After taking a couple of days off to install track lighting in the living room, I'm ready for the penultimate post of the winter games. We had ten posts for Beijing, and now ten planned for Vancouver. That's continuity, baby.
#1: US and Canada win semifinals to set up gold medal rematch game. It was kind of like this had to happen. Exactly one week after the US beat Canada in the final round robin, we will be right back in that glorious GM Place, and this time it really means something. We got to the biggest game of the games with a huge 6-1 win over Finland yesterday. I'm so, so proud. Just two minutes into the game, the blowout was on. It was Ryan Malone picking up a bad play from Miikka Kiprusoff and nailing the opening goal to start the Red, White, and Blue off well. The US scored all six of their goals in the first 12 minutes and 46 seconds of the game. It was a nearly unbelievable, complete and utter demolishing of the Fins. Patrick Kane scored two goals, Parise added two points, and Rafalski continued his Olympic tear with two assists of his own. Thrilling stuff. However, we'll be going against Luongo and the Canadians for our rematch in the gold medal match. It'll be a more difficult game to win than last Sunday's. This hockey game is so freaking huge tomorrow.
#2: US women get shutout by Canada, fall to silver. Let's hope this isn't a precursor to tomorrow's men's final. The Canadian women knocked us out hard, with a 2-0 win, and then celebrated like they won the AL West while we dried our tears with silver. Both goals were scored in the first. Both goals were scored by Marie-Phillip Poulin, some Frenchie machine, and then the offense went silent. While this was always a two horse race on the female side, I'm still proud that we earned the second place silver. And, I hope the media would get off the backs of the Lady Maple Leafers for celebrating like champs. They deserved it.
#3: Sweden shocks Canada with a curling comeback to steal the gold. Wow, I am so glad I got to watch this match! With the Canadians leading the bonspiel 6-4, the Swedish women were ready to make a thrilling charge. With the last stone in the 10th, the Swede 4th tossed a perfect rock to pick up 2 points and push the game to an extra end. Having the hammer in the 11th, though, the Canadians were confident. After a couple of poor choices, however, the Swedish fourth impressed again, stole the end with a single point, and shocked the curling world. Insanity in BC. Today, the Canadian men try to capitalize on their opportunity with their gold medal match against the funny pants from Norway. Hopefully team USA will be taking notes from the crowd.
#4: Lindsey Vonn finishes with poor run, but seems happy with herself. Vonn came into these games with huge, Phelpsian expectations. The media set her up as having a legitimate shot to win a gold in every event, even despite her deeply bruised shin. Instead, she missed a gate on her final run last night, and finished with a single gold and a single bronze. In an interview, she stayed proud, pointing out that the media's expectations were not her expectations. Good for her. She cried on the medal stand as the anthem played when she won gold. She's a stud.
#5: US continues nordic combined history with gold and silver. Never. We never medaled in this event. I was also not really ever into this sport. Both of those changed during this winter games. In the final nordic event, the US finished one and two, gold and silver, Demong and Spillane. The US has officially arrived in this seriously underrated event, and I enjoyed every minute of it.
Before I get to the what to watch for, I just want to say that I really think figure skating should be grateful for record breaking South Korean Kim Yu-Na. She really rocks the sport. Also, F Evgeni Plushenko for being so bitter about losing to American Evan Lysacek. He was some kind of douche for calling his silver a "platinum medal" on his official website. Hey Russians, you lost to the greatest country in the world. Suck it up, you commie punks.
LSF's "What 2 Watch 4 2night": With just two days of competition remaining in these amazing winter games, we're getting down to the good stuff in Vancouver. At 3 pm on CNBC we have the men's curling gold medal match, at 7 pm we have the men's bronze medal hockey game between Finland and my pre-games underrated pick from Slovakia, and the primetime show on the big network has some good ol' bobsled. Tomorrow at 9:00 am we have the face off for the US/Canada match for the gold. Can't freaking wait.
Medal count: The US have the medals pretty well wrapped up, leading with 34 (8-13-13). Germany has 27 (9-11-7), with Canada taking over third at 21 (10-7-4). Will the host country finish with the gold medal lead?
Wondering how the government controlled Chinese media are covering the games? Enjoy this from the Sports Pickle.
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