“Nothing but admiration and good wishes go her way.” –Costas on Joannie Rochette as Canada’s flag bearer

“They distinguished themselves. All of it with a quintessential touch of what it means to be Canadian. Friendly, welcoming, a sense of humor.”- NBC’s Bob Costas on the Vancouver Games

“Hearts are glowing all over this country tonight.” – NBC’s Al Michaels

VANCOUVER – Feb. 28, 2010 - NBC’s 2010 Winter Olympics coverage concluded tonight with the Closing Ceremony, where the torch was passed to Sochi Russia for the 2014 Winter Games.  Bob Costas hosted the primetime coverage from BC Place in Vancouver alongside co-host Al Michaels. In addition to the Closing Ceremony, Costas and Michaels recapped the highlights of the Olympics including the USA-Canada gold medal hockey game, Vancouver gold medal moments and an interview with the most decorated U.S. Winter Olympian in history Apolo Ohno.

COSTAS AND MICHAELS ON THE USA-CANADA HOCKEY GAME

MICHAELS ON THE ENERGY AFTER THE GAME: “You could light the entire province of British Columbia with the energy in that building.”

“You could not have written a better script for this country.”

COSTAS ON THE POST GAME CELEBRATION: “Times Square on New Year’s Eve couldn’t be more packed than the streets of Vancouver.”

“This place has already reached a crescendo. By this place, I don’t mean BC Place, I don’t mean just Vancouver, I meant the entire country after the hockey game.”

COSTAS ON THE GAME: “A script so classic that if it were a movie, they would send it back because it was unrealistic.”

“With all do respect, this can never be repeated. On home soil, for Canada, in the sport that matters most, against the Americans – this can never be repeated. This can never be approached, let alone equaled.”

“That’s one of the greatest sports events I have ever seen.”

MICHAELS ON SIDNEY CROSBY’S GAME WINNING GOAL: “The goal that will resonate throughout history in Canada.”

“Crosby is the 21st century equivalent of what Wayne Gretzky is to Canada.”

CLOSING CEREMONY HIGHLIGHTS

MICHAELS ON THE CLOSING CEREMONY: “It’s a big party and it will go long into the Vancouver night after what happened about two and a half hours ago.”

COSTAS ON CROSS COUNTRY SKIING AS THEY HANDED OUT MEDALS FROM THE MEN’S 50KM EVENT THIS AFTERNOON: “This is a sport that demands a level of fitness that is almost impossible to conceive. Power, strength and aerobic fitness. Just extraordinary.”

COSTAS ON THE RAISING OF THE FINAL PILLAR OF THE OLYMPIC CAULDRON THAT MALFUNCTIONED AT THE OPENING CEREMONY: “Canadians have always shown a fine ability to laugh at themselves.”

COSTAS ON THE SYMBOLIC RAISING OF THE FINAL PILLAR: “Just a perfect response.”

MICHAELS ON THE SINGING OF THE CANADIAN NATIONAL ANTHEM:
“Hearts are glowing all over this country tonight.”

COSTAS ON JOANNIE ROCHETTE AS THE CANADIAN FLAG BEARER: “Nothing but admiration and good wishes go her way.”

COSTAS AND MICHAELS CLOSING THOUGHTS

COSTAS: Canada may have started slowly and glitched at the end of the Opening Ceremony and they had some weather problems. Boy did they come on with a rush in the second half.”

MICHAELS: “It was funny too because that first expected gold medal didn’t materialize and everybody thought, ‘Oh no, not again.’ No gold medals in Montreal, no gold medals in Calgary. All of a sudden they won 13 and then that 14th. Of course, we talked about tonight during the ceremony, the place just went wild for three or four minutes.”

COSTAS ON CANADA AS A HOST CITY: “Steve Iserman had a great quote about Sidney Crosby. He said just like Gretzky, he’s got a little destiny in him. I guess most people in Canada thought it was their destiny, not only to win all the gold medals that they did- maybe they didn’t even expect that 14- but they wanted the last one most of all and they got it. The Canadians also distinguished themselves as hosts. There are always going to be criticisms, some of them valid, about the Olympic Games and the way they’re put on. They’re such a massive undertaking, and all things considered, I think they distinguished themselves. All of it with a quintessential touch of what it means to be Canadian. Friendly, welcoming, a sense of humor.”

MICHAELS ON TEAM USA: “In Norway and Sweden and Finland, they’re going ‘Oh wait a minute, we have competition now in Nordic skiing?’ The U.S. distinguished itself there. Bobsledding, you name it. Shaun White, of course a megastar right now in the sports world. In a sport that didn’t even exist in the Olympic Games two decades ago.”

COSTAS ON THE ATHLETES: “Joannie Rochette with a bronze. Some of these bronzes were as good as gold. Clara Hughes, age 37, Summer and Winter Olympian. Their flag-bearer at these Games. She takes a speed skating bronze. Joannie Rochette won hearts not just throughout Canada but also throughout the world. We also have to think about all the international athletes, Simon Amaann, double gold in ski jumping. The Norwegians come out of here with 23 medals. There are less than five million people in the country. Peter Northug with four. Marit Bjorgen with five. Just astonishing the way they have done in cross country skiing and these sports matter deeply to them.”

COSTAS ON SOUTH KOREA’S KIM YU-NA: “Lest we forget, just for pure excellence and mastery of the discipline, South Korea’s Kim Yu-Na. There was a performance, not just for a single Olympics, but of all time.”

MICHAELS ON KIM YU-NA: “I was there that night. You just kind of sat there with your mouth open. That was as close to perfection as anything you’ll ever see.”

COSTAS ON WORKING WITH MICHAELS: “One of the things I’ll remember about the Olympics, among everything else, working with you, finally after all these years.”

HIGHLIGHTS FROM BOB COSTAS’ INTERVIEW WITH APOLO OHNO

APOLO OHNO ON BEING THE FACE OF SHORT TRACK: “After a third time of being in these Olympic Games and showing this sport to the world, I think people back home have realized that it’s probably the most unpredictable sport out there. It’s been a pleasure for me in this sport to compete and medal every time.”

OHNO ON BEING DISQUALIFIED FROM THE 500M: “The 500 meters is 40 seconds of mayhem. You have no time to make any fast decisions. I was in fourth the whole race. I had so much speed going into the last corner and I was going to try and cut the side on the inside of the pack to actually try to get a medal. The Canadian in front of me slipped a little bit. I had my hand up as protection, not to be aggressive, but just to make sure we didn’t bump. He ended up falling and the referee decided to disqualify me. That’s short track and that’s the Olympic Games and like life, it’s unpredictable. I left every single thing I had on the ice. My heart and my soul. I came into these Games with no real expectation other than that. I’ve come here prepared and I was going to represent my country the best I could do and I am all smiles. I have absolutely no regrets.”

“I’ve trained my whole life for this. Every single time, I’ve been treated so well by the Olympic Games. It’s given me so much insight and I’ve been blessed and lucky enough to be my best. This is an opportunity for me to shine. I’ve had such an incredible career, I’ve been so happy to be able to share it with so many friends and family. It’s just been an amazing experience. To be able to go out there and give it my all, that’s all I ask for.”

OHNO ON COMPETING IN SOCHI RUSSIA 2014: “Sochi is definitely in my mind, whether I have my skates with me or not, that’ll be the question. For me, I’ll make the decision when the time is right. For now, there are many, many other things I want to pursue. You’ll definitely see me in Sochi, it’s just whether I’ll have my ice blades with me or not.”

DAY 18 DAYTIME HIGHLIGHTS OF NBC WINTER OLYMPICS COVERAGE

Team Canada Defeated USA 3-2 in Overtime in the Men’s Gold Medal Hockey Game

“If you’re in this building, it feels like the most important game in the history of hockey. Certainly, to this country.” – NBC’s Al Michaels

VANCOUVER – February 28, 2010 – NBC Olympics daytime coverage concluded with the much-anticipated men’s gold medal hockey game with Canada defeating USA 3-2 in overtime seen live across the country.

NBC’s Mary Carillo hosted the daytime show from the studio and Al Michaels hosted from the site of the gold medal hockey game at Canada Hockey Place.

Joining Michaels for analysis were Mike Milbury and Jeremy Roenick. Mike “Doc” Emrick provided play-by-play, Eddie Olczyk provided game analysis and Pierre McGuire reported from “Inside the Glass.”

NBC’s Jimmy Roberts recapped Vancouver’s Olympic moments.

NBC

CARILLO ON THE FINAL DAY OF COMPETITION: “It’s the final day of the Vancouver Winter Games. One of skill, endurance, and passion.”

ROBERTS ON THIS OLYMPICS: “In the final analysis, like always, these games are about so much more than just the medal count.”

“Sometimes its not just about the gold, it’s about the person you get to share it with.”

“At these games, one athlete after another showed their artistry and power and genius. We were surprised, thrilled, and moved.”

ROBERTS ON CANADA’S JOANNIE ROCHETTE: “In the end, the most amazing performance was turned in by a brave young woman who couldn’t share it, at least not with the one person she most wanted to.”

“I always think that the Olympic Games are about two different things. They are about this hard-boiled competition and they are about these amazing stories. Forever, as long as I cover sports, I’m never going to forget what Joannie Rochette did. That was just remarkable.”

“Joannie Rochette skated with enough heart to fill an entire arena.”

MEN’S ICE HOCKEY GOLD MEDAL GAME: USA vs. CANADA
Al Michaels (Host), Bill Patrick (Host), Mike Milbury (Analyst), Jeremy Roenick (Analyst), Mike “Doc” Emrick (Play-By-Play), Eddie Olczyk (Game Analyst), Pierre McGuire (“Inside the Glass” Reporter)
Canada: 3 USA: 2

CARILLO ON CANADA IN THE GOLD MEDAL GAME: “Today is the day all of Canada has been anticipating. What may be a once in a lifetime event. The U.S. vs. Canada in the gold medal hockey game at an Olympics being held in hockey mad Canada.

“No sport brings Canadians together quite like hockey. Every graceful thrill of connecting stick to puck to the back of the net is cause for communal celebration.”

“Here this isn’t the Super Bowl, it’s bigger than the Super Bowl.”

MICHAELS ON THE GOLD MEDAL GAME: “Before this day is done the roof could come off at Canada Hockey Place in Vancouver. This will be riveting.”

OLCZYK: “This is about motivation. This is about an opportunity at the highest level to win a gold medal and a little hockey respect.”

FIRST PERIOD

EMRICK: “The hockey culture, the language. The only difference is passports.”

MICHAELS: “If you’re in this building, it feels like the most important game in the history of hockey. Certainly, to this country.”

MILBURY: “Team Canada knows just how hard they have to work to out muscle Team USA.”

SECOND PERIOD

MICHAELS: “It’s hockey at its best.”

ROENICK: “Team USA got on the board late in that period and that’s giving them a lot of momentum going in. They’re starting to see chinks in the Canadians armor. They obviously see that Luongo’s a little bit shaky. They are feeling good. They’re saying, ‘Let’s keep the pressure on the golden boys and the Canadians are sitting in their room saying, ‘Guys we cannot sit back. We did it the other day against the Slovaks, they almost came back and beat us. We’ve got keep the hammer down, keep the pressure going on them.’”

THIRD PERIOD

EMRICK ON CANADA HITTING THE POST TWICE: “Do you believe in omens?”

EMRICK ON THIS OLYMPICS HOCKEY TOURNAMENT: “One year ago there were players from Finland and Russia and Sweden all talking about how they were going to be a part of, in their minds, the greatest hockey tournament in history. We have seen that.”

OLCZYK ON THE TOURNAMENT: “It’s been high quality. Entertaining. Just a privilege to be a very small part of it.”

EMRICK ON THE BROADCAST CREW: “I should make mention of this, it’s not about us. It is about our crew. They have been in Vancouver here for 13 days. They have done 42 games. We hope you’ve enjoyed them. Eddie and I have been involved in about half of them, but there are some who have done all 42 – the equivalent of half an NHL season in two weeks time. They will sleep well tonight.”

OLCZYK ON THE BROADCAST CREW: “I tip my hockey helmet to them. A gold medal winning performance by our great crew behind the scenes. It sure helps when you have unbelievable hockey.”

MCGUIRE ON USA’S ZACH PARISE’S GAME TYING GOAL: “Zach Parise almost jumps over the glass here at Canada Hockey Place.”

OVERTIME
PATRICK: “17,000 people in this building. Their hearts stopping and starting with every shot.”

“Sweaty palms filling this building. I can’t imagine what the players are feeling.”

MILBURY: “If you didn’t like that period, you don’t like hockey. It’s a turf war out there. They’re fighting for every inch they can get.”

ROENICK: “Do you understand what we’re going to get right now? We’re going to get the most exciting things in all of sports – sudden death overtime. Someone tonight is going to be a national hero. Tonight, someone is going to make dreams come true for lots and lots of kids in their country. I can’t believe it.”

MILBURY ON USA’S PARISE: “This guy has been the most persistent player on the ice for both squads today. He just won’t quit on it.”

EMRICK: “It is about the team, that’s for sure. Somebody has to get the winner. If it is a Canadian, they will be equivalent to Paul Henderson who scored in ’72 against the Soviets. If it is an American, Mike Eruzione will have company as a hero”

OLCZYK: “An unbelievable tournament. And why expect anything other than overtime in the gold medal game.”

EMRICK: “The hockey fans here in Vancouver saluting and respecting the unbelievable job of that man right there, Ryan Miller.”

EMRICK ON HOCKEY IN CANADA: “How big is this for Sidney Crosby and for the nation of Canada? When they announced the team, 4 million watched on television just to hear who was going to be on the team.”

EMRICK ON CANADA’S SIDNEY CROSBY: “He didn’t have any points for two complete games coming into this game. He didn’t have any for the sixty minutes. Got the winner.”

POSTGAME INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS

CANADA’S SIDNEY CROSBY ON WINNING GOLD: “This is a dream come true. I’ve always dreamed of playing for Team Canada and obviously winning a gold medal. This was a lot closer than we would’ve expected. An unbelievable feeling.”

CROSBY ON STARTING OFF THE TOURNAMENT SLOWLY: “We dropped that game to the U.S. and had a close against the Swiss. Our goal was to continue to get better and I think we did that. That was our motivation to get better each and every game. We knew it wasn’t going to be easy. There is a lot of great teams here. I though tonight it took a lot of work and extra to do it.”

CROSBY ON WHAT THIS GAME MEANS TO NORTH AMERICA: “It means a lot. Even outside of that. Hockey all over the world is incredible. Year after year, everybody’s getting better. The teams are so competitive. A perfect example is this tournament here. Hockey’s in really good shape. Whether we would have won today, or somebody else, I think everyone saw a pretty amazing display of skill and the way the game should be played here the last couple of weeks.”

USA’S GOALTENDER RYAN MILLER ON WINNING SILVER: “It’s not quite what we wanted, but I think we gained a lot of respect. Our guys came here as an after thought to a lot of people. I think we started a new trend with USA Hockey.”

DAY 16 DAYTIME HIGHLIGHTS OF NBC WINTER OLYMPICS COVERAGE

“It’s an inspiration to a whole generation of young athletes.” –Premier of British Columbia Gordon Campbell on Vancouver as an Olympic host city

“It’s like getting even with your big brother.” – NBC’s Mike Milbury on Team USA facing Canada

VANCOUVER – February 27, 2010 - Daytime coverage of the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games continued today on NBC with live coverage of the women’s speed skating pursuit gold medal final, women’s cross-country 30km mass start gold medal final and men’s snowboard parallel competition. Live on USA Network, the men’s curling bronze medal match between Switzerland and Sweden.

Daytime host Al Michaels sat down with the Premier of British Columbia Gordon Campbell to recap the Olympics in Vancouver and USA Hockey GM Brian Burke.

NBC News’ Tom Brokaw presented a 30-minute piece on the town of Gander, Newfoundland where on September 11, 2001 38 jumbo jets carrying 7,000 passengers were diverted. In September 2009, Brokaw traveled to Gander with several of the grateful Americans, including parents of a New York City firefighter who was an emergency responder at the World Trade Center; a retired Ohio State administrator who was so inspired by the hospitality she experienced in Newfoundland she helped organize a scholarship fund for local students; and a Texas lady and a British gentleman who found true love during that fateful week in September 2001.

NBC’s Jimmy Roberts and Cris Collinsworth stopped by the studio to report on Canada and its fans. NBC’s Mike Milbury previewed the men’s ice hockey gold medal final between USA and Canada.

NBC

CAMPBELL ON THE IMPACT THE OLYMPICS HAS ON VANCOUVER: “It’s just been phenomenal. That electricity and energy that’s come into the city.”

“It couldn’t have been better, from my perspective, in terms of how people have felt about the Games.”

CAMPBELL ON VANCOUVER’S OLYMPIC LEGACY: “It’s an inspiration to a whole generation of young athletes. It’s how the athletes perform. It’s the dedication. It’s the athletes that finish when they fall. It’s the athletes that act with grace and confidence and a commitment to themselves to being the best they can. That’s the real long term legacy.”

BURKE ON THE USA-CANADA MEN’S HOCKEY GAME TOMORROW: From our perspective, this is our chief rival. Whatever cliché you want to use. This is David and Goliath. In Canada, people think it’s their game. It would be huge for us to be able to do this and that’s what we intend to do.”

“Nothing is going to change on our team. We’re the youngest team in the tournament. We rely on that youthful enthusiasm and foot speed and we rely on our goaltender. We’re not going to change our game. Playing with Canada, they’ve got the best defense in the tournament and quality goaltending, but I think they concentrate on getting the puck out of the ring quickly. It’s going to be a dynamite game. I’m not going to enjoy it, because I don’t enjoy when my teams play, but everyone watching on TV is.”

BURKE ON TEAM USA: “In the preliminary round, even though we went 3-0, I thought we played with ten guys carrying the team and Ryan Miller.  I blasted the team after the first three games and said that we need all hands on deck and we’ve gotten that in the two games since then. All the players have chipped in and we played our best hockey the last game and I think you’ll see our best tomorrow.”

BURKE ON CHOOSING RYAN MILLER TO START IN GOAL: “That’s the only decision that we didn’t have fist-fight over. Putting the team together was a natural. We have a young team. He’s calm, and he’s mechanical and methodical and economical. That translates to our young players well, so that was an easy one.”

BURKE ON HIS SONS DEATH IN A CAR ACCIDENT DAYS BEFORE THE OPENING CEREMONY: “It’s been difficult. It’s really been helpful to have this tournament so there’s a reason to put one foot in front of the other and keep moving on. You try to cry a little bit less everyday. My wife’s been great, my kids have been great, my siblings have been great and that’s helped. I think really, just keep putting one foot in front of the other and try to cry a little bit less everyday.”

MILBURY ON THE CANADA-USA RIVALRY: “It’s like getting even with your big brother. There’s a feeling of entitlement when it comes to the Canadians and hockey. They are a little bit nervous about the Americans, because the little guy came to play.”

MILBURY ON USA’S GOALTENDER RYAN MILLER: “Miller’s been completely composed. He had 42 saves against the Canadians the last time out. If he’s not standing on top of his head then they don’t win that hockey game.”

ROBERTS ON HOCKEY IN CANADA: “You know the old axiom. There are two things that matter in Texas, right? There’s football and there’s spring football. That’s the kind of the way it is in Canada with hockey. Tomorrow they’ll get a shot at what they feel is the single most important prize of these Games.”

COLLINSWORTH ON CANADA’S HOSPITALITY: “It’s like they’re hosting you in their house.”

“We’re all very lucky to have the Canadians around. They’ve been a great host.”

WOMEN’S SPEED SKATING PURSUIT GOLD MEDAL FINAL
Dan Hicks (Play-By-Play), Dan Jansen (Analyst), Andrea Kremer (Reporter)
Gold: Germany
Silver: Japan
Bronze: Poland

HICKS ON THE SPEED SKATING PURSUIT: “It just takes one skater to lag behind and it all comes tumbling down.”

JANSEN ON GERMANY ADVANCING TO THE GOLD MEDAL FINAL: “They are able to survive as Friesinger slides across!”

HICKS ON GERMANY’S ANNA FRIESINGER: “Friesinger falling, actually swimming across the ice!

“Just when you think you have seen it all, we see something else.”

“What a way to go out for Anni Friesinger’s storied Olympic career.”

JANSEN ON POLAND WINNING BRONZE: “Very surprising bronze medal for the Polish team, but well earned.”

WOMEN’S CROSS-COUNTRY 30KM MASS START GOLD MEDAL FINAL
Al Trautwig (Play-By-Play), Chad Salmela (Analyst)
Gold: Justyna Kowalczyk, Poland
Silver: Marit Bjoergen, Norway
Bronze: Aino-Kaisa Saarinen, Finland

TRAUTWIG ON NORWAY’S MARIT BJOERGEN: “We may have already had a coronation. Marit Bjoergen has three goals and a bronze. Today she goes to make it four.”

“Bjoergen is on her way to setting a mark that Norwegians and all female cross-country skiers will chase for quite some time.”

TRAUTWIG ON POLAND’S JUSTYNA KOWLCZYK: “She’s reminding everyone why she’s wearing number one.”

“Kowalczyk is going to blaze a trail for Polish gold. That’s as good as it gets.”

“Kowalczyk is going to leave here with the perfect set of souvenirs. A bronze, a silver, and a gold.”

TRAUTWIG ON BJOERGEN VS. KOWLCZYK: “We’ve got the best female cross-country skier on the planet during this Olympics, versus the best female cross-country skier on the planet coming into the Winter Olympics.”

MEN’S SNOWBOARD PARALLEL GIANT SLALOM COMPETITION:
Pat Parnell (Play-By-Play), Todd Richards (Analyst), Tina Dixon (Reporter)

RICHARDS ON THE COMPETITION: “These guys are simply carving to the max here.”

“Smooth and confident is going to be the name of the game today.”

PARNELL ON THE CROWD: “A huge American fan base. Family and friends in the crowd, definitely keeping spirits high.”

RICHARDS ON THE TRACK CONDITIONS: “Picture these racers, they’re like cars. It’s like an Indy Car race. They want to have a smooth surface, not a dirt road.”

PARNELL ON USA’S CHRIS KLUG FANS IN THE RAIN:“Soggy foam fingers, they approve!”

USA NETWORK

MEN’S CURLING BRONZE MEDAL GAME: SWITZERLAND VS. SWEDEN
Fred Roggin (Host), Andrew Catalon (Play-by-Play), Colleen Jones (Analyst), Don Duguid (Analyst), Elfi Schlegel (Reporter)
Switzerland: 5 Sweden: 4

JONES: “What I am marveled at though was the composure of Switzerland. When Sweden was throwing all of those incredible shots at them, they never got flustered, they stayed within themselves and just kept making shot after shot.”

CATALON ON TEAM SWEDEN: “The Swedish played their hearts out, the team of 24-year-olds. You can expect to see them again.”

DUGUID ON TEAM SWEDEN: “For a young team to be that high up in the percentages is remarkable. Absolutely remarkable.”

APOLO OHNO ANCHORS SHORT TRACK RELAY TEAM TO BRONZE; KATHERINE REUTTER OF US WINS SILVER; CANADA TO MEET USA IN MEN’S HOCKEY GOLD MEDAL GAME

“Apolo Ohno living up to his billing as the best closer in the relay.” – NBC’s Ted Robinson

“It’s going to be emotional. It’s going to be intense.” – Canada’s Sidney Crosby on the gold medal hockey game against the US on Sunday

VANCOUVER – Feb. 26, 2010 - Apolo Ohno, already the most decorated US Winter Olympian ever, added to his medal haul by anchoring the US team that took bronze in the men’s 5000 meter short track relay on the 15th day of the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games. Canada and South Korea won gold and silver, respectively.

Ohno also made the final of the men’s 500 meters but was disqualified and did not medal. He won three total medals in Vancouver (silver and two bronze), giving him a career tally of eight, which is the most ever for a US Winter Olympian.

Primetime host Bob Costas hosted Jimmy Fallon in studio. Fallon, the host of NBC’s Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, wrote thank you notes to the Olympics while Costas ‘played’ background music on a keyboard.

Costas: “The lame shall walk and the blind shall see in the presence of Jimmy Fallon.”

Fallon to Costas, as he “played” the keyboard: “Did you take lessons?”

Costas: “No, I was a child prodigy.”

Fallon: “Thank you, speed skaters, for simulating what it would look like if a handcuffed guy tried getting away on roller blades.”

“Thank you, Bob Costas and Cris Collinsworth, for having an endless supply of dapper tweeds and pocket squares. If sharp dressing were an Olympic event, you’d wipe the floor with Dick Button.”

Also in short track, Katherine Reutter of the US won silver in the women’s 1000 meters behind gold medalist Meng Wang of China.

With tonight’s medals, the US has won 34 in Vancouver, tying the US record set at the 2002 Salt Lake Games for most medals won at a Winter Olympics. The US is assured of setting a new record by virtue of the men’s hockey team participating in the gold medal game on Sunday and the men’s speed skating team competing in the team pursuit gold medal final tomorrow. The record for most medals won by a nation in a single Olympic Winter Games is 36, set by Germany at Salt Lake in 2002.

On CNBC, Canada held off a late rally to beat Slovakia, 3-2, in men’s hockey and earn the right to face the US in the gold medal game on Sunday on home soil. In addition, Sweden defeated host nation Canada, 7-6, to win gold in women’s curling.

In studio, Costas interviewed Canadian ladies figure skater Joannie Rochette, who won bronze despite the passing of her mother just days before the competition:

Costas: “How did you decide that you would go ahead [and skate].”

Rochette: “When I first heard the news at 6 am, I told my federation right away that I would skate. I had to skate. The only thing I knew I could do at that moment to feel alive was to get on the ice. There were lots of ups and downs. There were some moments when I just wanted to go home and see my family and be with my friends. I didn’t feel like skating but I knew I wanted to do this so 10 years from now I’d have no regrets. And that’s what my mom would’ve wanted me to do.”

Costas: “Everyone speculated, it’s only natural, what must she be feeling? But I heard you say afterwards that you had to put those feelings aside and ‘I had to become cold,’ using your words, and ‘become Joannie, the athlete, and not the person.’”

Rochette: “That’s right. It was very tough for me in the short program to do that. I was very emotional right when I stepped on the ice. The crowd was so warm, they were so nice cheering me on. I got so many messages from around the world, not only in Canada. Those messages really touched me and really gave me the strength to carry on and compete anyways. But it was hard to stay in my bubble and listen to my music because my head was in a million places but not on the ice. I don’t know how I managed to skate a good short program like I did. But after the short program, I just told myself, if you’re going to keep competing, I want to do it fully. That’s what my mom always taught me. Whenever you do something in life, whatever it is, you do it until the end and give it your best shot.”

Costas: “Once you had performed so well and you won the bronze medal, you were standing there on the podium. And I read afterwards that you said, ‘I imagined myself as a five-year-old girl because I had imagined this moment, holding an Olympic medal, since I was five years old.’”

Rochette: “Yes, I imagined this moment for so long. I didn’t imagine those kind of tears of course. I was very sad that there was one person in the stands that wasn’t there to applaud me. But my family was there and my father was there. And for them, I wanted to be there and it was very tough. And I wanted to be strong for my father and just make him stronger at the same time.”

Costas: “Congratulations on your performance and, again, our condolences on your loss.”

SHORT TRACK:
Play-by-Play: Ted Robinson
Analyst: Andy Gabel
Reporter: Andrea Joyce, Cris Collinsworth

Ohno on the 500 meters: “When you have five guys behind you, essentially trying to eat you and spit you out, it can be real intimidating.”

Collinsworth on the 500: “It’s well established that short track is a crazy sport. And the craziest event within this crazy sport is the 500 meters. So, for Apolo Ohno to repeat his gold medal winning ways, he’s going to have to be good. He’s going to have to be lucky. And he just might have to be perfect.”

Gabel on Ohno: “Every time he steps on the ice, he knows exactly what he’s doing.”

Gabel on Ohno hurdling skaters: “I didn’t know Apolo Ohno was also a gymnast but he showed he might be right there.”

Gabel on Ohno being disqualified in the final: “A tough call for Apolo Anton Ohno.”

Robinson on Canada’s Charles Hamelin: “Hamelin, a magnificent effort to stay on his feet and win a much-desired gold medal for Canada.”

Ohno to Collinsworth on his 500m race: “That was three of the fastest guys off the line I’ve ever skated against. In the 500, you have to be up towards the front if you’re going to make any moves. The race was fast enough to where there was no space to move up. So I was just kind of waiting, waiting, waiting. There was just no space. Going on the last corner, I was coming up on the Canadian guy, and he slipped and then the Korean slipped. I don’t know why they called me for the disqualification. I was in fourth the whole race. Either way, I’m happy with the way I skated. I came here with no regrets in my mind and I’m leaving with no regrets. We still have the relay and I really want to go out there and make sure our guys get a medal.”

Ohno on if he felt the disqualification was unfair: “I do. My hand is up to basically protect myself from running up the back of him. So it’s more of a cushion, I’m not trying to push anyone down or anything. But that was the head Canadian ref out there and we’re on Canadian soil. But the boys skated very, very well and it was a good race.”

Ohno on if the Canadian ref favored the Canadians with his call: “I think so, absolutely. But in short track, everything is so subjective so I just have to be faster.”

Costas: “That is the nature of short track — part race, part demolition derby.”

Gabel on Ohno: “One of the best, if not the best, closers in history in the relay.”

Robinson on the final lap: “This is what the relay is about – a sprint to the finish.”

Gabel: “What an exciting race from start to finish.”

Gabel on Ohno anchoring the relay: “Apolo Anton Ohno was doing exactly what he normally does at the end of a race – skating incredibly.”

Robinson on Ohno: “Apolo Ohno living up to his billing as the best closer in the relay.”

Costas, to Ted Robinson, on short track: “That sport, that you call so well, is simply insane.”

Robinson on USA’s Katherine Reutter making a pass in the quarterfinal: “That got everybody’s attention.”

Robinson on Reutter winning silver: “Katherine Reutter will be the building block, a fulcrum of what will be an overhaul of the women’s program.”

BOBSLED:
Play-by-Play: Bob Papa
Analyst: John Morgan
Reporter: Lewis Johnson

Papa on Germany’s Andre Lange: “What a legacy this man has had.”

Morgan on Lange: “Greatest of all time in the history of this sport.”

Holcomb on their first run: “Everything here starts at the top at the start. The start was huge. We had a great push. We may not have the fastest time right now but we had the fastest push down the hill and we accelerated faster than anybody. That’s what the key is right there so it was huge for that push. The 50-50 [turn], I had a little bit of a mistake but I made up for it and I kept the sled flying like it does.”

Holcomb after his second run: “We’re here to play. If you want to play around, let’s bring it. It’s just the first day. We won today and we have to come out tomorrow and do just what we did today and race. We have two more heats and we’re right where we want to be.”

ALPINE SKIING:
Play-by-Play: Tim Ryan
Analysts: Christin Cooper
Reporter: Steve Porino

Cooper on Germany’s Maria Riesch: “She’s like a slinky just keeping the skis absolutely glued to the snow on top.”

Cooper on Austria’s Marlies Schild: “She is back and big time.”

Cooper on Lindsey Vonn: “Lindsey Vonn has overcome so much adversity, two medals nonetheless in these Games, but here’s a woman who thrives on routine. She likes things orderly and predictable. But this season has been largely about managing chaos.”

Ryan on Vonn: “Who knows which of her many hurts has taken their toll on her today.”

Vonn on her skiing in the Olympics: “I’m definitely really happy with everything I’ve done here. I got the gold medal that I came here for. I got a bronze medal in the Super G. I know I could’ve done better in some of the disciplines. The super combined, I was poised to win another medal, but I wanted the gold and I maybe risked a little too much. In the GS, I was definitely an underdog but I went after it. And I was actually winning at the very last intermediate time. I’m happy with my performance despite that. That’s just my personality, I never want to give up.

“I was contemplating stopping after my crash in the GS, after I broke my finger. That’s just not who I am. The Olympics are something special. They only come once every four years. And I just wanted to go out and try. I knew that I probably wasn’t going to win a medal but at least I gave it everything I have and see what happens.

“Unfortunately, it just didn’t go my way in the GS or the Slalom or the Combined. Like I said, I have that gold medal. Despite everyone else’s expectations, my goals were simply to win one medal and that’s what I did.”

Cooper on the course: “It is rock n’ roll like a bucking bronco from top to bottom.”

Cooper on the visibility: “It’s like skiing blind.”

Cooper on the technique of Schild, who won silver: “It’s like her legs are at a rock concert and her upper body is at the opera.”

Cooper on gold medal winner Riesch: “She was powering to that gold medal the whole way.”

Riesch on her win: “It was really tough conditions but I just had a really good line.”

CNBC, Women’s Curling Gold Medal Game:
Sweden 7 vs. Canada 6
Fred Roggin (Host), Andrew Catalon (Play-By-Play), Colleen Jones (Analyst), Don Duguid (Analyst), Elfi Schlegel (Reporter)

Catalon: “Sweden won in 2006. They thought about retiring. They wanted to come back for one more chance to win another Olympic gold medal. The patience, the decision, it paid off.”

“Back to back gold medals for Sweden!”

Catalon: “Cheryl Bernard had one shot for the win. It came, oh, so close!”

Roggin: “It is indeed a sport of inches.”

Catalon: “Cheryl Bernard has compared the atmosphere in here to a Stanley Cup final, and the fans have been treating this like a hockey game.”

Catalon: “This Swedish team does not look intimidated one bit by the pressure of a gold medal game.”

“The composure they are playing with right now is very impressive.”

Jones on Sweden: “They can read each other’s thoughts. They have been together so long. They bring with them a wealth of knowledge and experience.”

Roggin on Sweden’s Anette Norberg: “She has felt the pressure and lived it. She makes very few mistakes.”

Jones on Norberg: “Anette’s focus is just so sharp. She is always bang on. Nothing much gets in her way.”

Catalon on a close game: “Disbelief inside of this Vancouver Olympic Centre.”

Roggin on Canada’s Bernard: “She carries the hopes of a nation against defending gold medalist Anette Norberg and Sweden.”

Roggin on the growing popularity of curling: “For whatever reason, curling has made an impression and no one has made a bigger impression than Cheryl Bernard of Canada.”

Jones on Team Sweden: “Nobody expected much of them because they had a very average season. A lot of people thought they were past their due date and expired, like a carton of milk. But yet, they’ve come here and proved that all wrong.”

Jones on Canada and Sweden: “Here they are today playing with the Canadian Prime Minister and the King of Sweden, but tomorrow they just all go back to being regular people.”

CNBC, Men’s Ice Hockey Semifinal:
Canada 3 vs. Slovakia 2
Bill Patrick (Host), Mike Milbury (Studio Analyst), Jeremy Roenick (Studio Analyst), Kenny Albert (Play-By-Play), Eddie Olczyk (Analyst), Joe Micheletti (Reporter)

Sidney Crosby on the gold medal game:  “It’s going to be emotional. It’s going to be intense.”

“We are in the finals now, and we know that our biggest test is yet to come here.”

Milbury on USA and Canada’s physicality: “That’s a real trademark of both of these teams going in to the finals.”

Roenick on the gold medal game: “Everybody at home, watch this game Sunday!”

Albert: “A collective exhale from 34 million residents of Canada.”

“Canada has been waiting for the opportunity to play for the gold on their home soil, and they will have that chance on Sunday against the U.S.”

“Fans continue to chant, we want USA!”

Albert on the final seconds of the game: “Furious pressure by Slovakia.”

Albert: “Slovakia falls just short and Canada will advance to play Team USA for the gold.”

Olczyk on the gold medal: “You just start thinking about a lot of things. You think about where you came from, all the people that helped you along the way, all the coaches, all the hard drives for mom and dad, all the sacrifices.”

Milbury: “I started off this tournament with some doubts about Scott Niedermayer. He hadn’t had a great season at Anaheim, but boy has he come a long way in this tournament.”

###

DAY 15 DAYTIME HIGHLIGHTS OF NBC WINTER OLYMPICS COVERAGE

“This is the equivalent of a football team leading another team 42-0 midway through the second quarter.”- NBC’s Al Michaels on the first period Team USA lead over Finland

VANCOUVER – February 26, 2010 - Daytime coverage of the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games continued today on NBC with live coverage of the men’s hockey semifinal game between Team USA and Finland. Team USA defeated Finland, 6-1, and will face the winner of Canada vs. Slovakia in the gold medal game. Also airing on USA Network, live coverage of the women’s curling bronze medal match between China and Switzerland and live on MSNBC speed skating pursuit men’s semifinals and women’s quarterfinals.

Al Michaels hosted the daytime show live from Canada Hockey Place. Joining Michaels for analysis were Mike Milbury and Jeremy Roenick. Mike “Doc” Emrick provided play-by-play, Eddie Olczyk provided game analysis and Pierre McGuire reported from “Inside the Glass.” Below are highlights from the game.

Michaels also sat down with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman during the second intermission to talk about the NHL and its participation in the Olympics.

NBC

HIGHLIGHTS OF MICHAELS AND BETTMAN INTERVIEW

BETTMAN ON NHL PLAYERS IN THE OLYMPICS: “We worry about the disruption in our season by being here for two weeks and shutting down, but what you’re seeing is really NHL hockey.  This is a playoff atmosphere, this is an NHL arena, NHL ice, NHL rules, NHL officials, and NHL players so I’m very pleased with what we’re seeing out there.”

BETTMAN ON NHL PLAYERS IN SOCHI 2016: “It’s an open question. I know the media is making a big deal over the fact that we haven’t made a decision yet. It’s great to be here and these Olympic Games have been fabulous. The hockey has been great. That doesn’t take into account that there are count-availing issues that we’re going to have to deal with in deciding what makes sense going forward. You talk about Nagano in 1998, Czech played Russia for the gold medal game, and we didn’t get much of an impact being halfway around the world. What’s interesting to me is, we haven’t said no.”

“We have to sit with our Player’s Association. It’s a joint decision. We’ll meet with the IIHF and the IOC, to make sure that on things that we’ve learned about participating in these Games over the last four Olympics, three and this one, whether or not we can do things better. Then  it’ll be a balancing act, and it’s something ultimately that the clubs will decide, not me.”

FIRST PERIOD

EMRICK: “It’s now the semifinal. Excitement across the country gets higher. The competition from the opponent gets stiffer.”

OLCZYK ON USA’S PATRICK KANE: “He has the ability to be a difference maker. I think the pace of this game hits Patrick Kane right between the eyes.”

OLCZYK ON USA’S ERIK JOHNSON: “Erik Johnson has really been a pillar of strength for Ron Wilson and Team USA.”

MCGUIRE ON SWEDEN’S GOALTENDER MIKKA KIPRUSOFF: “This is a monumental meltdown by Mikka Kiprusoff.”

OLCZYK AFTER USA’S SIXTH GOAL: “Six goals and we’re not even fifteen minutes into the first period.”

MICHAELS ON TEAM USA’S PERFORMANCE: “This is the equivalent of a football team leading another team 42-0 midway through the second quarter.”

SECOND PERIOD

MCGUIRE: “Fearless shot blocking by all American players in this tournament.”

OLCZYK ON TEAM USA’S GOALTENDER RYAN MILLER: “He’s probably the most consistent American player in this Olympics.”

MCGUIRE ON TEAM USA AFTER SIX GOALS: “The team’s still paying attention to little details.”

EMRICK ON TEAM USA: “It is still two perfect periods for Ryan Miller and Team USA defensively.”

THIRD PERIOD

EMRICK ON SLOVAKIA TAKING ON CANADA: “Never underestimate a Cinderella team that doesn’t know any better than to just keep going like Slovakia has been.”

EMRICK ON FINLAND’S ONLY GOAL: “Antti Miettinen has scored a scorcher.”

EMRICK ON TEAM USA’S WIN: “There was no anesthetic, this was surgical this afternoon.”

ROENICK ON THE U.S.-CANADA RIVALRY: “There’s no bigger rival for the United States in international hockey than Canada.”

ROENICK ON THE GOLD MEDAL GAME: “Everybody should show up to watch this game on Sunday.”

USA NETWORK

WOMEN’S CURLING BRONZE MEDAL GAME: CHINA VS. SWITZERLAND
Fred Roggin (Host), Andrew Catalon (Play-by-Play), Don Duguid (Analyst), Colleen Jones (Analyst), Elfi Schlegel (Reporter)
China: 12 Switzerland: 6

JONES ON CURLING: “Curling is a fickle game.  A lot like how you see different winners on a PGA golf tour. Curling is the same thing.  Some weeks are absolute magic and some days drive you crazy.”

“In curling, the bronze medal game is the hardest one to get psyched up for.”

JONES ON TEAM CHINA: “The rise of this team has been nothing short of phenomenal.”

“It’s an incredible success story how far they’ve come.”

“When they’re on, they’re on.”

JONES ON SWITZERLAND’S MIRJAM OTT: “I’m sure she didn’t sleep much last night and she’s tortured today over the coulda’s, shoulda’s, woulda’s of yesterday’s game. This is a tough game for her to play.”

MSNBC

SPEED SKATING
Dan Hicks (Play-By-Play), Dan Jansen (Analyst), Andrea Kremer (Reporter)

MEN’S TEAM PURSUIT SEMIFINALS

CANADA VS. NORWAY
Advances to Gold Medal Round: Canada

HICKS: “Canada with another Olympic record!”

USA VS. NETHERLANDS
Advances to Gold Medal Round: USA

JANSEN: “Really smart skate by the Americans.”

HICKS ON TEAM USA: “For the second straight time, they have knocked off the clear favorites!”

JANSEN ON TEAM USA ADVANCING: “Is it going to be gold? Is it going to be silver?”

HICKS: “What a day for the Americans for the team pursuit. Both the men and women take out the gold medal favorites.”

HICKS: “Unbelievable skate by the Americans.”

HICKS ON TEAM PURSUIT: “For the second straight Olympics, these team pursuit events have proved to be very entertaining. You turn some skaters who haven’t had great success during the regular course of the individuals events of the Games, but put them in the team atmosphere and it’s been fun to watch.”

USA’S CHAD HEDRICK: “Man, it really came through and we had chance to defeat the monster with Sven Kramer today and we did it. And we are just ecstatic!”

WOMEN’S SPEED SKATING QUARTERFINALS

JAPAN VS. KOREA
Advances to semifinal: Japan

RUSSIA VS. POLAND
Advances to semifinal: Poland

HICKS: “You have to stay together in the team pursuit and that was just proven by Russia, who fails to advance.”

GERMANY VS. NETHERLANDS
Advances to semifinal: Germany

JANSEN ON GERMANY AND THE NETHERLANDS:  “Possibly the top two teams in the world here paired against one another in the quarterfinals.”

USA VS. CANADA
Advances to semifinal: USA

HICKS: “The United States by four one hundredths of a second, upsets Canada.”

JANSEN ON TEAM USA: “They skated a perfect race.”

HICKS: “The gold medal favorites from Canada shocked by the American women.”