Olympic Opening Statements

Three of the four medal favorites played yesterday -- and all won using the style that was expected. The USA fought for a 3-1 victory over Switzerland with solid goaltending, hard work and good cycling. Meanwhile, Russia (8-2 over Latvia) and Canada (8-0 over Norway) flexed their offensive muscles.

This might just be how it's going to play out for a while with a few exceptions. The USA and Canada swap opponents on Thursday -- and the outcomes (along with the playing style) could be very similar. The not-so-friendly hockey neighbors face each other on Sunday in a game that should be a test for both teams.

Russia plays on Thursday against Slovakia, who opens tonight against the Czech Republic.

The only Caps that played yesterday were Russian -- and it was a good showing there. Alex Ovechkin scored twice, while Alex Semin notched an assist on Ovechkin's first goal. Semyon Varlamov didn't play -- and no word on whether that's going to change.

Finally, in case you haven't noticed, the U.S. and Canadian women's teams are scoring at record paces without much resistance. Both teams have played twice: Canada has outscored Switzerland and Slovakia 28-1, while the USA has routed China and Russia 25-1.

Canada plays today vs. Sweden (5:30 p.m., MSNBC), perhaps the only legitimate threat to either country, and the USA plays Finland tomorrow. The semifinals, when the games should be closer, take place Monday.