Olympian Malone ready for Bolts' stretch run

It had been an experience to savor for Ryan Malone, at least until Sidney Crosby's overtime goal Sunday gave Team Canada the gold medal over the United States in Olympic hockey.

What the heck.

Painful and sudden as the ending was for Malone and his U.S. teammates, a few things couldn't be dampened. The overall experience far outweighed any disappointment at the outcome. The sheer intensity of the 3-2 finale, when all of Canada hung on every moment, can never be forgotten.

"I truly thought we were the better team that game and we had chances," Malone said.

Here he was Tuesday, less than 48 hours removed from all that, thrust back into the lineup for the Tampa Bay Lightning for the game against Philadelphia. The stakes: two points in the National Hockey League playoff chase. It's not exactly gold, but with the regular season heading down the stretch, every game takes on added importance.

"I'm a little tired, but it's good to be back and starting a nice stretch here," Malone said.

Malone was not the only Olympian on ice here Tuesday during Tampa Bay's 7-2 loss to the Flyers. Antero Nittymaki started in net for the Bolts after his time with Finland's bronze medal-winning team (he didn't get into any games in Vancouver). Chris Pronger and Mike Richards of the Flyers were members of Team Canada.

The Olympic tournament did more to generate interest in hockey than just about anything in decades. An estimated 27.6 million viewers in the U.S. watched the gold-medal game, making it the most-watched hockey telecast in this country since the 1980 gold medal game against Finland. That came just two days after the Miracle on Ice against the Russians.

So how can Commissioner Gary "If I Only Had a Brain" Bettman contemplate having the NHL stay out of the 2014 Games in Russia?

Because .... he's Gary Bettman? He was in charge, remember, when his sport shut down for a full season. Chaos, anyone? Already, Capitals star Alex Ovechkin of Russia said he may play in the next Olympics no matter what the NHL does.

Bettman is worried that because of the time difference between here and Russia, marquee games may be played while the majority of Americans are sleeping. It's not an insignificant concern.

But you work it out, you know? You're coming off a two-week run where people who couldn't tell a puck from a beanbag were riveted by the drama in Vancouver. Make it happen.

"I know Bettman's a businessman and whatever, worried about the time zone (changes), but I think all the players should play," Malone said.

Back in the dressing room, young Steven Stamkos was talking about the friends gathered at his place Sunday to watch his native Canada play the biggest hockey game in its history. He said he "jumped a couple of feet in the air" when Crosby scored the game-winner.

"Hockey is everything in Canada. It's the biggest stage in the world for a hockey player. It's something you dream about as a kid," he said.

"This was something you remember forever. It's tough to compare it to any other game. You remember the exact time and place and who you were with when it happened. It's the fairy tale and cliche that Canada beat the U.S. for the gold, in overtime, in Vancouver, on home ice and Sidney Crosby scored the winning goal, but that's the way it was meant to be."

And of his teammate on the Lightning?

"You want him to succeed, obviously. I feel bad for (Malone) because he worked so hard to get there and played so well, but I'm happy my home country won. I still get goose bumps when I watch the highlights."

Malone finished with three goals and two assists in six games for Team USA, a solid contribution in a high-stakes setting. And although silver isn't gold - he brought the medal to the Forum for fans to see Tuesday - it's not bad.

"I think a silver medal in the Olympics is pretty special," Stamkos said. "He should be honored."

The whole tournament was special. It did something few other things can - it got people talking about hockey and appreciating the game. It's a lesson the commissioner and his league should remember as 2014 approaches.

You say it's a no-brainer?

That's what I'm afraid of.