To be totally honest, I had mixed emotions in the immediate moments following Canada's classic 3-2 overtime win over the USA in the gold medal game of the 2010 Winter Olympics. My heart broke for the Americans, especially how they lost; but if anyone had to score that goal for Canada, I'm glad it was Sidney Crosby.
After the United States' third-period comeback, I really thought the Americans had enough momentum on their side to take the game in overtime. My fatal mistake was forgetting about a certain player on the opposing team that usually rises to the occasion in moments like this. And even if you are aware of #87 on the ice in a big moment, the scene usually ends something like this:
After the United States' third-period comeback, I really thought the Americans had enough momentum on their side to take the game in overtime. My fatal mistake was forgetting about a certain player on the opposing team that usually rises to the occasion in moments like this. And even if you are aware of #87 on the ice in a big moment, the scene usually ends something like this:
For King Crosby, the past year has seen him hoist the Stanley Cup in a Game Seven and win a gold medal in the most dramatic fashion possible in his homeland. He's won an MVP, an NHL scoring title, and has experienced nearly every major feat in the game of hockey, and all by the age of 22. Where does he go from here? Is there an intergalactic hockey tournament he can participate in?
As I said earlier, if there was any player that had to beat the United States in such crushing fashion, I'd say Crosby was the most palatable option to make the hit. He's the Golden Boy of Canada, he had the bulk of the pressure on his shoulders, and he's going to get an appropriate amount of the accolades. It couldn't happen to a better person. His landlord had the '87 Canada Cup, now Sid has his own international war story of heroism to share with 66 when he gets back to town.
For the U.S., it's a heartbreaking defeat, but they should hold their heads high for an incredible run. Losing only one game - the championship - in a tournament like this is nothing to be ashamed of. But when you come so close, disappointment is usually the first emotion that comes to mind. In the short term, it's highly frustrating, but in the long run, the country really opened some eyes on the international hockey scene and some individual players really raised their profiles. There were some big wins for American hockey as an organization in these games.
Ryan Miller, who will visit Mellon Arena on Tuesday night wearing the jersey of the Buffalo Sabres, was the tournament MVP, despite giving up the winning goal in the championship game. That speaks volumes about the effort he gave throughout the Olympics, which was nothing sort of spectacular (and for the record, Miller finished with a 5-1 record, 1.35 goals against, and .946 save percentage).
Miller has seen his share of bitter disappointments before, twice losing the conference finals with the Sabres, but he handled himself with class and dignity in a lengthy postgame interview with NBC that had to be tough to do. Even in defeat, the 29-year-old netminder has surely earned many new fans around the world, and deservedly so. It should be a busy week for the clothing store he owns in East Lansing, Michigan.
Miller's greatness aside, any discussion about the Americans would be incomplete without mentioning the last-second heroics of Zach Parise, the eight points of Brian Rafalski, the punishing hits of Brooks Orpik, the leadership of Jamie Langenbrunner, and the big goals of Ryan Malone. It took a tremendous team effort to reach the finals in a shark tank of tournament like this, and that's exactly what the U.S.A. gave.
For Canada, the feeling was much like the feeling in America when an Olympic basketball team wins the gold: equal parts excitement and relief. It's their game, and they don't let anyone forget it. And when it's played in their country, they don't just expect to win, they expect to win big. Unfortunately for Canada, no one told their opponents that the script called for them to roll over and die. The result was one of the most exciting hockey tournaments in recent memory, and one of the most climactic games that will ever go down in international play. As hockey fans, that's about all we can ask for, no matter who comes out on top. But the biggest winner of all is the game of hockey. What it showed the world over these Olympics was a performance that will live for the ages, giving leagues like the NHL a boost of adrenaline that any sport would treasure. Be prepared for a taste of that adrenaline on Tuesday night when Crosby and Miller meet again at Mellon Arena. I'm counting on some of that Vancouver electricity to transfer quite nicely to Pittsburgh.
As I said earlier, if there was any player that had to beat the United States in such crushing fashion, I'd say Crosby was the most palatable option to make the hit. He's the Golden Boy of Canada, he had the bulk of the pressure on his shoulders, and he's going to get an appropriate amount of the accolades. It couldn't happen to a better person. His landlord had the '87 Canada Cup, now Sid has his own international war story of heroism to share with 66 when he gets back to town.
For the U.S., it's a heartbreaking defeat, but they should hold their heads high for an incredible run. Losing only one game - the championship - in a tournament like this is nothing to be ashamed of. But when you come so close, disappointment is usually the first emotion that comes to mind. In the short term, it's highly frustrating, but in the long run, the country really opened some eyes on the international hockey scene and some individual players really raised their profiles. There were some big wins for American hockey as an organization in these games.
Ryan Miller, who will visit Mellon Arena on Tuesday night wearing the jersey of the Buffalo Sabres, was the tournament MVP, despite giving up the winning goal in the championship game. That speaks volumes about the effort he gave throughout the Olympics, which was nothing sort of spectacular (and for the record, Miller finished with a 5-1 record, 1.35 goals against, and .946 save percentage).
Miller has seen his share of bitter disappointments before, twice losing the conference finals with the Sabres, but he handled himself with class and dignity in a lengthy postgame interview with NBC that had to be tough to do. Even in defeat, the 29-year-old netminder has surely earned many new fans around the world, and deservedly so. It should be a busy week for the clothing store he owns in East Lansing, Michigan.
Miller's greatness aside, any discussion about the Americans would be incomplete without mentioning the last-second heroics of Zach Parise, the eight points of Brian Rafalski, the punishing hits of Brooks Orpik, the leadership of Jamie Langenbrunner, and the big goals of Ryan Malone. It took a tremendous team effort to reach the finals in a shark tank of tournament like this, and that's exactly what the U.S.A. gave.
For Canada, the feeling was much like the feeling in America when an Olympic basketball team wins the gold: equal parts excitement and relief. It's their game, and they don't let anyone forget it. And when it's played in their country, they don't just expect to win, they expect to win big. Unfortunately for Canada, no one told their opponents that the script called for them to roll over and die. The result was one of the most exciting hockey tournaments in recent memory, and one of the most climactic games that will ever go down in international play. As hockey fans, that's about all we can ask for, no matter who comes out on top. But the biggest winner of all is the game of hockey. What it showed the world over these Olympics was a performance that will live for the ages, giving leagues like the NHL a boost of adrenaline that any sport would treasure. Be prepared for a taste of that adrenaline on Tuesday night when Crosby and Miller meet again at Mellon Arena. I'm counting on some of that Vancouver electricity to transfer quite nicely to Pittsburgh.
Email: Mondesishouse@gmail.com Twitter: twitter.com/mondesishouse Facebook: Facebook Group
