Yesterday was a blissful international hockeygasm, and there was so much hockey yesterday that some stuff probably was lost. With all due respect to Slovakia, it's not often when the best 6 teams in the world play their rivals with a lot at stake. I know the initial reaction is to say these were just preliminary games, but look at how the seeding broke down and then it'll become obvious that these games matter. A lot.

So here's a breakdown of the good, the bad and the ugly from the weekend, starting by team. By weekend, I mean top 6, because I didn't really watch much of the under-card games on Saturday.

More after the jump

The Good

#1 USA

Ryan Miller - You know how lawyers will throw an argument out there that they know will get "stricken from the record" because a jury can't unhear what they already have heard. Well Ryan Miller did the equivalent in his case for the Vezina last night. We all know all 30 NHL GMs were watching that game, and we all know they saw an incredible performance by the Sabre. As much as they might try and say "but the Olympics shouldn't count" guess what, those 30 GMs can't unsee what they saw last night. It's going to factor into their voting, even subconsciously, and barring a complete catastrophe in one of the later games, Miller is going to win the Vezina.

Brian Rafalski - As much as I loathe to give any Red Wing any credit whatsoever, and I do loathe it, Rafalski has long been a wildly under appreciated defenseman. The guy has 3 cups, 5 cup finals and has always been overshadowed by Lidstrom, Stevens, and Neidermeyer. On Sunday evening, Rafalski was overshadowed by no one, well except maybe Miller. Rafalski's 2 goals and an assist were pivotal, but he was a stalwart in his own zone too, consistently on the ice against Canada's top line of Richards-Crosby-Nash. Can a 35-year old all-star 3 time cup champ have a coming out party? If he can, Rafalski did.

Parise-Stastny-Langenbrunner - USA's top line was their best line. A combined +7, 8 shots on goal, 3 points from the trio. Along with Rafalski-Suter they were matched up on the Crosby line all night and did a tremendous job. They exposed Crosby as a poor back-checker and during the stretches where Canada dominated the chances while those three were on the ice seemed a lot more tame.

Ryan Kesler - Prettiest empty net goal ever? Prettiest empty net goal EVER!

Chris Drury - Key block, key goal, and great defensive play

#2 Sweden

Henrick Lundqvist - He hasn't been tested very thoroughly yet, facing only 20 shots against Finland, but Lundqvist has a 0.0 GAA and 1.000 save percentage in these Olympics. Hard not to ignore that.

Loui Eriksson - The Dallas Star got two goals against Sweden's biggest rivals. He was stellar on the powerplay.

Nickolas Backstrom - The Washington Capital had a hand in all three Sweden goals in the nightcap.

The Trap - Both Sweden and Finland played the trap to a tee last night, Sweden put on a textbook case of how to play it, and how to beat it in their domination of Finland.

#3 Russia

Evgeni Malkin - Ovechkin is easy to fawn over because his play is so noticeable (and this isn't a knock on Ovechkin at all), and here I am mentioning Ovechkin in praise about Malkin, but Malkin's game is so underappreciated at times it's criminal.. He was simply outstanding doing what he does best; control the puck with his big body, dish off to set up teammates, and put himself in the right position to make the good play. He was outstanding. I don't think Malkin is ever out of position in the offensive zone.

Ovechkin - Outstanding all game long, centerpiece on the most dangerous  line in the Olympics, and had the defining play of the Olmpics so far when he leveled Jaromir Jagr. He was a beast.

Pavel Datsyuk - If Miller made a subconscious case for the Vezina, Datsyuk made one for the Selke. I think Toews should win it this year (I've flopped a bit) but Datsyuk is one of the 5 best defensive forwards in the game. He played outstanding in his own zone against the Czechs, and got an empty netter to show for it.

#4 Finland

Mikka Kiprusoff - Kept that Sweden game form being 6-0, keeping USA as the #1 seed. He was about the only good Fin last night

Teemu Selanne - Ok, not this weekend, but a special hat tip to the Finnish flash for becoming the all-time leader in Olympic points. Also there wasn't anything else positive to say about the Fins after last night.

Prelim games matter #1 - By winning their non-Sweden games handedly they get the #4 seed which includes a bye. With them taking the game against Sweden off that's 2 byes in a row.

#5 Czech Republic

Milan Michalek - I thought he was the best Czech in the Russia game. He's a good underrated player, and there's a reason the Senators wanted him in exchange for Heatley.

Plekanec- Beauty of a power play goal eh?.

David Kreici - why isn't he centering Michalek and Jagr? he was fantastic

#6 Canada

Jonathon Toews - I thought he was Canada's best forward, with 2 assists. His line was Canada's best line. Simply outstanding work by him

Duncan Keith -  Probable Norris Trophy winner played like it, and had an assist. The funny part here is that the youth of the Canadian team outplayed their veteran counterparts by a long shot.

Drew Doughty - Another Young Canadian with a big night in a losing effort. Doughty looked fantastic, especially on offense.

The Bad

#1 USA

Phil Kessel & Ryan Malone - For a team that was outshot as handedly as the Yanks were last night, I'm having trouble finding too many negatives to say here. The only players that finished negative for the US were Kessel, Pavelski, Malone, Dustin Brown, and Jack Johnson. Both Kessel and Malone seemed to have off-nights last night. Hard to really pick too much as Goaltending covers a lot of  warts. Still I don't think Kessel looked very good in his own end especially.

#2 Sweden

Offense - Sweden had a chance to be the #1 seed last night, and really could have taken it to the Fins and gotten it done. they backed off on a 5 minute powerplay that could have helped them get that #1 seed. (And the #1 seed is looking great compared to the #2 right now) They really let themselves down on this, and it could cost them a medal.

The Sedins - Neither looked all that great last night, but it's hard to tell as Sweden has rarely attacked the net at all these Olympics.

#3 Russia

KHL - Other than Radulov, who should be in the NHL anyways, the KHLers look like the weak link on this team. They are top heavy, but depth could be a concern. If they run into a team that can shut down a top line (like, say Langenbrunner-Stastny-Parise?, or the Swede's) and have to use their depth to create scoring chances, this team becomes a lot less dangerous.

The Slovakia OT- Going to OT with Slovakia means they now get Canada (in all probability) in the Quarterfinals. This becomes example #1 on why preliminary games are important. Had they won in regulation they would probably be a #2 seed, playing the winner of CAN-Sweden in the semis. They may have even snuck into the #1 seed. Instead they get what could be the co-toughest route to gold with Canada.

Penalties- They put themselves in bad positions quite a few times with some awful penalties Semins in the second period was especially awful.

Defense - Other than Datsyuk, they let a lot of the Czechs just walk around their defensive zone for much of the play. Explosive offense is nice, but if David Kreici can do whatever he wants in their own zone, Crosby, Thornton, Rick Nash and Co. will be licking their chops.

#4 Finland

Where to start - They don't trap as well as Sweden, and they don't score as well as them either.

Antti Miettinen - From Russo's Rants - Antti Miettinen always honest when playing poorly. Asked why he didn't play a shift tonight: "Because I played like $%#@ first 2 gms." Well then.

#5 Czech Republic

Jaromir Jagr -  He's been good this tournament, but that game turned on him getting lit up like a Christmas tree by Ovechkin. He's still a force below the faceoff circles, but he looks old in open ice.

Physical battles - They seemed to lose every one to the Russians. If they play the USA or Canada I'm not sure they will be able to handle it.

#6 Canada

Martin Brodeur -  said this in twitter, but it bears repeating: in his last two big games (game 7 vs CAR, last night) he's been unquestionably the weak link, and cost his team the game. Patrick Roy wouldn't do that. Also from Brodeur is a Fraud: Martin Brodeur was also pulled in his last pre-Olympic tuneup, the difference [between him and Luongo] is that in his prior 11 he was just 4-5-2, 2.78, .884. Maybe fat Marty needs a rest eh?

Sidney Crosby -  It's a testament to how good Crosby is that he had a goal and still ended up here, but he was awful last night. His backchecking was atrocious and he was pretty much pushed around the entire evening. Canada may have a more physical team, but he looked lost when he went into the corners with his Pittsburgh teammate Brooks Orpik last night, and lost against a relentless pressure applied by Langenbrunner-Stastny-Parise. Even his goal was pretty much all Rick Nash. He's supposed to be his teams best player, last night he wasn't even close.

Old Guys - Canada's worst players were their veterans: Pronger, Thornton & Boyle were especially bad.Thornton had a glorious breakaway opportunity that got easily snuffed out and sent back the other way.

The Ugly

#1 USA

Nothing on-ice was ugly last night, so umm sorry Phil Kessel, but you are not an attractive person:

#2 Sweden

Peter Forsberg - Lets hope it's the stomach flu, but he looks washed up and done. Yikes.

Henrick Zetterberg - Is he even playing in these games? I don't think I've heard his name once. He's got 3 shots on goal and no points in 3 games.

# 3 Russia

Ilya Kovalchuk - Not playing poorly, but his little spat with former teammate Filip Kuba Pavel Kubina made him look, well petty childish and like kind of a baby.

#4 Finland

Last Night - That was truly an abysmal performance last night against Sweden. I'd be embarrassed if I were a Fin.

Joni Pitkanen - What the hell were you thinking with that elbow. Brutal.

#5 Czech Republic

Jarmoir Jagr - He's not a pretty person. He was even worse with a broken visor in an interview, a pic of which I couldn't find. :

#6 Canada

Corey Perry - He was awful, just awful all night for Canada. His lack of hustle allowed Kesler a pretty EN goal.

The Swiss Shootout - Had they won in regulation they likely would have been a #4 or #5 seed, which means first round bye, or game against Latvia then the #4-5 Seed (likely Finland in this case) Then a likely rematch with the USA in the Semis. All in all, not so bad. Since they went to a shootout with Switzerland, losing a point, they now get Germany and then face Russia and likely Sweden before the Gold medal game if they make it that far. In Bolivia there's a road called the Road of Death, nicknamed such because there's a fatal accident once every three weeks. Canada's current road to the gold medal is the hockey equivalent. All thanks to Jonas Hiller.

This Crash - Again, caused by Corey Perry, but it's ugly for Canadians, beautiful for Americans:

Glorious

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