Today, the USA made it worth their while.

#KesselCelebrationFace

America has always had a little too much fun vilifying the Russians, which didn’t end with the Cold War.  Just last month the NY Times did a feature about the legend of the Russian bad guy living on in movies, and how “it doesn’t make for as powerful drama as it once did.” [link]

Au contraire.  In Russia, vs. Russia?  While we’re dusting off Bruce Willis and Sylvester Stallone, the US vs. Russian hockey rivalry needs no freshening. Perhaps it exists every day on NHL ice – some of their best players are our best players.  Some of those best players leave to go back.  I imagined Ilya Kovalchuk cackling like Boris and Natasha as he jumped those boards in Sochi.

If non-hockey fans get out of bed in the wee Saturday morning hours of a holiday weekend, I’d say the US/Russia socio-political, entertainment media-ingrained, guns blazing and ‘spies are cool’ drama is alive and well.

Or maybe it’s really the hockey – let’s see how many of those people are up tomorrow morning to watch Team USA take on Solvenia.

After today’s performance, they just might.

Who designed the stats layout at www.sochi2014.com?  These yearbook roster photos are like cards in that old game Guess Who?  Shhh, Datsyuk-face will never guess you were really Cam Folwer!

They even footnote every fact in a player’s bio, like a high school book report (which kids probably don’t write anymore.)  Check out Cam’s profile.  As a dual citizen of the US and Canada, does he get an option who to play for?  If so, then America thanks you, Cam.

He can get this painted as a mural on the front of his house:

And this one inside:

Little Joe Pavelski also heeded the call, celebrating American values like freedom, taking the lead and rocking a ginger beard.

Then Datsyuk again, because the Russians never stop, and the game was tied.  Shootout ensued.  People hate the shootout – I love it.  Maybe not in medal rounds, like the NHL playoffs employ endless overtime to decide games that count.  But I defy anyone to tell me today’s shootout failed to electrify.

And confuse.

What are these rules?  I knew the same shooter could be called on multiple times in an international game.  I knew a shootout could go eight or more rounds.  I never considered the same person would be called on again and again (and again x 4) to JUST KEEP SHOOTING.

Obviously when lining up a shootout vs. Malkin, Datsyuk and Kovalchuk, anyone in hockey would pick TJ Oshie every time.  What, no?  Dan Bylsma believes in you, TJ Oshie!  AMERICA IS WATCHING!

So, TJ took six shots in eight rounds.  He scored goals on four of those shots.  Oshie Team USA shirts sold out everywhere and Americans are all, “Where do I send my money?!”

It’s a moment like that when we can proudly look around and say, “I’ve been telling you guys forever – hockey is awesome.”

Then tell them you’ll be over at 7:30 tomorrow morning, and you’re bringing donuts.