TORONTO – Before Team Canada’s World Cup training camp, defenseman Shea Weber said he didn’t know who would be his defense partner

At the Sochi Olympics, Weber was paired with Duncan Keith, who pulled out of this tournament to rehab a knee injury. So Weber went into camp unsure of where he stood and who would play his left side.

The Team Canada coaching staff opted for Marc-Edouard Vlasic – the steady defender with the San Jose Sharks – and the two have turned into a shutdown duo for the powerful Canadians.

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On Saturday against Team Russia they went up against six-time Rocket Richard Trophy winner Alex Ovechkin and limited him to just one shot on goal in their 5-3 win that pushed them into the World Cup final.

“I enjoy playing with him. He kind of reminds me of Rob Blake, can shoot the puck, big guy, is physical but also keeps things simple like I do,” Vlasic said. “I know every time I pass to him it’s going up instead of reversing and doing the fancy things, but he gets the job done. When I give him the puck I know where it’s going.”

Both are considered strong defenders in the NHL, but both play the game with different styles. Vlasic is cerebral on the ice and uses sound positioning and savvy stick work to keep his opponent from gaining an advantage. Weber uses intimidation and brute force in his own end.

Against Ovechkin, they teamed up with Jonathan Toews’ line to shut down the sniper and turn him into a total non-factor.

“They’re both defensive shutdown guys in the NHL too so they’re used to having that job,” Canada defenseman Drew Doughty said. “When you put two elite ones together, they’re going to do an even better job. They’re used to doing that with their club teams and they’re going to continue to do that with us too.”

For the tournament, one goal has been scored with both players on ice as a pair: Ryan McDonagh’s goal for Team USA. Weber didn’t play in Canada’s group round finale against Europe.

In the grand scheme of the tournament, that goal didn’t much as Canada has outscored their opponent 19-6.

“They’re great. They seem to be reading off each other really well. They’re communicating and it seems like they’re on the same page, whether one guy forces and the other guy kind of grabs the loose pucks and right out on the attack for us and making a great first pass,” defenseman Patrice Bergeron said. “They’ve been stellar for us since the beginning.”

Canada has also been getting some uncommon offense out of Vlasic with four assists in the tournament. He had two helpers in the win over Russia.

“I played with (Vlasic) at the last Olympics and he’s easy to play with. He’s always in the right position and makes simple plays,” Doughty said.

Before the two paired together, there wasn’t much mystery to Vlasic’s game for Weber. They were Western Conference foes for a long time, Weber for the Nashville Predators and Vlasic for the Sharks. They were also teammates in Sochi, but teaming up as a defense pair has given them a greater respect for each other’s games and the nuances of both.

“It’s a lot of fun playing with that guy,” Vlasic said.

Added Weber, “He has been in the league for a long time so you know about him. (Here) you get to see it first hand when you play with him I guess and then maybe appreciate it a little bit more.”

Really no team has been able to break down that pair yet, which should give them an advantage in the final series of the tournament against Sweden or Europe. The coaching staff can throw them on the ice with confidence, knowing that they’ll likely be in good hands.

“They’re two guys that are amazing defensively and play really good, strong on the puck and very good hockey IQ as well,” Bergeron said. “Can’t say enough about their talent. I think it’s definitely a great match up.”

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Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @joshuacooper

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