------------
We care about this because the one NHL star on Team Slovenia is LA King Anze Kopitar, whose dad is the team's coach. Kopi scored one of Slovenia's three goals today.
Yesterday I was complaining on Twitter about how Kings Jeff Carter and Drew Doughty are all of the sudden goal scoring machines in their Team Canada uniforms, and it would be nice if they'd score some goals in their Kings uniforms.
Kopi has been the Kings' only goal scoring machine of late. So to him I just say: Yay Kopi! That goal was a beauty!
------------
Now back to USA vs. Russia.
------------
As the first period was going on, I thought, if this goes well for Team USA, all of the world will now know the awesomeness of my former Baby Goalie. (That is my pre-Stanley Cup Championship nickname for LA Kings/Team USA starting goaltender Jonathan Quick, who, until he grew a beard during the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs, looked like he was 12.) Since he is now the "former" Baby Goalie, we will refer to him by his real nickname now, "Quickie."
------------
Still no score. Russia is on their second powerplay. USA defensemen and the goal posts are really helping Quickie on this one. Phil Kessel just took a shot to the hand. Ouch. He's off to the dressing room. Uh oh.
------------
I may have just jinxed Quickie. Oh look... that ass Putin is here watching the Russians score their first goal. Blech. 0-1 Russia. But Kessel is back from the dressing room. That's good. His sister is playing for the Team USA women, by the way.
------------
The commentators just said, "Jonathan Quick has been huge for Team USA." Yes, yes he has. That's because he's very used to playing for a team that can't score goals.
------------
Wow. A Russian just leveled Dustin Brown. Is that what they call karma? :-P
The NBCSN commentators that annoy me* say that was a bad, selfish penalty since Brown was nowhere near (like 2 zones away from) the puck. Agreed. But it's now time for a Team USA power play. Come on guys!
------------
Team USA scores!! 1-1 Uh oh... off Cam Fowler's skate. But he didn't kick it in. The goal is good! Whoo-hoo!
------------
End of the 2nd. Still tied 1-1. Shots - USA 23, Russia 21.
------------
Now into the 3rd period. Uh oh. Brownie apparently broke the rules. He doesn't agree but the refs don't care. Another power play for Russia.
------------
Thank god NHL fans aren't obsessed with these annoying horns. I would shoot myself.
------------
Quickie makes a big save and now we're back to even strength.
------------
Is it just me, or does it sound like the crowd is chanting "Go Kings Go?" If so, then I will believe in my mind that the chant is for Quick and Brown, not Voynov (although in reality, it's the reverse.)
------------
Team USA on the power play. Please score a goal! Please score a goal! (If Jeff Carter was on Team USA in his Team Canada jersey I bet they'd score a goal....)
------------
Whoo-hoo!! Joe Pavelski scores on a beauty of a pass from Patrick Kane. Team USA leads 2-1! I normally hate Patrick Kane, but not this week.
10 minutes to go. Quickie be a wall. Quickie be a wall....
------------
Argh! Brown gets another penalty. Knee on knee hit. You really must stop doing that Dustin. Oy.
------------
AHHH! Russia scores. Quickie was looking around the wrong side of the giant Russian screening him. And we're tied again. I can't take this. 7:16 to go. (BAD Brownie!!)
------------
They're chanting "Go Kings Go" again ;)
------------
Russia just scored again. Argh. Right over Quick's shoulder, after he'd just made an amazing save too. Wait... the ref is reviewing. Was it deflected with a high stick? NO GOAL!!!! Ahhh! But on NBCSN's replay it didn't actually hit that stick. Wow. That should have been a goal. Putin is gonna be pissed. OH, wait. The in-goal camera is showing the net was slightly off its peg. In international play, that means no goal. In the NHL, that goal would've counted.
(It also counts in the NHL if the puck goes out of play into the net above the glass and no official sees it, and then bounces back in and off the goaltender's back into the net... just in case you were wondering. No, I'm not bitter.)
------------
Russia takes a penalty with 1:32 left. Still tied 2-2. Wow. Wow. Wow. Both USA goals have been on the power play. Could this be Miracle on Ice, Part 2? (No because this USA team is not that outmatched, but it still adds some drama.)
------------
And we go to Overtime. AHHHH! I do believe our remaining power play time carries over with these international rules, though right? Oh NBCSN commentator dudes who annoy me, please confirm... Yes, 29 seconds of power play carries over. Come on guys! Score a goal (And by guys, I mean the American ones. It would be awesomesauce if it ended up being the Dustin Brown one.)
------------
Power play is over. Now back to 4-4 for OT. "Go Kings Go!" These Russian fans are so nice to Quick and Brown.
------------
Patrick Kane just had a breakaway and missed. Argh.
------------
I think we are going to a shoot out. (No jinxes since we're currently in USA's defensive zone with 6.2 seconds left.) Yes. We're going to a shoot out. Quickie BE A WALL. I'm serious this time. In international play, you can use the same 3 shooters over and over. Interesting... I guess that means Dustin Brown won't be getting a chance here.
------------
TJ Oshie is up first for Team USA. Scores! That was the slowest shoot out approach I've ever seen.
Now Malkin for Team Russia. DENIED by Quick!
James Van Riemsdyk for USA. Denied. USA still up 1-0.
Pavel Datsyuk for Russia. DENIED by Quick! USA still leads 1-0.
Joe Pavelski next for Team USA. Score and we win. No pressure. Denied.
Alright Quickie. No pressure. Be a wall. Kovalchuk next for Russia. He scores. Ahhh. Tied 1-1.
Now Russia gets to go first. Kovalchuk again. Denied.
Oshie for Team USA. If he scores, we win. Denied.
Datsyuk up for Russia. Scores. ARGH. Russia 2-1.
Last shot for USA if we don't score. Oshie again. Scores! Thank god. 2-2. Knocked the water bottle off.
Kovalchuk again. Scores. Russia 3-1.
Oshie again. This poor guy. Scores! 3-3.
Datsyuk for Russia. Denied! Ahh! Good Quickie. Good Quickie.
Come on Oshie!! Denied. Ahhhh! This is making me nauseous.
Kovalechuk. Denied by Quick!
Oshie again. Round 8. SCORES!!! Team USA WINS 3-2!!! AHHHH!!! That was AWESOME!!!! (Take THAT Putin!)
------------
Now I have to go read 11 hours of my Twitter feed. Bye!
------------
* This is mostly because they are not Bob Miller and Jim Fox, and include Jeremy Roenick. No real offense to Doc Emrick. You're pretty good. You're just not Bob Miller.
