Team Canada skated, bumped, faced off, and slap 'shotted' their way to ice hockey glory against Team USA, but not without true Olympic drama.
The entire match was at a frenetic pace with players skating up and back the rink faster than pistons in a V8 race car. It was tiring just to watch so spare a thought for these gladiators on ice. Throw into the mix more body checks and legally physical beatings and you have the gold medal grudge match where it was amazing that the teams had players still standing at the end.
To set the scene, Canadians have wanted nothing more than for Team Canada to win the gold medal at their home Olympics. Of course all of the other gold medals have been celebrated and revered accordingly, however, the men's ice hockey gold medal is the holy grail for all Canadians. This was illustrated no more obviously than when some members of the Canadian men's short track speed skating relay team came out wearing Canadian ice hockey tops after they themselves had triumphed in their event. Ice hockey to Canadians is what AFL is to Melbournians, rugby union is to New Zelanders or football is to Brazilians.
The women's Team Canada had paved the way by winning their respective gold medal match also over the women's Team USA. Now it was up to the men to bring home the holy grail.
Team Canada struck first with Jonathan Toews pouncing on a rebound off Team USA goaltender Ryan Miller in the first period. From a tight angle on the right of the goal, Toews threaded the needle between goal post and goal tender Miller and put Team Canada ahead 1-0. Canadians didn't not have to wait much longer for further celebration as they stormed to a two goal lead mid way through the 2nd period after Corey Perry also pounced on a rebound and slotted his shot past the left shoulder of Miller into the top right corner of the goal. At that point you could see the faces in the crowd nervously daring to dream that the holy grail was within their reach.
This nervous excitement turned to anxiety as Team USA forward Patrick Kane's innocuous 2nd period flick shot was deflected goal bound by his team mate Ryan Kessler. The puck somehow squeezed through Team Canada goaltender Roberto Luongo's arm and body to put Team USA back in the game.
Team Canada had lead the entire match and appeared to have the match wrapped up with only 2 minutes to go. However, with 90 seconds left in regulation time and with Team Canada now leading by a solitary goal, Team USA replaced Miller with an attacking player to storm the Canadian goal and try to force overtime. With just 24 seconds left in the game Zach Parise broke Canadian hearts by stealing a goal and forcing the game into overtime. Canadians had good reason to feel doubly aggrieved as Parise is the son of a former Team Canada and NHL All Star player JP Parise.
The game moved into overtime (where it is golden goal) and shots were flying aplenty and the question on everyone's lips were could Team Canada recover from the last second heartbreak or would Team USA's momentum continue to glory.
This question was answered 7.40 minutes into overtime when Team Canada's boy wonder Sidney Crosby slid in from the left flank, slotted a shot between the legs of Miller into the goal and sent Canada into nirvana. Amazing game, amazing result and a relieved and ecstatic Canada.
Links:
http://www.vancouversun.com/Canada+wins+hockey+gold+sets+Olympic+record/2624980/story.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympic_games/vancouver_2010/ice_hockey/8540966.stm
