Burke delights in jabbing Canada's soft underbelly

From Sportsbeat staff, in Vancouver

 TEAM USA general manager Brian Burke took every opportunity to heap the pressure on Canada on the eve of the Olympic final on Sunday, only too aware the hosts have buckled once already in Vancouver.

MIND GAMES: Only too aware of the pressure on Canada, USA general manager Briain Burke cranks it up a notch (Getty Images)

The hugely anticipated clash between these North American rivals is set to capture the attentions of a continent on Sunday, so much of Vancouver 2010 has been about Canada against the USA, and there's no better way to settle it than a game of hockey.

According to Burke, ice hockey is religion in Canada and having been general manager of the Vancouver Canucks before taking up the same post at the Toronto Maple Leafs, he would know.

Sunday's final pits red-hot favourites Canada, full of attacking flair and potency but with a soft underbelly against underdogs the USA, plucky young bucks who have excelled themselves to date - or at least that's how Burke tells it.

The USA did strike a major psychological blow with their group stage victory over Canada and Burke's men have progressed through the competition with a maturity that belies their years.

Canada on the other hand have been Jekyll and Hyde. There were flashes of genius when Jekyll against Germany and most notably Russia but they were hideous when Hyde, in the closing stages against Slovakia.

Pressure has already played a key role in shaping the tournament so far and how well Canada deal with it go a long way to deciding Sunday's final - so Burke relished turning it up a notch.

"Hockey is not a sport in Canada. It's a cult. It's a religion. That's why I love working in the NHL and a Canadian city," said Burke, in a blatant jab at that soft underbelly. "I love the pressure that's on the players, the coach and the general manager. All the pressure is on Canada.

"Canadians view this as their game and they view this game [on Sunday] as planting the flag on a peak.

"I think a gold medal immortalises your team. It's the same as a Stanley Cup victory. Even if you're the eighth seed in the Stanley Cup and you win, that team is remembered forever."

Burke's tongue was firmly in his cheek. He is well aware his unfancied side has surpassed expectations and they have little to lose on Sunday.

"We are the underdogs. Everyone talks about us playing the underdog card. I defy anyone here to show me a newspaper article of two weeks ago that said the US would be playing in the gold medal game.

"If you believe Canada is the underdog you should put on some knee-high boots because the manure is piling up.

"We're not playing a card here, folks. We're the youngest team in the tournament. No one expected us to get this far let alone win this thing.

"All the pressure is on Canada and our players are going to view this as a chance to win a really important game."

But Burke's men have swept aside all before them so far in Vancouver.

There has been a hint of cockiness about the USA's march to the final and they way players such as Zach Parise, Patrick Kane and Ryan Kesler blew Finland away in the semis suggests Burke and his men are enjoying themselves.

"The key in a tournament like this is to keep building and we're playing our best hockey now," added Burke. "We're playing a much better, much more complete roster than we were early in the tournament."

Make no mistake about it, Burke is desperate to see his side claim gold, but he has cottoned on to the fact that while the USA are their fierce rivals, so far in Vancouver, Canada's worst enemies have been themselves.

 AS IT HAPPENS: Day 16 of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver