Semi-Live Blogging: USA vs. Canada

WARNING: Explicit Blogging

7:05 Pregame...

• Team USA white jersey really look like Rangers uniforms. Not cool.
• Supposed to start at 4:40 PST, but seems kinda early as Team USA already took the ice, no Canada yet.

• The British Columbia commercial make the place look great to visit but...all of the celebs (yes, that basketball player is a celebrity, anyone can show up and play basketball) are obviousbly being shot on a set, and are most certainly not in British Columbia.
• Love Christopher Guest, but these census commercials are kind of unnecessary. How much $ are we spending to make them?

7:11 Canada takes the ice...always in sick unis.

• I'd rather have Mike Richards on my team than Sidney any day.
• On a side, I'm pumped about moving to Buffalo this summer. I still have not been to an NHL game, so it looks like my first chance will be in Buffalo. Hopefully versus Toronto, but I'll aim low and be happy to see them beat the hell out of Florida or something. Yeah Florida, you suck. Now. Wait a few years.
• 
  Puck won't drop until 7:45. It is currently 7:17. I'll be back around 7:40.
• $5 footlongs! As long as you're not in Alaska. $6 footlongs!

7:40

• Yes, Parise is that good. Just ask my fantasy teams from last season. Nailed it.
• Puck drop very soon. I vote big hit within 3 minutes.

7:45

• USA coming out full of piss and vinegar...I like it.
• YEAHHHHHHHHDEFLECTION MOTHERFUCANADARS!!!
• Sidney Crosby: -1
• Credit the goal to Sidney Crosby. Point your stick down, dumbass.

7:49

• So when Jays traded League for Morrow a month ago, Drunk Jays Fans totally schooled me by posting Brenden Morrow and headlining their post "Toronto trades for Morrow". Touche, drunkies.
• Miller, 1. Crosby, 0.
• Ryan Getzlaf? Penalty? No way! PowerPlay USA.
• I hope no one sees this post as anti-Canadian. I am very much a fan of Canada. But I am America.
• Brodeur saves a stick from his victories? Does he own an airline hangar to put them in?
• High-stick, Pavelski on Getzlaf. Getzlaf draws a lot of penalties on top of getting a few called on himself, so he's no liability.
• 

8:00

• No one said it'd be a defensive game. Well, except me. I was wrong. 1-1.
• Someone give that albino Staal some eyebrows.
• RAFALSKI!!!!!!!!! Or someone else....
• Nope. Rafalski:
• 
• Getting a bit Chippy.

8:06

• Hey, USA, watch out for that #87
• For those concerned, I did end up (SAVE BY MILLERRRR) $4.50 for those 2 autos, an SP and a relic off eBay. Score!
• That's what she said, Eddie.

8:17

• Game letting up a slight bit, plus I'm roaming eBay.
• First Intermission. Great Start. Back for Period 2.

Second Period, 2-1 USA, 8:36

• Good, the energy is back
• Heatley. Prick. Scary good line.
• 2-2 Canada. Looking like a 12-12 shootout at this point.
• Michael Phelps enjoys a cool Molson as well. That may be the only thing we will ever have in common.
• 
• "..and a steal by Nash" is enough to get me to need a new pair of shorts

8:50

• My Dad and brother keep taking my popcorn. And tossing it to my dog.
• Might have to replace the glass after this game. Lots of hits in the corner and around the blue line boards.
• Poor Do Emerick, Russian v. Czech and now USA v. Canada. Hope he doesn't have a heart condition - other than love for the game, OH! (+1 point)
• Yellow Card - embellishment.

8:58

• Lots of hitting around the USA net.
• 3 canucks, one pile
• Oh...Ohhh...OHHHHHDRURYYYY
• Rick Jeannerrette flashbacks, 3-2 USA

9:03

• According to the game clock, it took me 17:40 to eat a bag of popcorn
• Wow, end-to-end three plays in a row. What a game
• Power Play, you albino fuck.

9:05, 3-2 USA PowerPlay

• To be continued in Period 3...

9:20, Period 3, USA leads 3-2

• No PPG, Brooks Orpik penalty. Why is he on this team?
• No! Crosby penalty! You little schoolboy bitch.

Americans on the Power Play, 9:24

• Yipes. Even strength.
• Another penalty against Canada...

9:29, USA PP

• RAFALSKI HAT TRICK
• Stay outta the box, score goals with the man advantage. NICE. Maybe the goal goes to Langenbrunner.
• RYAN MILLLLLERRRRR
• "How close can they coma and not score?" -Doc Emerick

9:33, 4-2 USA. YES. 4-2. Not a typo.

• Canada Power Plat. Do not want.
• Patrick Kane. Ugh. Get a haircut. This coming from someone with long hair.
• No hat trick for Rafalski. Goal goes to Langenbrunner.

9:42, 4-2 USA, Even Strength

• Okay, no Maple Leaf style breakdowns now...
• 42', 26% battery remaining...
• Sweet Boog Powell auto on eBay...
• Hope I don't have to work tomorrow. Since, you know. I just don't want to.
• -wince- Erik Johnson penalty....

9:44, 4-2 USA, Canada PP

• Alright Michigan boy, it's Miller Time.
• STICKS ON THE ICE DAMMIT!!
• Don't let Weber wind up on one...
• Nice clear, MILLERRRRR before i could even type about the clear, Miller made three game changing saves. Fucking eh.
• 
• Pucks been bouncing on Canada all night, can't expect this luck for USA later on in the tourney.
• Or by the end of that sentence...

9:48, 4-3 USA, Even Strength, Fuck Sidney Crosby

Hold 'em, 2:34 to go. Gotta win this faceoff.

Iginla has been quiet, but don't talk to him about destiny: [video removed]
9:52

• Faceoff win!
• HOLYSHITKESLER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• Goal. Of. My. Lifetime.
• I am happier than a pig in shit, Canada is on suicide watch.
• 5-3 USA. This isn't over. But it's close.
• 31s
• 26s
• Empty Net
• Frozen puck @ 16.5s
• 7!
• 3!
• USA WINSSSSSSSSSS

USA is 3-0, World. We're not here to fuck around this year. See you in the next round.

Announcing...

USA versus Canada hockey live blog tonight!

This will be my first live blog. I don't expect anyone to follow along through the whole game. But at least check it out afterwords. Plus, plenty of pictures of this handsome man:

A Change of Luck.

I should know better. The luck of the hits is random, but I got spoiled. I got greedy.

In November, I decided to try my luck at '09-'10 UD Artifacts Hockey. Instantly, I was gratified. I picked up a few packs, noticing one definitely contained a hit. Sure enough, out to the Jeep and quickly held a Borje Salming jersey card in my hand. I was hooked at this point.

So I bought a few more packs.

Bang, bang, bang,

Alexander Ovechkin, Mike Modano, and Ilya Kovalchuk jersey hits, as well as a short-printed Jamie Siefert rookie thrown in.

But as we all know, luck changes. After I decided to pursue the complete set (100 cards, without short prints), Artifacts utopia came crashing down.

Eight packs later, at too high of a cost for me to mention happily, a lot of 30+ doubles, and a set completion at a paltry 55%.

But why am I complaining? Four jersey hits, three of which are not plain white swatches (although, all low-scarcity inserts) over the course of...less than 20 packs? Maybe I should stop complaining and bask in the glory of deep red Thrashers jersey swatches.