A couple things about the Canada-USA hockey game.

- God Bless America.

- I love Canada. I truly do. Nearly as much as my own country, and certainly more than any nation other than the United States. My mother was born there. I feel roots there. Not only from that standpoint, but having lived my entire life in a border town.
And I admire Canadian hockey. Always have. Always will.
But come on. The Canadians, both the public and insufferable media, are sooooo arrogant when it comes to hockey. That silence at the end of the game in Vancouver, where they once booed our national anthem before a world junior tournament game, was golden. Canadians got what they deserved in a certain way. Deep down many of them know it, too.
And Canada's Olympic record, other than the gold medal in Salt Lake City, isn't exactly stellar. Wasn't that big of an upset. The U.S. won the world junior titles, both 20 and under and 17 and under. Now this. It's the triple crown. All on Canadian ice.

- It wasn't only the Americans overall - it was the players from Michigan. Brian Rafaski and Ryan Miller were brilliant. Ryan Kessler scrappy. For an empty-netter, his goal was beautiful - and timely. Good to see Clawson's Tim Gleason suit up.

- Despite the American win, the Canadians just sent waves of great forwards at the U.S. I thought Rick Nash and Ryan Getzlaf were particularly dangerous. Do wonder about Canada's defense, though. Not as strong in terms of zone coverage as I expected.

- When the going gets tough, Joe Thornton doesn't get going. Most overrated player in the world. Wonder if Don Cherry regrets the time he called him the best player in the world.

- Please. Sidney Crosby is not in the same class as Alexander Ovechkin. That notion is just a figment of Gary Bettman's imagination. Loved Ovechkin's hit on Jaromir Jagr in the Russia-Czech game.

- Don't count out Canada. On an international level, it has a long history of rallying when put into a corner. The loss could have been a wakeup call. In a rematch with the Americans, I would expect Canada to win. If it were a seven-game series, I believe Canada would win.

- Mike Milbury, an American, sounded like he was trying to retain his gig on "Hockey Night In Canada" with that rhetoric he spewed prior to the game. Nice stammering act between periods.

- Thought Miller was more solid than spectacular. The U.S. scoring chances were really good. Martin Broduer was OK in goal for Canada. No excuse for bad clearing pass, though.

- Why was that game on MSNBC, not NBC? And my system, the same used by millions of Americans, doesn't have MSNBC in high-def. NBC dropped the ball on this one.

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