Canada flying under the radar at worlds

Beware of the sleeping giant. Canada’s collection of NHL stars might never have been treated to more indifference at the IIHF World Hockey Championship than in the last week at Hartwall Arena, where locals have packed the building for games involving Finland and virtually ignored everything else.

The team hasn’t even enjoyed its normal role as the anointed favourite of foreign reporters. That group seems far less interested in tracking Canadian players than normal, making for an unusually quiet start to a tournament that should have the volume turned up on it tonight with a game against the host country.

“Maybe it’s a good thing we’re playing Finland,” said Canadian coach Brent Sutter. “Obviously, it’s a huge game. You’re playing the team that’s hosting the tournament and you know it’s going to be a full house in here. We have to rise to the occasion and step up.”

Canada is partly responsible for its current underdog label. After making quarter-final exits at the last two tournaments and falling to fifth in the world rankings, the team has yet to turn in a statement performance in Helsinki.

So far, it beat France handily, did enough to edge Slovakia and Switzerland by one goal and lost an entertaining back-and-forth overtime game to the United States.

It’s been a solid start, but not one that really grabbed anyone’s attention.

As Canadian players continue to repeat the mantra that guides them through every international hockey tournament — the need to get a little better every day — a game against Finland at this stage of the world championship offers the chance to prove that everything is heading in the right direction.

“It’s going to be a big test for us,” said captain Ryan Getzlaf.

One new element to deal with will be the presence of atmosphere around the game, something the Canadian team hasn’t seen since a pair of exhibitions in Switzerland more than a week ago. The biggest crowd Canada has played before in the 13,000-plus seat Hartwell Arena was the 6,842 who turned up to watch it face the Americans.

High ticket prices have kept fans from filling the building — the starting price was 150 euros (C$195) to watch games involving the host country — but it didn’t deter them from scooping up every seat available well in advance of the CanadaFinland matchup.