The last few days have been quite an experience for us. In our first game we beat China 21-1. A big win was exactly how we wanted to start the tournament off, however more was taken away from the game than just two points.
We got to see firsthand the respect Canadian hockey players are given throughout the world, and this is no more evident than with the Chinese team. When we arrived in Austria nearly a week ago, the Chinese team had asked us if they could train and practise with us. Unfortunately due to scheduling conflicts this was not possible. At the opening ceremonies the Chinese players went out of their way to meet us, and get their pictures with us.
They even wanted to trade their clothes for our clothes. Throughout the game they seemed honoured to be playing us and their reaction after the game was not one you would expect from a team that had just lost. They again wanted to have their pictures with us and so we took a lot of pictures together.
Today was a relatively slow day for us as we prepare for the Czech Republic tomorrow. We practised in the morning, and took a train through the mountains in the afternoon. It's getting late now so I better grab a bite to eat before getting a good night's rest in preparation for the game tomorrow.
Joel