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Photos: All images by Wendy Bullard.  Copyright 2011.  All Rights Reserved.

Goddess Amy

• Best uniforms: Sweden… classic and classy
• Best sighting from another league: Double J — Jaromir Jagr — from watching him play and some of the interviews, he’s grown up a lot I think.
• Biggest surprise: Probably Norway. They just about pulled it out last night and looked really good.
• Best non-NHL player: Tore Vikingstad from Norway. Boy has some skills.
• Ugliest player *: I don’t know … ugly is in the eye of the beholder. But if I had to pick one, maybe Andrei Markov or a couple of the Belarusian guys.
• Prettiest player *: Probably Toby Enstrom of Sweden.
• Most unusual name: Tore Vikingstad… it’s perfect for a Norwegian.
• Best goalie mask: I really like Ryan Miller’s mask a lot.
• Worst/lamest goalie mask: I can’t think of one. They are all pretty great.

Goddess Kaat

• Best uniforms: USA: I’m a homer, but you can’t beat the red, white and blue throwback-kinda jerseys they wore in their win against Canada. A bit of a nod to the 1980 Miracle on Ice team. Classic. I like them even if they do look a bit like the New York Rangers out there. Honorable mention to the Czech Republic with their old school coat of arms on the front. I just dig them.
• Best sighting from another league: Richard Zednik. He’s always been one of my favorite players. As regular readers may know, I have a strange array of favorite players and he is one of them. So great to see him playing and playing well — especially after the horrible skate to the neck. Honorable mention: Jaromir Jagr. The NHL lost a character when he defected to the KHL.
• Biggest surprise: That either Canada or Russia will go home sans medal. And how awesome Jeremy Roenick has been as a color commentator for NBC. As the old McDonald’s slogan goes: “I’m lovin’ it.”
  
• Best non-NHL player: Jaromir Jagr. As much as I want to say Richard Zednik. It’s Jags.
• Ugliest player *: Phil Kessel. He’s played like crap so far. Has he even been on the ice?
• Prettiest player *: Ryan Miller, baby. He’s been incredible.
• Most unusual name: Janis Sprukts. I was fascinated by this last name when I saw him play in the KHL. It still gives me a mixture of intrigue and giggles. And it looks awesome in Cyrillic. To wit: “Спруктс.”
• Best goalie mask: Henrik Lundqvist always has cool masks. I am digging his Tre Kronor/Lady Liberty mask. Kind of the duel personality — Sweden’s crowns and a symbol of the U.S. on the other.
• Worst/lamest goalie mask: I know not everyone can afford to get a new mask just for the Olympics — or can they? They probably can, but are too superstitious or something. But I think Miikka Kiprusoff is lame for wearing his regular season mask. And, under normal circumstances, I love that mask of his — with the bad ass flaming skulls and all. It’s awesome, but I’d like to see something new for the Olympics. Show a little flare, Miikka baby.

Goddess Savvy

• Best uniforms: Germany. The Germans always have great uniforms, no matter what the sport.
• Best sighting from another league: Rosie — Vladimir Ruzicka — coaching the Czech Republic! :-)
• Biggest surprise: Besides the obvious? U.S. upsetting Canada and Canada needing a shootout to beat Switzerland?
• Best non-NHL player: n/a
• Ugliest player *: Tomas Plekanec. He’s always the ugliest player, and that goes both ways.
• Prettiest player *: David Krejci. He’s getting lots of well-deserved recognition from NBC’s announcers.
• Most unusual name: Is there any better name for a Norwegian hockey player than Vikingstad? Did he make that up?
• Best goalie mask: Tomas Vokoun. I like the Czech coat of arms. (Props to Miller, though, for including a shamrock on his mask as a tribute to Jim Craig.)
• Worst/lamest goalie mask: Thomas Greiss. He’s using his Sharks mask. Fail.

* Note: Prettiest/ugliest player was open to interpretation. It could have meant looks, style or play, however the goddess chose to interpret that question.

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