Greg Cote

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.

Are we in round-robin territory or is it kind of lose and go home?

No, it's the quarters.

Yeah, we're in the quarterfinals right now.

It would be disappointing if I told you the U.S.

bowed out in the quarterfinals.

This is a great generation for USA hockey.

But I kind of favor the Swedes here.

I've made that pretty evident.