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Toews on Canada-U.S. rivalry: ‘There’s a lot of animosity’

Ice Hockey - Winter Olympics Day 12 - Canada v Latvia

during the Men’s Ice Hockey Quarterfinal Playoff on Day 12 of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics at Bolshoy Ice Dome on February 19, 2014 in Sochi, Russia.

Bruce Bennett

The semifinal matchup between Canada and the United States is one that will grab the attention of the hockey world, but all eyes might be on Chicago Blackhawks teammates who will square off against each other.

Team Canada center Jonathan Toews says Canada-U.S. is now the preeminent rivalry and as Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune shares, he says it’s not exactly a peaceful battle between the two.

“It has become even a bigger rivalry than Canada-Russia. There’s a lot of animosity, a lot of feelings like there’s something to prove between both teams,” said Toews. “It’s for the chance to go and play for a gold medal. It doesn’t get any better than that, playing for your country and going against the United States. There are millions of kids that grow up dreaming of this.”

Toews’ comments come after there was a very minor dust-up of opinions from Team USA’s Patrick Kane who gushed about the play of Phil Kessel.

As Tim Wharnsby at CBC Sports shares, Toews had a bit of fun with that statement himself.

Toews added with a smile, “He’s all right, [but] that Kessel guy is even better.”

All the talk goes away at Noon ET on NBCSN when the two sides square off for a spot in the gold medal game.

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