In what was one of the best games in any sport over the past year, Canada defeated the United States 3-2 in overtime to earn the men’s hockey Gold medal at the XXI Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
The favored Canadians won on a Sidney Crosby goal at 7:40 into overtime after the U.S. had tied it with 24.4 seconds left in regulation.
By defeating the U.S., Canada won its 14th Gold medal of the Vancouver games and 26th total, good for third behind the U.S. with 37 medals and Germany with 30.
Following Crosby’s game-winning goal, a national sigh of relief accompanied cheers after the Canadians had nearly missed playing for the Gold medal with a nail-biting shootout win over Switzerland.
For a nation that prides itself as being the cradle of hockey, Canada desperately wanted to win Olympic Gold to crown the Vancouver games, more important than any other Gold medal and perhaps even more important than a Canadian team winning the Stanley Cup.
Considering a Canadian team hasn’t won the Stanley Cup since the 1992-93 Montreal Canadians, winning Olympic Gold – and four years worth of bragging rights – may have overtaken Lord Stanley’s Cup as the ultimate prize for team Canada.
Despite the loss, team USA performed well above expectations. Most of the pundits didn’t consider the U.S. among the hockey teams that would earn a medal in these Olympic games.
Having to beat Canada on their own ice for a second time in eight days was a tall order. With the odds stacked against them, winning a Silver medal shouldn’t be viewed as a consolation prize for team USA.
As the players from both teams return to their respective NHL clubs today, the hockey world will be buzzing over the Gold medal game.
That buzz will continue until a new Stanley Cup champion is crowned and even then might not surpass the excitement created on Sunday.
[...] Olympic Gold More Important Than Stanley Cup? [...]