Afternoon Scrum 2/24/10

Hockey headlines for the CBJ and from around the league. Mmmmm... hockey

• The qualifying rounds are underway in Vancouver. Here are today's matchups and previews. Let's go Fightin' Bald Eagles!

Swiss vs USA Noon, pst (NBC)

Canada vs Russia 3:30 pst (CNBC)

Czech Rep vs Finland 7:00 pst (CNBC)

Slovakia vs Sweden 9:00 pst (CNBC)

• Team Canada finally looked like they knew how to score goals, putting up a snowman against Germany. Nash contributed a goal late in the 3rd when the game was already well decided. Prior to that game, Dave Feschuk of thestar.com took Nash to task for his lack of goal scoring on the big stage, and fits in a few jabs at the CBJ and the city of Columbus while he has our attention.
• We all know about the pressures Team Canada is dealing with, what with them representing the country that invented the game and doing so on home soil. But Sean Grodon of the Globe and Mail has an interesting peek at the pressure being felt by Team Russia and GM Vladislav Tretiak.
• So who's gonna win that game? PuckDaddy gives his 5 Reasons the Canadians will win. Be sure to check out our Around the Boards feature to see who the writers of this esteemed blog think will win.
• Former CBJ and current Red Wing Ole-Kristian Tolleffsen (Team Norway) was issued 25 minutes in penalties for a devastating elbow he delivered to Slovakian F Lubos Bartecko. Bartecko lost his helmet, fell to the ice and struck his head. He was taken off the ice on a stretcher. Not a pretty sight.
• Practice resumes for non-Olympian NHLers today. Puckrakers reports that Jackets players should expect a long day as Interim Head Coach Claude Noel looks to up the conditioning level of his players with 19 games left in the season. Apparently, it starts now.