"I can handle losing to any country, but losing to the USA is the equivalent of getting a swift kick to the balls, right after being punched square in the balls." – Minister Towelboy to Wanye via bbm, 0.01 seconds after the end of game.

The road to Gold just got significantly harder now, with Canada needing to win four games in six days to capture our second gold medal in men’s hockey in the last three Olympics. On the flip side, if Canada still strikes Gold, this will be looked at as little more than a bump in the road that guaranteed another game night of beer sales for bars selling suds to thirsty Canadian hockey fans around the world.

One big Question emerges however:

Luongo or Brodeur?

Brodeur didn’t cost Canada the game, but he was outplayed by Ryan Miller and looked shaky playing the puck on several occasions.

Roberto Luongo hasn’t played since last Tuesday, but I can’t see rust being a factor if he gets the call against the Germans. These are the kinds of games that bring out big efforts by big players and if Luongo gets the nod over Brodeur he will not only thrill the hometown fans but silence a great many Armchair GMs from coast to coast who will be standing in front of the water coolers tomorrow morning screaming for the head of Brodeur.

In 2006 Team Canada was too loyal to veteran guys and a slow and aging corps didn’t even make the medal round in Turino. Steve Yzerman has assembled a much younger squad and is favouring present day skill and effort over history and pecking order amongst veterans. And the veterans looked shaky tonight – particularly Pronger and Niedermeyer early on whereas we are witnessing the passing of the Olympic Torch to the new generation of Olympians with every passing game.  

Does that continue next game with Olympic Hero Martin Brodeur being replaced by a younger Roberto Luongo? Or is this Brodeur’s final Olympic shot at gold – and do you give him the start in the next game?

Drew Doughty is 20 freaking years old and he was a beast tonight playing 23 minutes. Doughty along with Duncan Keith (24 minutes tonight) and Shea Weber have been the best D-men for the Canadian team. If the coaching staff is playing the best guys, regardless of age or resume, then I bet they go with Luongo.

I haven’t spoken with anyone, and this is just my feeling based on how this team was selected and how they’ve given opportunity to the young skaters, so maybe the goaltending torch gets passed on Tuesday night.

Of course goaltending isn’t the only reason Canada lost. Their powerplay needs to improve and they have to be better around the net. Rick Nash has to bury that open net he had in the last five minutes. You can say Miller made a great save, but Nash needs to raise the puck and score at that point.

Any coach will tell you that a scorer has the responsibility to finish off those types of plays. I’m betting we will see Luongo on Tuesday and the changing of the guard will be complete from Crosby to Doughty to Luongo.

Wow.