Greg Cote

Sweden is a very difficult matchup for the U.S., and it allows us to revisit what happened over the weekend Sunday as the Daytona 500 and those boys were turning left was going on.

Matthew Kachuk and them boys took on Germany, headlined by Leon Dreisaitl, Edmonton Oiler, Stanley Cup final rival.

And cameras and microphones caught Matthew Kachuk telling Leon Dreisaitl something that is just quintessentially Chucky.

Always a bridesmaid, never the bride.

Perfect.

Matthew Kachuk doing Matthew Kachuk things.

Now we turn our attention to today's opponent, Sweden, which is going to be a very difficult test.

Loads of NHL players on Sweden, chock full of them.

This is going to be a very difficult matchup, and it wouldn't surprise me at all, Roy, if Sweden takes this one.

This one's gonna be testy.

For as well as the US played, this is a very difficult matchup for them.

Sweden, and you couple that with the European crowd in Italy.

The German crowd was extraordinary.

That was basically a road game for the US.

You have loads of big-time hockey games, big-time important players on the ice right now.

Canada is probably going to have the easiest time today, but Finland, Switzerland as well.

The Swiss are also surprised with the level of NHL talent that they have on their roster.

This is not the Four Nations where there were two very clear teams.

The Olympics are a little bit different, and I think that the favorites outside of Canada, who should do well given their enormous talent disparity, this one's going to be difficult for the U.S.

Like I said, I'm on Sweden's money line on this one.