I may have just woken up from a longer nap than planned so you guys get a rush job today. Fun!
Slovenia 3 - 1 Slovakia (Group A)
WHAT? I KNOW! Anze Kopitar had a goal and the Slovaks lit all their tires on fire. What a disastrous showing from them so far. This was Slovenia's first ever Olympic win and boy oh boy could these dudes skate. They are seriously quick. One of them (I don't know who because I am American so my news source is a jingoist ass) elbowed Andrej Sekera bang in the dome, so expect a suspension there. Sekera looked to be struggling after that hit.
USA 3 - 2 Russia (SO) (Group A)
The hype machine was in overdrive for this one and boy did the game not disappoint. It was fast, it was physical, it was intense, the crowd was electric. The US got a pair of power play goals, one a trasher from Cam Fowler, the other an absolutely gorgeous cross-ice feed from Patrick Kane to Joe Pavelski; the Russians got a pair from Pavel Datsyuk. Then the clowniest shootout of all time happened. We went 8 rounds; T.J. Oshie shot 6 times. He scored 4 of them. Every time a different move out of a loping, slow approach. It was reminiscent of Toews v. Mueller in World Junior. What a game this was, go watch any replay you can of it if you missed it.
Sweden 5 - 3 Latvia (Group C)
Sweden scored something ridiculous like four power play goals in this one as Sandis Ozolins's boys literally could not stop the penalty parade. Which is a shame for them because they were outhitting, outpesting, and outplaying a Swedish club that looked like it had already locked up the top spot in the group and had checked out mentally. It's tough to forecast Sweden going forward due to their injuries but they looked well less than outstanding today.
Switzerland 1 - 0 Czech Republic (Group C)
Switzerland secures the #2 slot in Group C with a heavily defensive win over the disappointing Czechs. Jonas Hiller now is 2/2 in getting shutouts at the Sochi games and earned every bit of this one as Jaromir Jagr probably could have had a hat trick with as many quality chances as Hiller stoned him on.
Standings update will come tonight. I'm out to check out the Lake Erie Monsters taking on Oklahoma City. That won't be a tremendous letdown after today's Olympic action at all, I'm sure.