USA-Canada Hockey Final Finally Goes to Canada in OT

The USA-Canada hockey final had a lot of hype to live up today. But the USA-Canada hockey final did that and more - especially for Canada. For most of the game, the Canadians looked to be in control over the Americans, going up 2-0 halfway through. Even in the last minute, they were up 2-1 and seconds away from a win, until the underdogs got one more strike. However, the USA-Canada hockey final became glorious for the hosts after all, thanks to none other than Sidney Crosby.

Before Crosby's overtime goal, the gold medal game went mostly as scripted. Both teams had their spurts of momentum, but the host nation had a few more chances. Eventually, a turnover led to the first goal by Jonathan Toews. In the second period, the Canadians kept putting pressure on Ryan Miller until Corey Perry broke through.

The USA-Canada hockey final looked close to being out of reach for America, down 2-0 against a rabid home crowd. However, the visitors finally got a break when Ryan Kesler redirected a Patrick Kane shot, to cut the score in half. It stayed 2-1 for some time, as it looked like the Canadians would run out the clock to victory.

Roberto Luongo and Ryan Miller turned away each pressure-packed shot in the third period. However, the USA-Canada hockey final turned into a classic with under a minute left, when Luongo couldn't catch a shot. This led to Zach Parise stuffing in the tying goal seconds later, sending the match to overtime.

A full 20 minute period was set, followed by a shootout if necessary. Canada got most of the early chances, but Miller stood firm. Yet in the blink of an eye, the USA-Canada hockey final ended in a way that not even the NHL's marketing team could script.

Sidney Crosby, the biggest star in the world, had largely been shut out in these Olympic games. But he was in the right place in the right time, when Jarome Iginla found him in front of the net. Crosby blasted the puck through Miller, and the NHL's golden boy ended these golden Olympics for team Canada.

The gold medal game went a little longer than the hosts expected, but the end result was one they dreamed about for years. Team Canada had unparalled demands to win this tournament, and for a while, it looked like they would collapse instead to another American miracle. But for once, an underdog U.S. team couldn't get that final break.

The 2010 Olympics were the perfect storm for the NHL. They got their dream USA-Canada hockey final, and had the biggest name in the sport score the winning goal. Of course, Crosby may have new enemies by the time he gets back to America. But now that he has a gold, Crosby will go back towards getting his second straight Stanley Cup.

For the Americans, they fell just short of completing their miracle run - to coin a phrase. The stage looked set for the greatest upset yet, after Parise's goal. Yet they must settle for their second silver medal in the last three Winter Olympics, and one that stings even more than their 2002 loss at home.

However, since no one expected them to get this far, much less to overtime of the gold medal game, the loss may subside over time. If the USA-Canada hockey final went the other way, however, the host nation wouldn't recover until 2014.

But since it didn't, the Canadians will celebrate their record setting 14'th gold medal in 2010 - and begin their high expectations for 2014 in England.

Sources

Vancouver Sun- "Olympic men's hockey: Canada takes gold medal with Sidney Crosby overtime winner against USA"

NHL.com- "Crosby clinches gold for Canada in OT"