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Crosby Scores OT Winner as Team Canada Defeats U.S. for Gold

Feb 28, 2010 – 6:01 PM
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Drew Halfnight

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With sport pundits calling today's Canada-U.S. hockey showdown "the biggest hockey game of all time," the stage was set for history-making heroics.

The players did not disappoint.

But after a hard-fought game full of heart-stopping moments, it was Canada's superstar forward, 22-year-old Sidney Crosby, who buried a pass from veteran linemate Jarome Iginla to deliver a 3-2 win in sudden death overtime, as well as a storybook ending to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games.



It seems obvious now, but few could have called this outcome.

"I dreamed of this moment," Crosby, who has an Olympic gold to go with his Stanley Cup, told the Canadian Press. "It's pretty incredible.

"Our team worked unbelievably hard and today was really tough, especially when they got the goal in regulation," Crosby said. "But we came back and we got it in overtime. It's just a dream for us."

Originally seen as a shoe-in for the gold-medal game, the Canadians had faltered often in this tournament, barely defeating Switzerland and dropping a 5-3 decision to the U.S. in round robin play and tip-toeing past Slovakia in the semi-final.

The Americans, meanwhile, had finished eighth in Turin, and were seeded so low in Vancouver that the NHLPA scheduled the team's home-bound flights for Saturday. But they emerged as the No. 1 team in the tournament by outscoring their opponents 22-6 to compile a 5-0 record heading into the final.

Upping this game's ante still more was the fact that a win would earn Canada the Olympic record for highest number of gold medals with 14 first-place finishes. Canada ended up clinching that record with the hockey win, finishing the Games with 26 medals (14 gold, seven silver, five bronze).

The first 10 minutes of the matchup were fairly underwhelming. Neither team took command, though each earned a few scoring chances and laid a few big hits. Shea Weber and Drew Doughty nearly connected on a pretty passing play, and the crowd erupted after checks by Brent Seabrook and Mike Richards. At the other end, a loose puck nearly drifted over the goal line behind a prostrate Roberto Luongo, but Duncan Keith pressed the puck under his outstretched pad.

Early on, Canada showed some of the same shakiness that nearly cost the team its lead against Slovakia, but the Americans couldn't capitalize.

The home team struck first at 7:10 when Ryan Suter and Brian Rafalski were caught fiddling with the puck behind the U.S. goal. Mike Richards intercepted the puck and let fly, and Jonathan Toews was there to bang in the rebound.

The first period ended with U.S. troublemaker Jack Johnson laying a hit well after the buzzer, but the play failed to make the desired impact.

The Canadians hit their stride five minutes into the second frame, moving the puck confidently on the power play, owning the Americans on the penalty kill (Eric Staal for interference) and finally finding the back of net to make it 2-0 at 12:47 when Ryan Getzlaf fed a pass to Corey Perry, who put the puck past a screened Ryan Miller.

The undaunted Americans replied five minutes later, Ryan Kesler making good on the promise he made Saturday to score on Canucks teammate Roberto Luongo, tipping in a shot by Patrick Kane on the rush with just over seven minutes remaining in the period.

After that, the teams traded chances, but nobody could beat the two goalies battling to establish their reputations in international competition, Luongo and Miller, whose 1.04 goals-against average heading into the final made him the talk of the tournament.

Kesler commented between periods that Canada tends to lose momentum in the late part of the game. He underestimated the home team. Crosby won the opening faceoff at centre ice and the Canadians came out flying, hitting the post twice before two minutes were up.
The Canadians dominated most of the period, and with less than two minutes remaining, looked set to claim gold.

Crosby had a breakaway and an opportunity to assure the win, but failed to get wood on his shot. The Americans pulled Miller with 1:30 remaining, mounting a last, desperate attack, and with the man advantage and 24.4 left, Zach Parise buried a rebound and bought the U.S. another frame.

Overtime. Four on four. Sudden death.

Both teams played very solid hockey, but the Canadians had the momentum. At 7:40, Iginla beat two defenders down low and sent the puck to Crosby, who wristed it through Miller's pads.

In a moment, and at the tender age of 22, Sid the Kid joined Paul Henderson and Mario Lemieux in the pantheon of national hockey gods who clinched huge international decisions for Canada.Canada 3, U.S. 2.

With files from the Canadian Press
Filed under: Sports
Tagged: Jarome Iginla, Roberto Luongo, Sidney Crosby

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