Hey everyone,

I'm back for another blog and because we've had a lot going on, I have a lot to cover! Yesterday we beat Switzerland, and it was another good win for us; Switzerland is a very good team and they always play tough, so we'll take the win. Now that the preliminary round is over, I can reflect on the tournament so far. It's been a great experience learning a new culture and getting to know all the guys on the team. I don't think there would be anything better except bringing the gold medal back home to the U.S., and we are very capable of doing it.

I like the fact that the ice is wide open over here. It gives players like myself more time with the puck. I also like that you get to face different competition and styles than what you're used to throughout the regular season in the NHL.

So far, Finland was the most memorable game because we were playing at Hartwall Arena in Helsinki.The place was rocking and we played a great game. As a team, we were all ready to play and it's nice to play in front of a packed building. The adrenaline was definitely going for that one.

We play Finland tomorrow in the quarterfinals. We know it's going to be rowdy and very loud, so we need to get on the board first and have the momentum from the drop of the puck. I'm excited that now every game is on the line, and it's a "one and done" format, which brings out great competition.

I was rooming with Richard Bachman for the first week until the girlfriends and wives all showed up. It was a lot of fun getting to know his story and the paths he's chosen to get to where he is today. It is very similar to myself going to prep school then on to college.

The culture is obviously very different here, but you have to adapt to it. It makes you realize how much you appreciate a nice home-cooked meal. It has been nice spending time with my girlfriend and other wives who made the trip overseas. We have been going out to dinners and taking the time to walk around and shop. Today, we walked around the water-front; however, it took a while to find a restaurant because the food is so different. But to top it off, we found the Fazer Chocolate factory. You can pick out pretty much any flavors of chocolate you can possibly imagine...so good!

Thanks for reading my blog and I will be sure to check back soon!

Cam (@CamAtkinson13 on Twitter)

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