So it goes, the Americans won the gold in overtime after a 1-1 tie game.

Well, okay. But I bet she doesn't feel that way. Gabriel Landeskog told the media the other day something to the effect of he has a silver medal in a drawer somewhere, but all he cared about was gold. And so, it is clear, would Poulin care for gold and accept the silver without much joy.

She gave it all. She played when she was hurt, she chased down icings on days she rode the goalie cart to the arena, she scored her record-setting goal while in pain. And it didn't quite add up to enough. That's the pain you feel, the other stuff is illusory.

But I do think it was an outstanding attempt. We can cheer the trying, particularly in a sport with so many mythologies about lack of it. It was all left on the ice by Canada.

I don't know if Team Sweden Women feel that way. I think they played their overtime afraid to lose, and they got what they were afraid of.

Happiness in three official languages:

Try to win, that's all you can do. The risk is losing, but the risk from not trying is much bigger. There is, however, no result more painful than silver.

Today the action returns to men's Olympic hockey. The semifinals are:

  • Canada vs Finland at 10:30 am ET
  • USA vs Slovakia at 3 pm

The men's bronze-medal game is tomorrow and the gold-medal game is on Sunday.

Jon Cooper would not rule Sidney Crosby out or in for today's games.

In other news:

The Wild went big on a practice goalie.

The Leafs have been recalling some Marlies for practices. So far Bo Groulx and William Villeneuve have been up with the big team.

And that's all for now, have what I really hope is a great and victorious Friday, everyone.

From The Branches