC, with live streaming options HERE, HERE and HERE. Catch the action in the UK HERE, HERE or HERE, while Australia viewers can live stream the game HERE. Viewers in Africa can live stream the Games HERE. and the match can be live streamed by viewers in Canada HERE.
Overview
Canada have proved they have it in them to make it big when it actually counts. They showed it against the US in the epic semifinal and now seem all set to defend the gold they won in Vancouver four years back.
"The reality for me is we have 11 guys play at the Olympics last time and have success", Canada's coach Mike Babcock had said earlier in the tournament. "This is a new opportunity, and we've got to come up with a new identity and a new way to play for a new group. Does experience and experience in winning help? Absolutely. Do the Olympics weigh in more than the guy who played and won the Stanley Cup? I don't know that. I like guys who have won because you've been through it; you've done it right. You don't win unless you do it right."
"I think it helps," captain Sidney Crosby agreed before the finals.
"We definitely want to make sure we don't change too much. You want to keep everything as normal as you can. Having gone through that, knowing that the stakes are high, you want to be at your best. I think everybody understands that, but the experience of having gone through that in Vancouver, in Canada where there's obviously a lot of pressure, you can feel it pretty quickly there, but hopefully that's something that helps us here tomorrow."
Winning helped teams get into the finals but which team can finally get their hands on the gold?. Can Canada really recreate 2010 Vancouver? Or will Sweden come good, given that they have been so confident throughout the tournament?
"It's the finals, so it's going to be the toughest game of the tournament," Swedish forward Daniel Sedin said. "They've been getting better each and every game like we have."
Similar thoughts were reflected by Canadian forward Patrick Sharp as well.
"I don't think at this point you can have a favourite," Sharp said. "I'm sure the fans and the media will have favourites and underdogs, but as a player I think both teams have respect for each other and what they can do. It's a single-elimination game, so it's going to be a fun one to play in, and I don't think you can pick a favourite."
Millions across the globe will have their eyes set on this clash for supremacy. But Babcock had no doubts on his team's chances in the final. He openly challenged Sweden to show how good their game can get.
"It's about hockey supremacy," Babcock said. "We like to brag that it's our game? If you think it's your game, you better show it's your game."
