INSIDE HOCKEY

The Canadians captured their third straight gold medal 2-0 over the United States after a spectacular hockey game that proved... sometimes it all comes down to puck luck.

We didn't expect the Canadians and the Russians to meet in a quarterfinal. And we certainly didn't expect Canada to beat down Ovechkin and company the way it did today. 

Nobody outside of the Team USA locker room expected the Americans to win here. Now, with an amazing 5-3 upset victory over Canada, the Americans are flying high, as the host nation sits on the brink of a national letdown.

The final score was 6-1, but the Americans victory over Norway on Thursday sure seemed a lot closer as the U.S. battled defensive and mental breakdowns that nearly cost them dearly.

Inside Hockey's own Jake Duhaime is in Vancouver for the Winter Olympics, armed with a camera in hand. Here are some of his best shots so far during the first few days of the 2010 Winter Olympics. 

The United States Women’s Hockey Team has spent the last six months barnstorming North America for this very moment, where all of the pre-Olympic practices, meetings and preparation became reality. Where Team USA would take the ice in front of a boisterous crowd of 5,000+ at UBC Thunderbird Arena and the games would finally be real.

If Bruin fans were searching for one word to adequately describe their mood right now; it probably wouldn’t make our family friendly publication. Never has a game in the first week of February reeked of such desperation. And never has a 3-2 shootout loss seemed so empty, so shallow, and so low, to so many.

Sure, the Bruins got out to an early 2-0 lead, but the avalanche of talent on the Blackhawks bench led to scoring chance after scoring chance, five goals and watching Olympian Tim Thomas give way to Tukka Rask midway through the second period.

Inside Hockey's Jake Duhaime has more sights and sounds from the Winter Classic, this time from the Philadelphia Flyers Practice and Locker Room session at a snowy Fenway Park.

Marco Sturm and Patrice Bergeron both scored, and Marc Savard added two assists as the Bruins head to the Winter Classic on a winning note, beating Atlanta for the second time in a week 4-0.

Jake Duhaime and Tim Rosenthal are at Fenway where Winter Classic preparations are well underway. And while the Bruins won't want to look past Atlanta tonight, they may enter New Year's without the club's most popular player.

What does Zdeno Chara think of his potential involvement in the first scuffle in Winter Classic history? Well he's taking the company line on that one.

Last year's Winter Classic was the most watched U.S. regular season hockey telecast in 34 years, and for those ready to do it again, the venue, not the game is the real showcase of the broadcast.

They say the season is a marathon and not a sprint. A cliche perfectly shown off by the Bruins throughout the first two months of the season as they've struggled, bounced back, but have yet to truly peak (video included).