Team Canada: Crosby has three assists in 8-0 win

Canada 8 – Norway 0 In front of 16,652 fans, Sidney Crosby and Team Canada had some tense moments after a scoreless first period, but Canada scored three second period goals and added five more in the third en route to a 8-0 win over Norway. Penguins center Sidney Crosby broke Canada out of their funk setting up Jarome Iginla in the slot for a power play goal at 2:30 of the second period and Canada never looked back. Crosby who opened up the game on a line with Rick Nash and Patrice Bergeron, led all scorers with three points but the Crosby/Nash unit did not hit their stride until head coach Mike Babcock replaced Bergeron with Jarome Iginla on

Team USA wins opener 3-1

USA 3 – Switzerland 1 Team USA played the type of game that many expected, playing a tight defensive game and scoring timely goals as Team USA defeated Switzerland 3-1 in their opening game of the Olympics. Bobby Ryan (1), David Backes (1) and former Penguin Ryan Malone (1) all scored for Team USA. Malone’s power play goal at 8:25 in the second period gave Team USA a 3-0 lead. USA limited Switzerland to 15 shots as goaltender Ryan Miller (1-0) made 14 saves in the win. Switzerland was never a threat offensively. Anaheim Ducks goaltender Jonas Hiller made 21 saves in the loss for Switzerland. Penguins defenseman Brooks Orpik was paired with Jack Johnson and played a solid defensive

Team Canada: Crosby centering Rick Nash and Patrice Bergeron

Team Canada news and Notes Is there more pressure on any athlete in the Olympics than Sidney Crosby? The pressure for Team Canada to capture the Gold medal is enormous and Canada opens up the tournament against Norway Tuesday afternoon. Sidney Crosby who went through his first practice this evening, skated on a line with Rick Nash of the Columbus Blue Jackets and Patrice Bergeron of the Boston Bruins. Nash who played with Crosby during the entire Team Canada orientation camp is not a surprise and neither is Patrice Bergeron due to Crosby and Bergeron having excellent chemistry during the world championships but that the nearly four years ago. It remains to be seen if Bergeron is the best fit

Hockey Olympics: Malkin to center Kovalchuk and Afinogenov in opening game

Team Russia News and Notes Russia who is considered a favorite to win the Gold Medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics, went through their first practice today. Russia opens up the tournament tomorrow night against Latvia in preliminary action. Penguins center Evgeni Malkin will open up the tournament on a line with New Jersey’s Ilya Kovalchuk and Atlanta’s Max Afinogenov while Pavel Datsyuk will center Russia’s top line of Alexander Ovechkin and Alexander Semin. Former Penguins winger Alexei Morozov, will play on the 4th line with Danis Zaripov (AK BARS KAZAN), and Sergei Zinoviev (SALAVAT YULAYEV). Sergei Fedorov, Viktor Kozlov and former Nashville Predators forward Alexander Radulov will be Russia’s third line. Russia’s blueline consists of five NHLer’s led by