Good week for Canada’s Brad Marchand could get better with World Cup win

Reporting from TORONTO â€”  Team Canada and Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand has had a pretty good week.

Skating alongside Patrice Bergeron and Sidney Crosby on Canada’s top line in the World Cup of Hockey, Marchand contributed two goals in his team’s semifinal victory over Russia and a goal and an assist in Canada’s 3-1 victory over Team Europe on Tuesday in Game 1 of the best-of-three final. In addition, he agreed to a new contract with the Bruins that will pay him $49 million over eight years.

That adds up to a lot of reasons to celebrate, but Marchand has kept his emotions under control while the World Cup has continued. He and Canada can win the championship Thursday night with a victory over Team Europe at Air Canada Center. A third game, if necessary, will be played Saturday at the same arena.

“It’s definitely been a good week, for sure, but a lot of it won’t really matter if we don’t finish this tournament off on the right note,� he said Thursday after Canada’s morning skate. “We’ve still got a job to do and that’s really all that matters.�

And if Canada can finish that job on Thursday so he can soon rejoin the Bruins, he’d be even happier. “It’s just a little different, knowing that your teams are back home, kind of getting games started, and you’re away. It’s a bit of a weird feeling,� he said. “I love being here and I’ve enjoyed every second so I’m in no rush to get out of there, but again, you want to end it on the right note and play our best hockey [Thursday] night and see how it goes.�

Although much of Canada’s core was together for Olympic gold-medal performances in 2010 at Vancouver and again in 2014 at the Games in Sochi, Russia, winning a major tournament would be novel for Canada and San Jose Sharks forward Logan Couture. He wasn’t on the original World Cup roster but was added in late August as a replacement for Dallas forward Jamie Benn, who was recovering from surgery.

“I’m looking forward to this,� he said. “It’s been so long.�

Canada Coach Mike Babcock, who was behind the bench for those two Olympic triumphs, said he didn’t plan to do anything different before Thursday’s game because it’s a potential championship clincher. He called the team businesslike, saying players recognize the opportunity that awaits them.

“I think you do what you do. You build a program based on consistency and expectations and then you just do the things you do that allow you to have success,� he said. “You don’t worry about the outcome. You worry about the process. You do all the little things right and then you get what you want.�

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