Upset special for France’s Canadian- born coach

Tough start for Team Canada with shootout loss at world championship

MINSK, Belarus — French hockey coach Dave Henderson was busy doing his job Friday and didn’t have much time to ponder his split allegiance. But a half- hour after France’s stunning upset of Canada at the world hockey championship, the Winnipeg- born Henderson reflected with great joy on how badly he wanted the victory.

“I wanted to beat them,” Henderson said softly. “I told the guys before the game, ‘ I want to win this game. I really want to win this game.’ I say that probably before every game, but this one has a special meaning.”

The 10- year head coach of France’s national team, who also lived in Montreal before moving overseas in 1975, led France to a 3- 2 shootout win in Friday’s opening game of the tournament. It was just the second time Canada had lost to the French.

Ottawa Senators’ part- time forward Stephane Da Costa scored France’s two regulation goals, while Cristobal Huet, who has NHL experience with the Montreal Canadiens, stopped 34 of 36 shots he faced before stoning Kyle Turris, Matt Read and Sean Monahan in the shootout.

Pierre- Edouard Bellemare scored the shootout- winner for France, snapping a shot past Toronto Maple Leafs James Reimer. Canadian coach Dave Tippett and Henderson each called the shootout a “lottery,” somewhat dismissing it as an element of the game that can go either way.

Reimer agreed. “The shootout, it’s a weird way to end a hockey game, but it happens,” he said. “You can’t get too high, too low. Anything can happen in a shootout.”

Henderson wanted to play the best, then got to revel in beating the best. “Canada is where hockey is,” he said. “Everybody knows that, and if you beat Canada that’s a huge, huge thing for French hockey.”

Beating Russia at last year’s tournament ranked up there with beating Canada in Huet’s eyes. For Da Costa, who wasn’t at the 2013 tournament, this was the biggest victory of his international career.

The same could be said for Henderson, who is still Canadian in his heart. “I’m grateful to France for what I’ve been given or what I’ve worked to get. But I’m still red and white.”