Nate Thompson News

It's summer and things are moving along at summer's pace: a lurch and a stall. But there's still plenty to talk about in the world of hockey, so let's just jump right on in.

Nate Thompson, left, and Cam Fowler of Team USA smile after a U.S. goal during the 2012 IIHF World Championships.

Jan 20, 2012; Dallas, TX, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Teddy Purcell and Dallas Stars center Jake Dowell fight for the puck during the third period at the American Airlines Center.

Russia's goalkeeper Konstantin Barulin makes a save as Denmark's Julian Jakobsen tries to score past during their 2012 IIHF men's ice hockey World Championship game in Stockholm May 10, 2012.

Tampa Bay Lightning's Nate Thompson broke the tie at the end of the second period to help the U.S. team beat Belarus 5-3 at the ice hockey world championships in Helsinki on Thursday.

World champion Mark Cavendish won the fifth stage of the Giro d'Italia on Thursday, and Ramunas Navardauskas of Lithuania retained the overall lead.

While we're in the middle of the NHL and AHL playoffs, scattered around cheering for our various other teams, there's a third major hockey tournament going on across the pond.

The Americans hadn't defeated Canada at the World Championships since 2001, and they had only won three times against the Canadians in 41 meetings dating back to 1931.