It's Go Time: Canada vs Russia

6:30pm EST

Sixty minutes until crunch time and I am going to say it, "I believe."

Seriously though, I really do not believe that Canada can beat Russia.  Before the Olympics I hoped that the Russians would be another country's problem, maybe getting knocked out early, and most certainly not Canada's quarterfinal opponent.  A week into the tournament and there has been very little evidence put forth by the Canadians to make me believe they can beat the Russians let alone win the gold medal.  Russia has arguably the two best forward lines and in Ovechkin they have the only position player who can takeover a game (yes, I do realize Sidney Crosby is also playing).  Do you think the Russians hockey fans are as scared of Crosby as much as Canadians fear Ovechkin? I have not been this scared of a Russian since Ivan Drago in the Rocky movies.

I cannot lie as I don't believe... but I do hope.  And the one thing that we can take from these games is that in any game, any team can win no matter how insurmountable the odds may seem. 

6:45pm

I just text messaged my friend who is at the Olympics and told him "They're going to hurt us.  Ovechkin is going to rip our hearts out."  He says that Vancouver is "full of nervous energy."  I think that it's entirely possible that if Canada loses then 10 million Canadians will be mailing it in at work tomorrow and for some people (like TTC workers) moreso than usual.

The Toronto Star's Damien Cox just twittered "Eight straight wins for Russia over Canada at the Olympics dating back to 1960 in Squaw Valley."  Thanks Damien *note sarcasm.  That means we are due right?..  Right?!?

7:30pm

I might die tonight... not physically but emotionally.  I wonder if anybody has ever spontaneously combusted while watching hockey? Side note: I am watching the game by myself because when I have watched Canada with friends (vs Swiss and USA) they have stunk.  I am desperate for any type of positive karma.

First period highlights

- Suspect Olympic refereeing continues as Russia gets away with an early and obvious too many men on the ice penalty. The Swiss were robbed of a late third period powerplay by the non-call on an obvious trip by the evil Americans.

- I BELIEVE! Getzlaf scores to give Canada the early lead on a nice rush by Dan Boyle who protected the puck extremely well.

- After Canada took a 3-0 lead I received this text message from my friend "And we're taking the Arctic too!"

- Morozov, the captain of Russia's Olympic hockey team and apparently figure skating team, draws a penalty against Seabrook with an embellished double axel leading to the scariest two minutes of my 2010.

- Russians look bottled up early but predictably break out and score one goal on one of their two good shifts of the period to narrow the Canadian lead 3-1. Regarding the goal, two Canadian players did a good job standing in front of their net screening Luongo.  If you are going to try and block the shot, you better get enough of it or else you give your goalie close to no chance of stopping it.

- End of the 1st and we are up 4-1... I am still scared.  I have seen enough Canada vs Russia games to know this is not over yet even with a 3 goal lead and mo on our side.

Second period highlights

- The stubborn decision of the Russian coach to still allow Canada to have its matchup of Ovechkin-Malkin-Semin vs Toes-Richards-Nash is shocking.  What is also shocking is the girth of Canadian assistant coach Ken Hitchcock.  Maybe Hitchcock's former players in Columbus couldn't take him seriously because he might not be able to skate around the rink once without being winded... or maybe they couldn't take him seriously because of his name... Hitchcock *giggling

- Nobody wants it as bad as Mike Richards or Jonathon Toes (Toews).  Richards wins puck battle while on his butt right before Weber's goal.

- Morozov displays his diving abilities again as Corey Perry outhustles the diving Evgeni Plushenko wannabe for Canada's 7th goal.

- Nobody takes Ovechkin who stands in front of the Canadian goal for Gonchar's goal and Russia's third of the game. Still, it's 7-3 for the good guys. Canadian defencemen need to get more nasty in front of Luongo. 

- Another missed too many men penalty on the Russians.  The puck actually hit the Russian player as he was trying to get off.  At this point the Russians can have 7 forwards, 3 defencemen, a rover and two snowboarders on the ice and they still might not get a call against them.

- I am starting to believe...

Third period highlights

- Finally a too many men penalty against Russia.  They must have been caught with a third snowboarder on the ice.

- Slowest man in the game? That would be Joe Thornton who looks like he is moving in quicksand compared to his speedy teammates.  Thornton looks like the old guy at Saturday morning shinny who when he touches the puck everybody slows right down because they don't want to get too close and skate by him too fast causing him to fall and have a broken hip.  The only exception is that Thornton is actually good and what he lacks in speed he makes up for with unbelievable vision.

- Luongo was solid and that's what this team needs.  What the Canadian team does not need is a goalie going for diving pokechecks and hitting pucks out of the air causing him to be out of position. Granted it was only one game but Brodeur did not provide the stability that he usually gives and that's why he is not playing in these Olympics anymore.

- Oh yeah, by the way... I BELIEVE!