Facts on the fight for medals

Random facts about the fight for medals in Men’s Hockey

1. There are Canucks on every single one of the four final teams: Slovakia has Pavol Demitra. USA has the Canadian-hating Ryan Kesler (so hot but so stupid to make that statement before the US-Canada game). Finland has the fragile but fast when not broken, Sami Salo. And of course the Canadians have Roberto Luongo.


2. Slovakia surprised many by making it past Sweden but when you breakdown their team - maybe the world simply underestimated them. They do have 2 of the NHL's top scorers in Marian Gaborik and Marian Hossa. Apparently the key in Slovakia to getting the puck in the net is naming your male child after the mom on Happy Days.


3. Of all the goalies left in the tourney; Miller (USA), Luongo (Canada), Kiprusoff (Finland) and Halak (Slovakia) the strongest so far has been Miller. But who is the best in the NHL? So far this season out of the 4 goalies, Bobby Lou sits the highest at #5. Miller is #7, Kiprusoff #9 and Halak down at #23. To add to Canada's statistical odds all our goalies are in the top 10 this season in the NHL. Brodeur is #3 in the NHL right now and our back-up, back-up goalie (who will only see ice if Luongo spontaneously combusts and Brodeur breaks every bone in his body) Marc-Andre Fluerry is #8. But sadly, in the Olympics statistics mean diddly. Proof? Evgeni Nabokov is the #2 goalie in the NHL and he melted down against Canada.


4. Hossa, Heatley, Toews are all tied for the most points in the entire tournament. So we've got 2 tournament stars and Slovakia have 1. Good sign. Better sign? Sidney Crosby did not get on the board against Russia. That doesn't happen often and that doesn’t last long. He should scores some this game.


5. In Olympic hockey, nobody loves an underdog. Let's face it, the best possible outcome for NBC, CTV, every single bar/restaurant in North America would be a Canada-USA Gold Medal Game. The ratings on the host networks would soar, the money would flow at bars and restaurants, the scalpers would be able to retire off the money they could make. If it were Finland-Slovakia - scalpers would have to pay someone to buy the tickets. The bar and restaurant industry in Vancouver would be able to call it Black Sunday or worse - they might have to lower their jacked-up food & bevy prices back to pre-Olympic pricing just to get people in.


6. Last but not least, Canada is the hottest team. They came out in the first period against Russia like it was the last seconds of the third and they were behind. All they have to do is do that again. They have the hopes of a host nation riding on their shoulders in a sport that matters more than any other. We forgave Jen Heil and Melissa Hollingsworth for missing gold. We celebrated bronzes for Joannie Rochette and Kristina Groves but we won't accept it for Men's Hockey. We just..... can't.


7. Oh yeah, and did I mention we have the hottest team? Crosby is absolutely freaking gorgeous. Toews is adorable. Brodeur makes up for in pretty blue eyes what he's been lacking in on-ice saves. Iginla is pure brute hot and Luongo (did he get hair plugs? Where's his bald spot?) is sexy as all hell. The only thing that would make them hotter are gold medals around their necks.