So, all of Gary Bettman’s dreams came true. After all of the talk about the NHL stopping their players participating in future Olympics because it hasn’t translated anything tangible to the league Bettman couldn’t have asked for better publicity. They got a tournament with mostly competitive games, Canada providing drama with their early struggles, a Canada V Russia quarter final that stunned the World, an underdog nearly team (Slovakia) and the perfect Cinderella in the USA. Best of all, they got their dream final.
Canada V USA in the pool stages was among the best International hockey games I’ve seen. US jumping to the early lead, Canada bringing it back and the late empty net goal topping an incredible goaltending display from Ryan Miller for a US win. You can just imagine NHL HQ watching that and daring to whisper ‘wouldn’t it be great if they played for gold’ and when it happened it was great.
Already this game has gone down as one for the ages, an instant classic and an example of what we all love about hockey. It was fast, physical, spectacular and couldn’t have been more dramatic. If you weren’t one of those who joined figures of 80% of Canada watching the game, briefly this is how it went.
Canada come out with more jump and dominate the opening frame, Jonathan Toews (Canada’s best forward throughout the tournament) netting the opening goal. Into the second and the US had found their feet a bit with the game remaining tight when Corey Perry put Canada 2-0 up before the halfway point. You started to wonder if the game was already over before Ryan Kesler got the Americans on the board, tipping a Chris Drury shot past Vancouver team-mate Roberto Luongo who fought the puck all night long. Into the third and you started to sense the expectation. Evidently the Canadian team did too as they sat deeper and deeper, inviting the US team on. Ryan Miller robbed Sidney Crosby on a breakaway before in the final minute, with Miller pulled the US gained an offensive zone face off. Time-out. Pavelski wins the face off, puck bobbles its way around the back of the US net before finding Patrick Kane who flicks a puck toward net. It hits Langenbrunner’s foot and falls to Zach Parise who bangs it home. 24.4 seconds to go, 2-2, we have overtime. The break appeared to help Canada more than the US and, with just over 7 minutes having been played Jarome Iginla fed the puck inside to Sidney Crosby who had beaten Brian Rafalski off the half boards and after one touch to settle the puck slammed it under Ryan Miller. Cue celebrations.
It was the perfect moment for Canada and the NHL. For Canada their golden boy gets the winning goal to crown a record setting home Olympics with the gold that mattered most. For the NHL their golden boy nets the winning goal playing against the country where they most want the game to become relevant. Judging by reactions around the various sports networks in the US this game and this team’s efforts were noticed. Time will tell whether this translates to more people turning out for the NHL regular season.
It was, in the end, as you almost knew it would be Sidney Crosby’s moment. That overtime goal has already taken it’s place with Paul Henderson’s goal in the 1972 Summit Series and the Gretzky-Lemieux combination in the 1987 Canada Cup as the greatest moments of Canadian International hockey. For Crosby it always seems to end this way.
At just 22 years old Crosby can now add Olympic gold to his World Junior gold medal in International play. He became the youngest captain ever to win a Stanley Cup last spring and was the youngest player to ever reach 100 points in his rookie season. A season where he was annointed the saviour of the NHL before his blades had ever cut a rut into NHL ice. He was criticised for being too whiny, he has since cut back. He was criticised for his lack of defensive play, he now kills penalties. He was criticised for his face offs, he improved and is now one of the best in the league. He was criticised for not scoring enough goals, he’s challenging Alex Ovechkin for the Rocket Richard this year. There is no question Crosby has received more plaudits than any other player in his years (some would argue more than he deserves) but this was and will forever be his moment.
Just as you always sensed it would be.
