"...you always leave a note"*

And that's why I wanted to wait until today. Canada needed overtime to bounce the Czechs -- not without a bit of controversy, either -- and so has a two-point lead over the United States instead of three. The Slovaks avoided overtime only on Belarusian desperation -- Belarus pulled Andrei Mezin because it needed three points, not two, and Pavol Demitra put the puck in the empty net for a 4-3 win. Belarusian desperation had worked OK in the second period on the way back from a 3-1 deficit; former WBS Penguin Konstantin Koltsov -- I'll pause while you recover from the Game-7 memory -- tied it. On the other side, Sweden nipped Finland 1-0 (Bergenheim was zeroes-across, while Tarnstrom had a second assist), and Russia beat Switzerland 6-3 (an assist for Kharitonov), outcome never appearing to be in doubt, though Alex Ovechkin picked himself up a one-game suspension.

So it's actually pretty simple now. Two games mean anything. Canada clinches first in the pool with a win of any kind, or just by getting to overtime. The U.S. would win the pool with a regulation win. The first-place team gets Switzerland in the quarterfinals, while the second-place team gets Finland. Meanwhile, and I mean that literally, Sweden and Russia (minus Ovechkin) will meet for first place in the other group. Winner gets the Czech Republic; loser gets Slovakia.

There are also fifth-place games and relegation games. I hear Raimo Helminen may stand up in a luxury box during the Denmark-Italy game to announce his return for Finland. Stay tuned.

Reuters says Russia may actually sign this IIHF transfer agreement.

There are two Western Conference games tonight. Those teams are rumors, so if they inspire us tonight, we may pop back.

*-Is Jason around here? I know he'd get the Arrested Development shout-out...