Hockey fans all over North America are pulling their hair out these days over the Olympic Games - not because of thrilling action or insufferable defeats, but the fact that major portions of some games are being left off TV. So when we look ahead to today's schedule, don't expect that you'll actually see a game in its entirety:
USA vs. Norway (2:00 p.m. Central, USA): The American team hopes to build on Tuesday's win over Switzerland.
Canada vs. Switzerland (6:30 p.m., CNBC): The TV listing says that coverage of this game doesn't start until 7:00. Hopefully the game won't be out of hand by then.
Slovakia vs. Russia (11:00 p.m., CNBC): Again, the TV listing indicates that this will be picked up 30 minutes late.
And now, on to your morning hockey news...
Predators News
Preds On The Glass: NBC Takes Heat and Thursday Thoughts
Buddy opens up on NBC for their ridiculous handling of hockey games, while also giving credit to WZTV (Fox 17 here in Nashville) for their coverage of the public skate held at the Sommet Center yesterday.
Callin’ It As I See It: A Mini-Series – Part III: Toots Sweet (Jordin Tootoo) " Pull My (Fang)Finger
AJ wrestles with the question of whether Jordin Tootoo's new 2-year contract makes sense for the Preds.
Ryan Suter, like his relatives, feels at home on Olympic ice - USATODAY.com
Kevin Allen presents the definitive portrait of the Suter family, an Olympic presence on the American blueline for 30 years now.
There's a lot of energy and optimism surrounding Nashville's inaugural SportsFest, but will it score with fans? - Nashville Scene
104.5 is hosting a "SportsFest" this weekend, which appears to be mostly football-related, but does feature Tom Callahan and Stu Grimson speaking from 3:15-4:00.
Patric Hornqvist: From Mr Irrelevant to Team Sweden - View From My Seats
Matt Reitz gives props to the development of our super soph as a legitimate goal-scorer at the elite level.
The View from 111: Scenes From the Road
Mark shares some photos from his road trip with the Preds, including pics with several Islanders bloggers from their Tweetup.
The Hockey News: Headlines: Small market Shea Weber steps onto big stage with Canada at the Olympics
Robin Short takes Shea Weber's Olympic debut as an opportunity to trash Nashville as the NHL's "Witness Protection Program". Stay Classy, Robin.
Around the NHL
Where's The Promotion, NBC? - From The Rink
NBC's ham-handed treatment of Olympic hockey is especially given the fact they're the NHL's broadcast partner, writes Mike Chen.
The playoff push: 90+ points or bust - The Globe and Mail
In the latest look at what it will take to make the playoffs, the Preds are likely to need an 11-9-1 record down the stretch.
The Perfect Ending? - Nightmare On Helm Street
In Detroit, they're looking ahead to the winding down of Nick Lidstrom's incredible NHL career. With his contract expiring this summer, should he still be the Red Wings' highest-paid player?
The Great Blackhawk Goalie Controversy | Hockey Independent
The presumption heading into this season was that Chicago could use an upgrade in goal - will that be their focus at the trade deadline?
Cullen: Comparing preseason and current NHL rankings
The Kings, Avalanche and Coyotes stand out as the major surprise teams of the season so far in Scott Cullen's rankings.
On Frozen Blog › A Lesson in Supply and Demand
The price of hockey for a Washington Capitals fan is going up. Way, way up...
Canes Country Q&A: Interview With Charlotte Checkers Owner Michael Kahn, Part 1 - Canes Country
The Carolina Hurricanes' AHL affiliate is moving from Albany, New York to Charlotte, North Carolina, and Canes Country spoke with the team's owner about what this will mean for the entire organization.
My one and only live Olympic experience - The Copper & Blue
Bruce McCurdy shares his story of taking in Olympic hockey, back when Calgary hosted the Games in 1988. I'm still bummed that there was no "Eddie the Eagle" in Vancouver's opening ceremonies.
james mirtle: A proposal for Olympic hockey reform
Some guy on an old Blogspot site thinks he has a better way to run the Olympic hockey tournament...