Team USA - Ryan Callahan and Chris Drury
(as I have mentioned previously, looking at ice time for both players is not a true assessment as to their value to the team.

While Cally was solid, regardless of what some others may think, Drury's performance was a key driver in the 5-3 win over Canada. Not only did he score what could be classified as "ugly" goal, and by that I mean a gritty goal by being in the right place at the right time in front of the net.

Drury saw the most ice time - 14+ minutes - than he had all tourney and was a stalwart on the PK. His performance so far forced Jeremy Roenick to issue a public mea culpa on WFAN Monday for his comments when the team was announced that it was a mistake having Drury on it.

The US did play a solid game, but some of the comments in my prior blog seemed to say that many of Canada's 40+ shots came from the perimeter. That is true up to a point but Ryan Miller did need to make several difficult saves, and at times, stood on his head during the contest.

Going forward, the USA needs to clean up their neutral zone play, though on MSNBC (more on that later), they did a good job of illustrating how the defensemen did a better job of knowing when to peel back and when to pinch deep. More disconcerting was on the check in the offensive zone, where several times two players got caught deep, leading to odd-man rushes, which can't happen going forward.

I would have preferred to play Belarus as Hiller could get hot and stone the US as he did Canada, but we will find out Wednesday).

Slovakia - Marian Gaborik
(another tame game with four shots and a plus-one in Slovakia's 6-0 win over Latvia. He has just one goal in three games as he works his way back from the right thigh laceration. Gaborik plays tonight when Slovakia plays Norway in a play-in game for the right to face Sweden. As a Rangers fan, almost wish Slovakia loses tonight to give him a full week before play resumes).

Finland - Olli Jokinen
(the Finns were stoned by King Hank in Sweden's 2-0 win Sunday night. If Finland had won, they would have gotten the #1 seed, instead thay got the #4 seed with the loss and face the Czech-Latvia, which should mean Czech. Jokinen hasn't been phenomenal, two points in the three games, but is still playing on a line with Saku Koivu and a weapon).

Sweden - Henrik Lundqvist
(another game, another shutout for Hank, who stoned Finland 2-0 making 20 saves. Lundqvist was rested in Sweden's prior game with the Monster getting the nod and made the Swedish coach look good, pitching a shutout. Hank gets a match-up with the Slovakia-Norway winner and could end up facing his Ranger teammate, Marian Gaborik).

Honorable Mention - Czech Republic - Jaromir Jagr
(Jagr was on the wrong end of the hit of the tourney, which changed the whole complexion of the Russia-Czech matchup. Jagr held the puck too long and paid the price when he was blasted by Alexander Ovechkin causing a turnover that led to a goal, breaking a 1-1 tie. I am in the minority, but did think that Ovie left his feet before he made the Czech and hit Jagr high, breaking his visor, but most have felt it was a clean hard check. Jagr was a minus-two in the 4-2 loss and will face Latvia for the right to play against Finland in the quaterfinals).

Others:
- NBC not showing the game and having it on MSNBC in order to show ice dancing was flat out embarassing. Nothing against ice dancing, and yes, I am a Tanith Belbin fan, but that could have been on another channel and not the mian one. This move is a sign as to where hockey is in the public conscience and the NHL missed a golden oppotunity to promote the game.

- In more evidence as to where the NHL sits, I was at MSG for the honoring of the 40th anniversary of the 1969-70 Knicks championship team and stopped by the Team Store. I was informed that while the Garden did at one time have Sweden Lundqvist and still have Slovakia Gaborik jerseys, they never received any USA Drury or Callahan jerseys. Are you kidding me? It's bad enough that you can't find any online, especially the ones they wore Sunday, no matter how hard I have checked, but not to have any at the Garden? Ridiculous. To add insult to insult, the NHL store isn't carrying them. Why? Because they are powered by Reebok and the jerseys are made by Nike. Brilliant move NHL.

- In one more insult, tomorrow's USA game, and the Gold Medal contest, which could be USA-Canada WWII, will be shown on tape delay. Gary Bettman, wake the hell up, call Dick Ebersol and get them to show the game live.

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