San Jose hockey fans must deal with a conundrum this afternoon, as the United States and Canada battle for Olympic gold. Do we root for the US team, or root for our home team?

Four San Jose Sharks—Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, Dany Heatley and Dan Boyle—make up the backbone of Team Canada. They have been key to Canada’s success, working together in what TV announcer Kenny Albert has called “the San Jose connection.” Only one Shark—Joe Pavelski—is playing for Team USA.

KNBR radio host Ralph Barbieri, famously a Sharks fan, has made a big deal of the fact that he’s rooting for the Canucks. “These guys are my friends,” he says. “Dany Heatley high-fives my son every time we see him.”

Our former mayor and Sharks part-owner Tom McEnery is in Vancouver at the game. I texted him with the hard question: Who are you rooting for? His reply reminds us that he’s still a brilliant politician: “Both. Joe and Patty do well. US wins.”