The big question following Sunday's Olympic hockey gold medal thriller is whether the NHL will reap the benefits of this widely-watched showdown between the champion Canadians and the underdog Americans?

My guess is no!

Yes, Canada's 3-2 overtime win was thrilling and will be talked about in Olympic circles for years to come, but, say, a week or two from now, Sidney Crosby scores the game-winning goal in OT past Ryan Miller to give his Pittsburgh Penguins over the Buffalo Sabres, will anyone other than Penguins or Sabres fans care?

Maybe it's the professional aspect of it that bothers me, but I see Olympic hockey and it kind of reminds me of the Ryder Cup, where professional golfers every two years play for national pride over a weekend (the U.S. vs. Europe) and then you see them three days later competing against one another in the (insert name of any PGA Tournament).

I just don't see a long-term carryover for the NHL.

But, pros or not, it was one heck of a game.