The SBP Archives - Your less than frequent dose of SBP!

- 7-3?! I don't think anyone saw that coming. Once Russia scored to make it 3-1, I thought for sure they would keep pressing and make a game of it, but it never happened and Canada handed out a simple ass-kicking tonight. In some ways, I'm sort of disappointed with the result. No, not with the fact Canada won, but the fact it wasn't as close and exciting game that we were all expecting. But I guess you should be careful what you wish for, and just be grateful for the result.

- I have no idea why the Russians let their goaltender, Evgeni Nabokov, stay in net until Canada scored goal number six. I would have yanked him after number three; he didn't have it tonight and Ilya Bryzgalov is a more than capable netminder. But what do I know?

- Roberto Luongo was solid tonight but didn't need to be spectacular the way Canada played in front of him. Canada should still run with him, of course, but I don't think he was really tested all that much.

- I was wondering why coach Mike Babcock was messing around with the lines so much during and after each game, but tonight we saw why. It wasn't so much to break up combos that were working, but to get the lines that WEREN'T clicking and getting contributions from them. Moving Eric Staal to play with Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry paid off big dividends was probably the most evident. Even Brendan Morrow managed to chip in a goal as a fourth line player. Not missed was Patrice Bergeron who spent most of the game riding the pine. Still the worst pick ever.

- Sweden is the likely opponent for Canada Friday (although the Slovaks are more than capable of pulling off an upset) and they will be a much tougher opponent for Canada, as they have much more depth on defense and Lundqvist is capable of stealing games. But, Canada looks unstoppable, and if they can keep up this play, they're getting gold.