Day 6 of the Men’s Ice Hockey at the Olympics.
Sweden beat Switzerland 6-2.
Peter Forsberg had 2 assists in the game. Guess the groin is holding up so far.

Finland beat USA 4-3.
Antero Niittymaki got the start for Finland stopping 25 of 28 stops.
For USA, Derian Hatcher had a hooking penalty and double minor high sticking penalty. Mike Knuble had 1 goal with 1 shot. He also had a minor slashing penalty.
So Hatcher, Knuble and Esche are done for the Olympics. I’m not really surprised, looking at their lineup I wasn’t expecting them to medal anyway.
Hopefully we will skip the hotel room trashing this time around. But Mike Modano decided to sound like a whiney bitch after the game. Modano not liked being benched for most of the third tore into USA coach Peter Laviolette for taking a time out, then on Team USA because players had to make ‘arrangements’, tickets, hotel, etc. Modano had 2 goals and no assists thru 5 games. USA just had too many old slower players like Modano to really seriously compete for a medal. But winning isn’t everything. The Olympics is all about representing your country, playing your sport whatever it is to the best of your ability. So to all on Team USA that give it their all, even if they don’t win a medal I salute you, enjoy your time. Being in the Olympics has to be a wonderful experience that very few people get to do. To all the athletes that just showed up went thru the motions then complained about stuff that really doesn’t matter, well I’m glad I wont have to watch you 4 years from now.

In what is the upset of the day, at least to people in North America, Russia beat Canada 2-0. Simon Gagne had one shot on goal along with a minor high sticking penalty. Gagne also seem to injure his right leg off a hit by Darius Kasparaitis. No word yet on what exactly the injury is or the extent of it. So Gagne is done for the Olympics, as well as Coach Ken Hitchcock. Although I really didn’t care who won the game I did get a twinge of satisfaction with Canada losing, given how some Canadians treated Team USA in the last World Juniors. I’m sure NBC isn’t happy with a totally non-North American semi finals and finals, ratings are going to suck worse then they are now.

So looking ahead to the semi finals which are on Friday. Finland vs Russia, I think Finland takes it. I didn’t see the entire game but at least one of the goals Niittymaki let in was soft. I think he will sit and that other guy will play.
Czech Republic vs Sweden, I have to go with Sweden on this one. Another game for Forsberg to injure himself.