USA v Canada for the Gold.

Well it's a rematch. Canada vs USA for the gold. This is going to be their second matchup in these olympic games. US won the first one 5-3 in what was one of the best games of the Olympic games. But it's not going to be the same game. I think the US surprised Canada, and that won't happen again. Not that US won't win, but they won't be able to surprise the Canadians like they did before. But it should be one hell of a game, but how did we get to this one?

USA had a semi-final rendezvous with Finland. And this game was close... only when the puck dropped. The US scored all six of it's goals in the first half of the first period. Mika Kiprusoff pulled himself after giving up four goals. It started off with an Ryan Malone goal assisted by Kiprusoff, and it was all downhill from there for the Fins. Goals by Malone, Patrick Kane(2), Eric Johnson, Paul Stasny, and Zach Parise It was bad, just bad. Tim Thomas came in for Ryan Miller, not sure why, but he gave up the lone FIn goal. USA moves on to the Gold medal game with a date of the winner of this affair...

Canada Slovakia, a blow out on paper. But hockey is played on ice, not paper. Canada jumped out to a 3-0 lead and held that through the first two periods. Goals by Morrow, Marleau, and Getzlaf. Canada was dominating the play, as they should have. The Slovaks looked out-matched. It wasn't pretty. But a funny goal led the comeback trail... Visnovsky scored a funny goal when he was coming down the side towards Luongo that took a funny roll to beat Roberto. Handzus then put in another goal to make it 3-2 with five minutes to go. What was a boring game quickly became interesting. That's what's great about hockey: It's one shot away from turning around. And with the goalie pulled, the Slovaks came heavy, but Pavel Demitra could not put it home as he missed an empty net; Luongo may have gotten a piece of it. The cinderella story of the Slovaks' "good-bye tour" came to a close. No gold for the Slovak, but they have a chance to medal for the first time ever. I think they will beat the Fins tonight, 4-2.

But the game that matters, USA v Canada. Canada was my initial prediction, and I usually never change my predictions until I'm wrong. And wiht the way Canada played against Germany and Russia I would have definitely taken the Canadians. But with these last two performances (USA v Finland; Canada v Slovakia) I think for the first time, I'm going to waffle on my prediction. I am officially picking the Red, White, and Blue to take home the gold. Ryan Miller has been unbeatable in the games thus far, and he will continue it. USA will beat Canada, 3-1, chalk it up right now.