Coming to you from the first intermission (now second period) of the Russia-Latvia game. Russia's got a 3-0 lead, and right now, proving the Olympics is as uncreative as many U.S. pro sports game operations staff's, they're doing the Kiss Cam.

Speaking of uncreative, that's me. I'm cooked after today. Probably the fact that I wrote two stories and tweeted 1,000 times, but like I told Greg Wyshynski from Yahoo's Puck Daddy today, I don't know how they do it. Fresh, creative stuff a gazillion times a day.

So you won't be getting anything too wonderful right now because I'm as spent as Jim Souhan's back. Because I'm a good guy, despite getting back to the hotel tonight around 1 a.m.ish, Joe Anderson's got me up at 6:30 a.m. and Paul Allen at 8 a.m. local time tomorrow for interviews. So I'll be on KSTP at 8:30 CT and KFAN at 10 a.m. if you're interested.

Chatted with Niklas Backstrom today. He'll start Friday's Finland game vs. Germany. Mikko Koivu is on the Finns' first line with Filppula and Tuomo Ruutu. Antti Miettinen is on the right side of Olli Jokinen and Niklas Hagman -- or vice versa actually, but I don't feel like back-spacing.

Guess what? I bought a Team Finland scarf and baseball cap for my trip to Helsinki/Turku in the fall -- and to wear around the streets of Minneapolis.

So, here's my day:

US beats Switzerland 3-1 behind goals from Bobby Ryan, Spring Lake Park High alumn David Backes and Plymouth resident Ryan Malone. Bloomington's Erik Johnson played a team-high 19 minutes, 23 seconds. Backes' goal was sweeeet. Coast to coast down the left wing. Apparently he scored an identical goal in this same building vs. Roberto Luongo in December. He also introduced himself to Julien Sprunger again (if you read my notebook in Tuesday's paper, you know what I'm talking about).

Had the pleasure of watching warmups in the U.S. end zone with Bruce and Peggy Johnson, proud parents of Erik Johnson. This can be read in Wednesday's paper.

Here's my best-of tweets from this game:

http://twitpic.com/13mpx9 - Peggy Johnson cheering on her son Erik Johnson as #usahockey takes ice in first Olympic game

OUr press box reminds me of the old America West Arena for the Coyotes. Fans stand up right in front of you.

Yannick Weber didn't look like Ray Bourque there. The 77 should be stripped off his jersey

Being this close, I'm amazed at how Patrick Kane chews on his mouthguard during play

@souhanstrib just sat down next to me in the press box. He looks like Igor from Young Frankenstein. "That's Fronkenstein."

Canada beats Norway 8-zip behind Jarome Iginla's hat trick (even though despite obvious evidence he scored the third, being credited only two), two goals from Dany Heatley and one each by Ryan Getzlaf, Mike Richards, Corey Perry and allegedly Rick Nash.

That Getzlaf-Perry-Eric Staal line is sick in terms of height. They're massive. Just a sick team.

Here's my best-of tweets from this game:

Norway 5, Canada 1. That's my prediction

No Ole-Kristian Tollefsen. Now I think Canada's going to win

Here's a funny Souhan tweet: sitting between norweigian writer and russo at canada game. cant understand a word either is saying.

It looks like the Norwegian nameplates are bumper stickers.

Luongo just stopped a shot two feet wide. "Louuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu" from the faithful

Martin Brodeur should really let Pierre McGuire do his job and stop talking to him

Nik Backstrom very upset I wasn't wearing my Finnish scarf when I interviewed him.

Five unanswered goals from Norway coming up. Or it'll be 5-0 Canada in about five minutes. One of the two

Jacques Lemaire just smacked Jarome Iginla on the back. Thinks Jacques likes coaching Iginla more than coaching against him?

Russia leading Latvia 3-zip in second: It's been a fun game so far. Haven't tweeted a lot because I went to town previous two games. I've lost my wit. But here's some best-of's:

@souhanstrib is in so much pain w his back, an Olympic volunteer just ran up while he was stretching thinking he was going to keel over

Just bought a Finland hat for 35 bucks. You heard me. That's a Finnish scarf and hat today. Just call me Benedict Russo

Russia vs. Latvia. Warmups have begun. Lots of people along Russian end zone. Not so much Latvia. Where's Sandis Ozolinsh?

Ovechkin and Malkin stretching right next to each other. Lots of snapshots being taken. I just heard them trash Sid the Kid

Every Russian reporter in press box wearing their Russia jackets, and now just walked in wearing an Ovechkin jersey.

I think Marc-Andre Bergeron is one of the linesman

OK, that's it until Wednesday, when I'll be back here watching three hockey games, including all five Wild players with the Finns and the Czechs...