I thought the Americans had the better of the play in yesterday's WJC semifinal, but the Canadians had Carey Price, and if you watched the game, that's summary enough. Jeff Frazee played superbly in his own right, and overall in the tournament, I think, elevated his status as a netminding prospect (his rights belong to New Jersey). He will, however, have nightmares the remainder of his career about facing Jonathon Toews in shootouts.

It bears mentioning that for the Americans yesterday's was their fourth game in five days, the final three of which were of the win-or-go-home variety, whereas the Canadians had two full days of rest going in since they last played New Years Eve. In the sixty-first through seventieth minutes yesterday the Red, White, and Blue outshot Canada 12-2, controlling the entirety of the extra time session. Again, in light of their preceding rigor, an astounding showing.

But I'm not sure yesterday's game ever should have made it to OT. Leading 1-0 in the third, the Americans, without falling back into any manner of shell, had complete control of both the game's tempo and especially in minimizing Canadian pressure in their end. Then, smack in the middle of the period, Americans Mike Carman and Blake Geffrion took needless, senseless penalties, Carman's an elbow to the head at center ice and Geffrion a crosscheck to the back while his team was already shorthanded. The Canadians' Luc Boudon eventually blistered the equalizer past a screened Frazee, and the outcome instantly was in doubt.

Even more frustrating, this morning there is increasing controversy related to the game's penalty shots decider. Canada's Bryan Little missed on his team's fourth shot, and Pat Kane followed with a five-hole attempt that Carey Price squeezed between his pads. But Price's momentum carried about three-quarters of his goal pads into the cage, the puck lodged somewhere within. Replay again was in use for this tournament, but inexplicably the on-ice officials refused to call for a review. American coach Ron Rolston pleaded for a review, to no avail. It's entirely possible -- perhaps even likely -- that a review would have failed to offer any clarification about the puck's position, but what's the sense of having replay if you don't use it in such a situation? Had a review determined that Kane's shot crossed the goal line the game would have ended, along with Canada's three-peat mission.

This controversy, joined by the weird spectacle of Jonathon Toews shooting three times in penalties, and moreover the fast-food-unappealing quality of ending such a seminal showdown in so manufactured a fashion, may lead IIHF to reconsider penalty shots as deciders. In round robin play they seem less offensive, but this tournament -- otherwise brilliant in so many respects -- suffers by comparison with college hockey's postseason, which annually produces epic, play-until-you-die OTs.

1. Minnesota 17-1-3
2. Notre Dame 16-3-1
3. Maine 12-3-2
4. New Hampshire 14-3-1
5. St. Cloud State 12-3-3
6. Miami 15-6-1
7. Boston College 9-5-1
8. Denver 14-6-2
9. Clarkson 13-5-1
10. Michigan State 11-7-1
11. Cornell 9-4-1
12. Colorado College 12-7-1
13. Boston University 7-4-5
14. Michigan 13-8-0
15. Vermont 11-6-1
16. Quinnipiac 8-4-4
17. Lake Superior 12-6-2
18. Bemidji State 10-5-3
19. Niagara 11-6-3
20. North Dakota 9-10-1