Olympic Hockey Day 3: Canada Looks For Vengeance Against Switzerland

Tonight’s Group A action between Canada and Switzerland begins at 7:30. Live coverage in the United States begins at game time on MSNBC and switches to CNBC around 8 PM ET / 5 PM PT. Follow along here with live updates and talk with other fans in SB Nation’s live game thread.
In 2006, the Canadians were shocked by the Swiss in the preliminary round, outshooting them 49-18 but ultimately losing 2-0. Martin Brodeur was in goal and many of the same players were on that team. On home ice far away from Torino, Italy, Brodeur and his team will look to get back at the Swiss for that match.

The chances of another upset are slim to now, so Switzerland has one hope and one hope only against the monster Canadian team. His name is Jonas.

Jonas Hiller, of course, the young Swiss phenom goaltender who plays for the Anaheim Ducks in his down time will literally need to stand on his head today of Switzerland wants to win. They’re a pretty gritty team, the Swiss, which you wouldn’t really expect from such a neutral place. But they can play some solid defense and give a better team fits if that better team isn’t clicking on all cylinders.

Just ask the Americans, who defeated Switzerland 3-1 on Tuesday in a game that was much closer than they would’ve preferred. Canada will need to be on their A game to get by Hiller and Switzerland, and it certainly won’t be as easy as blowing by Norway was in their first outing.

More: SB Nation’s full coverage of the Winter Olympics and the 2010 Winter Olympics Medal Count Tracker.