SOME OF THE BEST OFFERINGS FROM THE WINTER GAMES

Readers ask us

Are there no Olympic or world records being broken at the Sochi Olympic games? In the past Olympics, TV used to announce Olympics and world records, but I have not seen this at the present Games.

Six Olympic records have been set at these Games, all in long- and short-track speed skating. Four world records have been set, all in figure skating for points awarded in the ice dance long and short programs, the men's short program and the pairs short program.

Aren't there men's ice hockey officials from other countries than the U.S.? Why was Brad Meier even working the U.S.-Russia game?

The 28 officials (14 referees, 14 linesman) chosen by the International Ice Hockey Federation for the tournament are a mix of international (15) and NHL (13) officials. American Brad Meier is one of seven NHL referees selected. He was the ref in the U.S.-Russia preliminary-round game who disallowed a goal in the third period that would have given Russia a 3-2 lead because the goal net was off its moorings. Under international rules, the dislodging means the goal must be disallowed. An official's nationality is rarely, if ever, considered in game assignments. For example, Canadian NHL linesman Brad Kovachik is working today's Canada-Latvia quarterfinal. In the 2010 men's gold-medal game between the United States and Canada, three of the four officials were Canadian (two NHL refs, one NHL linesman); the other was Finnish.

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Trivia of the day

The Netherlands set a Winter Olympic record Tuesday with its fourth medal sweep of the Games, all in speed skating. The Summer Games record is 57, set by the United States in 1904. Since World War II, the most medal sweeps by one nation at any Olympics is six by East Germany in the West-boycotted 1980 Moscow Olympics.

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Nature lacking in camo production

The snow-destroying warm weather at the Games also has become a security risk. Sentry posts lining the roads to the mountain venues are covered in bright, white camouflage netting that was supposed to blend in with snow. But surrounded by bare, brown earth or concrete paving instead, the posts might as well have a big arrow pointing at them that says "Soldiers here!!" Security forces staffing the positions seem divided on how to deal with the lack of snow cover. Several were spotted huddling inside one post wearing full white winter camouflage uniforms. Farther up the road, one policeman was wearing a green high-visibility vest inside his "camouflaged" hut.

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Lots of puppy love

The stray dogs of Sochi - whose plight generated outrage before the Games when reports said they were being rounded up and euthanized as part of a "clean-up" effort - have found friends among U.S. athletes. Gus Kenworthy, silver medalist in freestyle skiing's slopestyle, is working to bring some back to the United States for himself, family and friends. Hockey player David Backes - known around the NHL and in St. Louis, where he plays, for his support of animal causes - is leading a group of players who want to bring dogs back. (That's him above right with U.S. and Blues teammate Kevin Shattenkirk and two Sochi rescues.) Hockey player Kelli Stack saw a Backes Twitter post about adoptions and tweeted that she wanted to adopt a dog, too. Snowboarder Lindsey Jacobellis posted a photo of a dog she's bringing back. (You, too, can adopt a Sochi stray, though it can be costly, for starters. See the Humane Society International website, hsi.org.)

Compiled from Times staff, wires, cbssports.com, olystats.com.