Team Canada realizes that Norway is... well... Norway

They like their Norwegian wood

Granted, it took until about the mid-point of the game before someone on the Canadian bench had a revelation: "Hey, we're not playing the Russians... this is f'n NORWAY. They've got, like one city and a population of something like 32-thousand. Granted, Norwegian chicks are primo, but a hockey power thay ain't."

And with that, Team Canada woke up and decided to play some hockey, eventually running away with an 8-2 win in their quarter-final game.

Derek Roy scored two of his three goals in a span of 2:42 late in the second period to turn a close 3-2 game into a 5-2 runaway to help Canada to an 8-2 quarterfinal victory over Norway on Wednesday and set up a semi-final date with Sweden at the 2008 IIHF World Championship.

The Canadians and pesky Norwegians were knotted at 2-2 when the defending world champions sealed their seventh straight win on home soil by scoring three unanswered goals in the second period.

Johathan Toews put a quick wrist shot past goalie Pal Grotnes at 9:57 of the second, beating him high to the glove hand while Canada was on the power play.

Roy made it 4-2 at 14:08 on another power play, beating Grotnes from close in, and the Buffalo Sabres forward capped a great effort at 16:50 with another close-in shot that beat Grotnes, who again was Norway's best player. Grotnes caught Canada's attention six days earlier in a 2-1 loss to the home side, a game in which he made 50 saves.

Roy completed the hat trick at 11:40 of the third period, swinging around in front of the net and tucking a wrist shot under the crossbar for his fifth goal of the tournament.

Dany Heatley scored his 10th goal in seven game 37 seconds after the game’s opening face-off, giving Canadian fans visions of a runaway victory, much like the 10-1 win over Germany on Saturday.

But the Norwegians play a gritty style of hockey, and gave the Canadians all they could handle for the first half of the game, pulling even at 2-2 on a Mathis Olimb goal 5:32 into the second period.

But the Canadians kept coming in waves and wore down their opponents, controlling the play for much, if not all, of the second half of the game. Rick Nash, with a pair of goals, and Ryan Getzlaf also scored for the Canadians, who now head to Quebec City for Friday's semi-final against the Swedes, who beat the Czech Republic 3-2 in overtime.

The Getzlaf-Nash-Heatley line combined for seven points and now has 39 points in seven games.Cam Ward made 22 saves in goal for Canada. The Canadians take a 16-game winning streak into Friday’s game and are looking to become the first host country to win gold on home soil since the Soviet Union in 1986.

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As far as the Canadien content in yesterday's action, TurtlePlek had an assist for the Czech Republic in their 3-2 loss to Sweden.

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That sound you heard was the Flyers coming back down to earth

This one might go four.

Last night the Penguins showed why they deserve to be in the Stanley Cup finals, and the Flyers do not. My obvious bias against the Broad Street Wannbes for disposing of the superior Canadiens has nothing to do with either.

Evgeni Malkin scored twice, including one on a short-handed breakaway slapshot to show why he's the most dangerous Penguin in the lineup, Sid the Bib included. He also had an assist. Moments later, Malkin clobbered Flyers defenceman Braydon Coburn with a clean but thunderous hit. Final score: 4-2. And it wasn't that close.

The Flyers lack of overall team speed was very apparent. They showed the Pens way too much respect, and they got burned. And Martin Biron looked human.

Not a great combination if you're a Flyer's fan.

Mike Richards scored both goals for the Flyers, who didn't look like they could cope with the loss of Kimmo Timonen. The Flyers' top defenceman is out for the series to a blood clot. Considering the way that his team played last night, he should consider himself lucky.

In the World Championships, Team Canada returns to the ice this afternoon against Germany. Canada has owned the Germans at past IIHF World Championships, winning 37 of 40 games and outscoring them 234-61. That's what we said about Norway, too.

Canadien content in the tournament yesterday:

Andrei Markov had 1 shot and 4 PIM in a 4-3 win vs. Belarus;
Saku Koivu had 3 shots and 2 PIM in a 2-1 win over Latvia;
D-Cup had 3 shots and 2 PIM, B-Cup had 1 shot, and Mikhail Grabovski had 2 assists and 1 shot in their 4-3 loss to the Russians.

TurtlePlek's Czech Republic didn't play.

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They're still playing hockey? Really?

The NHL playoffs finally got back underway with the Western Conference finals last night.

And just to prove that my dog does indeed know all, the Wings jump out to the early lead by taking the opener 4-1. Ex-Hab and former Boston gunshot victim Mike Ribeiro was serving a penalty when the Wings scored their third to pull away. Looks good on you, Mikey... especially considering your latest comments regarding your former employer. What a knob...

Team Canada scared the crap out of me, and no doubt many other Canadians, as they almost fell to Norway yesterday in the World Championships. Yikes! Team Canuck had previously run roughshod over the Norwegians. 2-1 was the fingernail-biting final. Good thing I was drinking for most of the game.

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Where would you attach the strings?

He's pretty shocked by the latest turn of events, if his photo is of any indication.

Unless you've been hiding under a rock, the big news for the Centre of the Universe yesterday was the Maple Laffs firing of coach Paul Maurice. Give the guy a crummy bunch of players to work with, then blame Maurice for the team's failure. Classy. Trust me: Maurice was not part of the problem. Toe Blake couldn't have gotten more out of the one-trick pony that was the 2007-08 Laffs.

Now it's being reported that they've approached the Canucks to ask for permission to speak with recently fired GM Dave Nonis. Nonis would be brought in to handle the Leafs' managing duties through next season. In other words, they'd be replacing interim GM Cliff Fletcher with... another interim puppet.

The reason for the short-term "solution"? Could they be hoping that Nonis would simply be keeping the seat warm for Brian Burke until his contract with the Ducks runs out next year? I hope that Burke re-ups with Anaheim for a long, long time.

On to some real hockey news:

Canada will kick off the qualification round of the 2008 IIHF World Championship against Norway this afternoon after the Norwegians fought back from a 2-0 second-period deficit last night to shock Germany 3-2 and grab second place in Group C. The Canadians have dominated Norway at past world championships, winning 14 of 15 games and outscoring the Scandinavians 96-18. Look for more of the same to continue.

Other results form yesterday:

• The neutral Swiss were anything but as they doubled up Sweden 4-2. Oh Mats, where are you now?
• Finland downed Slovakia 3-2. A well-rested Teemu Selane with the winner.
• For some Canadien content, the Kostitsyn brothers each assisted on Belarus' first goal, victimizing former teammate Cristobal Huet. Do you think that thay might have an idea how to beat the guy? Belarus over France, 2-1.

Today's remaining games: Sweden/Denmark, Switzerland/Czech Republic, and U.S.A./Germany.

And (yawn...) after a few days rest, the NHL playoffs resume in Detroit today where the Dallas Stars meet the Red Wings in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. My dog says Wings in six. FYI, my dog is never wrong.

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