Your Guide to the Hockey (in the Olympics, that is)

I thought it would be appropriate to make our readers aware of just how the hockey will be working in the Olympics. Speaking of the Olympics, in case you didn't know in his post earlier today Morty told us all about what folks are saying to the Twitter machine. Do read.

OK. So the Men's Olympic Hockey tournament has 12 teams competing for Gold, broken up into 3 different groups. The US Americans are ranked 6 out of the 12 (to begin the tournament). Group A has the following countries: Canada, US, Switzerland and Norway. Group B: Russia, Czechs, Slovakia, and Latvia. Group C: Sweden, Finland, Belarus, and Germany.

Each team will play the other three teams in it's group to determine seeding for the elimination round. You get three points for a win in regulation. One point for a tie, and then one point if you win in OT or shootout (just like the NHL). The top four teams overall after group play will receive a bye in the next round. The remaining teams are then re-seeded 5-12 based on their performance in Group Play (various tie-breakers are in play). Here then, are the match ups in the first single elimination round:

5 vs 12

6 vs 11

7 vs 10

8 vs 9

Still with me?

The winners then will go on to face the 4 teams that had the bye. Here is how it goes:

1 vs 8/9 (winner becomes F1)

2 vs 7/10 (winner becomes F2)

3 vs 6/11 (winner becomes F3)

4 vs 5/12 (winner becomes F4)

Here is where I have a problem with the format. They should re-seed everyone after the first single elimination round in case of an upset. Remember back in '02 when Canada really didn't play all that well in the entire tournament? Belarus upset Sweden, but because teams were not re-seeded, Canada played Belarus in order to get to the Gold Medal game... while we had to play Russia in a dog fight, even though we were the higher seed. The only good game Canada played in that Olympics was the Gold Medal game. But, alas, no one really cares about that anymore I suppose. Onward...

F1 vs F4

F 2 vs F3

The two winners of this round play for the Gold. The two losers play for the Bronze.

US Americans schedule:

Tuesday 16th at 3:00 vs Switzerland on USA Network.

Thursday 18th at 3:00 vs Norway on USA Network

Sunday 21st at 7:00 vs Canada on MSNBC (I know, I know)

I still have a very strong feeling about our US Americans. Come on boys, it's Miller Time!!!