USA/Canada: The Running Diary
Feb 28, 2010 21:20:29 GMT -5
Post by Mikey on Feb 28, 2010 21:20:29 GMT -5
UNITED STATES VS. CANADA – 2010 GOLD MEDAL HOCKEY GAME
PREGAME: There is no hype needed for this game. It is the ultimate Game Seven scenario, bigger than the Stanley Cup Finals or any other sporting event shy of probably the World Cup soccer final. The stakes for Canada are this: lose, and these Olympic Games, with its dead lugers, rained out skiing events, broken zambonis, and SIX BILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT, are a complete and utter failure – win, and the Games are an unmitigated success. There’s no middle ground.
The over/under on moments in which I will want to murder Pierre McGuire this afternoon: 3.5. Taking bets now.
My game thoughts before the puck drops… the U.S. defense will have to slow the Canadian offense through the neutral zone and control the tempo. If that happens and Ryan Miller can channel Jimmy Craig, the Americans will leave Vancouver with the gold medal. That being said, I don’t think it will happen, and I’m calling a 4-3 final, hopefully with some dramatics in the final 3-4 minutes. If that’s the case, the downside is that the Canadian fans won’t be singing O Canada over the final minute of play, as they will all collectively have pistols held to their temples.
FIRST PERIOD:
19:30: Drew Doughty blocks the game’s first good shot, and the Canadians go down and get a shot of their own.
18:36: A wrap around is fended off by Luongo, as he’s probably faced Eric Staal enough in practice to have that little tactic down to a T. The Canadians follow that with a strong shift, and Brent Seabrook gets the first big hit of the game on Bobby Ryan.
17:07: Parise’s dump in caroms oddly to Luongo and we get our first “LOOOOOOOOOUUUUUU” from the crowd. Shortly thereafter, Canada gets a 4 on 2 breakout and Rick Nash whizzes one wide to the right of Miller. Great chance there for the Canucks. Nash is looking feisty early.
15:45: We get a Hurricanes moment as Tim Gleason slides across to block Staal’s shot from the left slot and the Americans come back with a great shift of their own, pinning Canada in their own end for upward of a minute.
13:21: The Daryl-styled “Mil-ler. Mil-ler…” chant from the Canadian crowd. I thought our hockey friends to the north had more original chants than that.
13:07: Ryan Kesler lays out Crosby behind Miller to the chagrin of the fans. Nothing comes of it, however.
11:45: Hit of the game, as Brooks Orpik creams Dany Heatley into the U.S. bench like a Ferrari off I-85 in Atlanta. Crowd doesn’t like that at all. The sequence ends up with Nash getting another good shot, this one on net, and Miller makes the save.
10:09: David Backes gets an angle around Doughty, getting in on Luongo, who makes the save. Best American chance thus far.
9:13: Eddie Olczyk explains the last change rule, a staple of every single NBC hockey telecast since they got the alleged TV deal after the lockout. Stick around and we’ll teach something called “icing.”
9:05: “Go, Jericho, Go! Go, Jericho, Go!” Oh wait, that’s “Canada,” not “Jericho.” Had a ’99 Raw flashback there, never mind me.
8:35: The Crosby/Staal/Iginla line gets not one, not two, but three good looks on one shift. Miller is a rock, though.
7:10: But he’s not inpenetrable, though as Jonathan Toews SCOOOOOOOOOOOORES!!!! After a face off in the American zone, the U.S. turns it over and Richards gets a shot in on Miller, and Toews is there to slam home the rebound. It’s 1-0 Canada and the house is rocking now. Though I wonder how many hardcore hockey fans are really in the house as seats were going on the street before the game for anywhere from $4,000-$15,000 Canadian. With the recent exchange rate shift, that‘s actually serious money we’re talking about. That being said, I think even the richest of the rich in Canada probably are diehard hockey fans, unlike the wine and cheesers we have down here in the States taking up all the Super Bowl tickets and whatnot. But I digress…
5:58: We have our first penalty, as Bobby Ryan trips Heatley in the corner behind Luongo. Boy, those penalties 200 feet from your goalie are really dumb, especially when Canada has al the momentum right now.
4:15: Staal gets a nice pass from Crosby for the best look on the power play, but Miller makes a routine save and the Americans have killed the penalty. Big kill there early in the game.
0:30: “EVERYBODY CLAP YOUR HANDS!” And the dork behind the U.S. bench can’t get the rhythm right. It’s “clapclapclapclapclapclapclap,” not “clap…. clap…. clap…. clap….” Stupid Canadians. After a few minutes of uneventful back and forth, the period ends with Ryan Callahan getting a mini-break along the right dasher with 10 seconds left and the puck ends up loose in front of Luongo as the horn sounds. Post-buzzer shenanigans in front of the penalty box as Corey Perry and Jack Johnson get into it, leading to a scrum reminiscent of the Balboa/Drago fisticuffs at the end of the second round in Moscow. Only difference is there isn’t a black guy on the U.S. bench that could hop over the boards and throw a water bottle at somebody. Where’s Donald Brashear when you need him? Is he American??
1-0 CANADA thru 20 minutes.
SECOND PERIOD:
18:50: Miller robs Iginla on a goofy bounce on the period’s first big rush.
17:50: Erik Johnson steals a pass and gets a good shot in on Luongo. Immediately thereafter, Ryan Malone cross-checks Perry in the face like an idiot and takes a penalty. The Canadians are going on the power play.
16:43: Good start to the man advantage for Canada, and Miller has to come across the crease for a good save on Joe Thornton. Kesler ends up with a breakout and it’s 2 on 1 shorthanded, but the play falls apart.
15:43: Dan Boyle with a huge blast that gets knocked down and cleared to kill off the penalty. Malone’s out of the box and Staal interferes with him as he tries to play the puck. That’s a penalty and the Americans get their first power play.
13:20: Five times into the zone, five easy clears, and Canada kills the penalty without breaking a sweat. I’m having early season Hurricanes flashbacks with that effort by the Americans. Just brutal. As Staal gets out of the box, Canada gets a 3 on 2, but Ryan Getzlaf misses high on a very good look.
12:47: SCOOOOOOOOOORES!!!! Getzlaf’s still on the ice, looks to a charging Patrick Marleau at the net, but Marleau leaves it for the trailer Perry who beats Miller glove side on a gorgeous wrist shot. Hockey as it was meant to be played and it’s 2-0 Canada, and the Americans are in trouble. From being a man down to going up by a deuce in the span of about 45 seconds… huge momentum swing there.
11:55: Toews trips up Ryan Suter in the neutral zone, and the U.S. has a shot to atone for the previous atrocious power play.
10:11: After some early sputtering, Team USA gets a shot in on Luongo and Stastny tries to jam it in as the whistle blows. Hockey scrum in front of the goalie and the refs break things up.
9:35: Big rush to end the power play and Luongo makes a great save on someone in front as the pace starts to pick back up. Canada gets another good look from Boyle and the net gets knocked off as I realize that the over/under bet from the pregame hasn’t come into play because MCGUIRE’S NOT ON THE CALL!! TSN or CTV must’ve given him the nod for the Canadian broadcast, which means no matter the outcome of the hockey game, Canada’s already lost.
8:30: A glass problem has delayed us for a moment, and shortly after we resume the U.S. SCOOOOOOOOOOOORES!!!! It’s Patty Kane making things happen with Kesler as Kane’s wrist shot from the high slot tips off Kesler’s stick and the puck trickles past Luongo. A good, fundamental hockey play there. Replays show that the Americans were offside by a hair on the play, but it’s ignored due to the Emancipation Proclamation, or the Bill of Rights, or section IV.B.4 of the DeCarlo Doctrine or some crap. Nevertheless, the Americans are on the board and it’s 2-1. You can feel the crowd tense up just watching the game on TV. I can’t imagine how it must feel in the arena.
4:23: After both teams slow things down to feel each other back out with the change in momentum, Miller makes a ridiculous save in which he was screen by about two dozen guys.
3:00: The Americans are rolling now, peppering Luongo with shot after shot, but Staal gets away on a break… but Miller makes a save, and the puck ricochets straight up in the air and for a moment, I’m thinking the crazy Rod Brind’Amour shootout goal in Philly two years ago that hit off the back of Marty Biron’s helmet. This one, however, falls in front of Miller, who covers up. Could’ve been a game changer there.
2:30: The Perry/Morrow/Richards line creates some havoc and Miller ends up out of position, but Richards whiffs on a rebound. The Americans dodge a huge bullet there.
0:00: Staal gets another breakout but misses wide to Miller’s left. The U.S. follows up with a last ditch effort on Luongo, but there’s nothing doing and we’re 20 minutes away from a decision.
CANADA 2-1 after 40 minutes.
THIRD PERIOD:
20:00: It gets no better than this, folks. Duncan Keith blocks Kesler’s shot to start things off and it’s out of play.
19:10: PING!! Canada finds the post seconds after Olczyk says that Miller, right this moment, is the better goaltender of the two. The replay shows it was Shea Weber, off Suter’s stick. An own goal there would’ve been brutal. Close call there, and as we come back from that, PING!! Chris Pronger this time ringing the post. Two posts in the first two minutes of the third period… what are the odds of those coming back to haunt Canada later?
16:20: Staal rushes Miller behind the net as Canada seems to be warming up now. It seems like the Americans are just holding on for dear life. And as I think that, Miller robs Perry in front to keep it at 2-1.
13:22: Luongo with a big save on Kesler on a shot through a screen. Kesler’s been great today for Team USA.
11:01: My notes are getting less detailed here as I’m mesmerized by the drama, but I must note Crosby’s helmet decal, as the K on “Reebok” has fallen off.
10:30: Miller with another huge save, this time on Heatley after Marleau scoops up a loose puck in the slot. Probably the best save of the game, as Miller slid back to his right and pinned the post with his skate. If Heatley lifts the puck, it’s a goal. Drury gets a decent look, forcing Luongo to make a save. Malone then misses wide and the Americans seem to be perking up a bit.
8:55: Jamie Langenbrunner finds Parise off the faceoff, but the shot goes wide. Good look there. Parise storms back down 1 on 3 and somehow gets a shot in on Luongo from the goalline while falling down. Great effort there. Business is picking up, King, with 7:45 to play.
5:00: Brian Rafalski gets the best look yet for the U.S. off a failed Kane wraparound. Huge save by Luongo there.
3:20: The Americans get a good shift and block a clearing attempt, but the play breaks down at the blue line and Crosby gets away alone on a breakaway… it’s his Olympic moment… a perfect cap to Canada’s gold medal… Captain Canada, the GOLDen boy… but the PUCK COMES OFF HIS STICK as he comes in on Miller!! Oh my goodness!! Kane may have gotten a stick in on the play from behind. Good hustle. That would’ve been the signature moment of the Olympics right there, but no.
1:25: Miller is pulled for the extra attacker, and after a whistle, the Americans call their timeout. DEES EES THEE LAST ROOOUUUND!!
0:55: Canada wants time now and we’re looking at a faceoff to Luongo’s right.
0:24: PARISE SCOOOOOOOOOOOOOORES!!!!!!!!!!!!! The entire nation of Canada is in collective shock. Just a simple rush the net desperation play, as Kane gets the initial shot and Parise cleans up the mess on the rebound. Given the way the tournament’s played out, probably fitting that it’s Parise.
0:00: Probably fitting that it’s gonna be the U.S. and Canada in overtime, too.
TIED 2-2 through 60 minutes.
OVERTIME:
20:00: 4 on 4 sudden death, a shootout if nobody scores… which ain’t gonna happen. As tradition dictates, I must pick my goal scorer for each team, and I like Chris Drury for the Americans. Dude just has a knack for these kind of moments. And for Canada, as much as Crosby would be the glamorous pick, I’m calling Brenden Morrow on a garbage goal.
19:30: Oh man, sudden death hockey is insane. Kesler gets in early, but Scott Niedermayer with a strong defensive play to stand him up.
18:49: Crosby turns it over along the boards, but Parise’s pass to a breaking Langenbrunner is JUST out of his reach and it goes for icing.
17:40: Erik Johnson with a big shot, but it’s deflected high and out of play by Phil Kessel.
15:45: Niedermayer to Iginla and Miller makes a good save. EVERY save in overtime is a great save. Marleau gets a 2 on 1, but Miller makes another save on him. Langenbrunner gets a shot himself and Luongo makes the save.
13:42: Miller makes a great save on Nash, who is picking up steam again. He had a great shift earlier in OT, too. He scares me right now.
12:34: Pavelski with a great hustle play and gets a wicked turnaround snap shot on Luongo who makes a phenomenal save.
12:20: CROSBY SCOOOOOOOOOOOORES!!!!!! It’s Iginla’s hard work along the boards that creates a mini 2 on 1 and Crosby beats Miller on the short side with a little wrist shot with eyes. FINAL (OT): CANADA 3-2. If I didn’t know better, I’d say the finish was rigged. Like him or not, and I know there’s a bunch of you that don’t, it’s a great moment with the face of the team (and the nation) winning the game in OT in front of the home crowd. Miller looks absolutely heartbroken, but he has NOTHING to be ashamed of; without his efforts, the Americans don’t medal, let alone take Canada to OT in the final. It is kinda crappy that the U.S. and Canada split 1-1, but Canada gets the gold medal, but them’s the breaks. And indeed, Miller is named tournament MVP. Much, much deserved.
POSTGAME: I love all the playoff beards I see on some of the players. Really cool that they name each player individually on the ice in the medal ceremony. Pronger looks like an old school Russian commie with his beard. And of course, Crosby has his 9th grade peachfuzz rocking. Everytime they show miller, I just wanna cry for the kid. Drury’s beard is great, and I’ll check my manhood at the door long enough to say that he’s pretty cute. He’s no Patrick Marleau, but he’s not bad. Okay, I’ll pick my card back up now, thank you very much. Very cool for me that Hurricanes Staal and Gleason both get medals, and that Finns Joni Pitkanen and Tuomo Ruutu took home bronze, too. A moral victory for this pathetic season, I suppose. Kudos to the Vancouver crowd for the ovation Miller gets upon receiving his medal. Very classy. The smile on Iginla’s face is what the Olympics are all about – it’s about as big as Canada itself. And Crosby gets the big pop as the last player recognized. Hard to believe he’ll ever have a bigger moment than this in his life – it’s all downhill from here. Might as well start by taking advantage of the extra condoms brought in by the IOC over the weekend. I hear Johnny Weir’s still hanging around.
And the moment Canada’s waited seven years for… the singing of O Canada on the final day of the Games, as 20,000 at the arena, and millions across the nation sing in unison. Chills, people, and I’m American. An Olympic moment for the ages, and congrats to the Canadians for this victory. If they had lost, the entire nation would’ve fallen into depression, every play in this game would’ve been over-analyzed for the next four years, players would’ve received death threats, and the economy would’ve gone into the tank. The Americans lost, and we’ll be pissed for a few hours, but by tomorrow, March Madness lurks, Spring Training begins, and the NFL Draft is a few weeks off. That’s the difference, and that’s why I was cheering for the Canadians today. It just means more to them, more than any sporting event could mean to any other nation in any other Olympics. And they got their moment.
O Canada.
My home and native land
True patriot love
In all thy sons command
With glowing hearts
We see thee rise
The true North, strong and free
From far and wide
O Canada
We stand on guard for thee
God keep our land
Glorious and free
O Canada
We stand on guard for thee
O Canada
We stand on guard…
For thee
PREGAME: There is no hype needed for this game. It is the ultimate Game Seven scenario, bigger than the Stanley Cup Finals or any other sporting event shy of probably the World Cup soccer final. The stakes for Canada are this: lose, and these Olympic Games, with its dead lugers, rained out skiing events, broken zambonis, and SIX BILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT, are a complete and utter failure – win, and the Games are an unmitigated success. There’s no middle ground.
The over/under on moments in which I will want to murder Pierre McGuire this afternoon: 3.5. Taking bets now.
My game thoughts before the puck drops… the U.S. defense will have to slow the Canadian offense through the neutral zone and control the tempo. If that happens and Ryan Miller can channel Jimmy Craig, the Americans will leave Vancouver with the gold medal. That being said, I don’t think it will happen, and I’m calling a 4-3 final, hopefully with some dramatics in the final 3-4 minutes. If that’s the case, the downside is that the Canadian fans won’t be singing O Canada over the final minute of play, as they will all collectively have pistols held to their temples.
FIRST PERIOD:
19:30: Drew Doughty blocks the game’s first good shot, and the Canadians go down and get a shot of their own.
18:36: A wrap around is fended off by Luongo, as he’s probably faced Eric Staal enough in practice to have that little tactic down to a T. The Canadians follow that with a strong shift, and Brent Seabrook gets the first big hit of the game on Bobby Ryan.
17:07: Parise’s dump in caroms oddly to Luongo and we get our first “LOOOOOOOOOUUUUUU” from the crowd. Shortly thereafter, Canada gets a 4 on 2 breakout and Rick Nash whizzes one wide to the right of Miller. Great chance there for the Canucks. Nash is looking feisty early.
15:45: We get a Hurricanes moment as Tim Gleason slides across to block Staal’s shot from the left slot and the Americans come back with a great shift of their own, pinning Canada in their own end for upward of a minute.
13:21: The Daryl-styled “Mil-ler. Mil-ler…” chant from the Canadian crowd. I thought our hockey friends to the north had more original chants than that.
13:07: Ryan Kesler lays out Crosby behind Miller to the chagrin of the fans. Nothing comes of it, however.
11:45: Hit of the game, as Brooks Orpik creams Dany Heatley into the U.S. bench like a Ferrari off I-85 in Atlanta. Crowd doesn’t like that at all. The sequence ends up with Nash getting another good shot, this one on net, and Miller makes the save.
10:09: David Backes gets an angle around Doughty, getting in on Luongo, who makes the save. Best American chance thus far.
9:13: Eddie Olczyk explains the last change rule, a staple of every single NBC hockey telecast since they got the alleged TV deal after the lockout. Stick around and we’ll teach something called “icing.”
9:05: “Go, Jericho, Go! Go, Jericho, Go!” Oh wait, that’s “Canada,” not “Jericho.” Had a ’99 Raw flashback there, never mind me.
8:35: The Crosby/Staal/Iginla line gets not one, not two, but three good looks on one shift. Miller is a rock, though.
7:10: But he’s not inpenetrable, though as Jonathan Toews SCOOOOOOOOOOOORES!!!! After a face off in the American zone, the U.S. turns it over and Richards gets a shot in on Miller, and Toews is there to slam home the rebound. It’s 1-0 Canada and the house is rocking now. Though I wonder how many hardcore hockey fans are really in the house as seats were going on the street before the game for anywhere from $4,000-$15,000 Canadian. With the recent exchange rate shift, that‘s actually serious money we’re talking about. That being said, I think even the richest of the rich in Canada probably are diehard hockey fans, unlike the wine and cheesers we have down here in the States taking up all the Super Bowl tickets and whatnot. But I digress…
5:58: We have our first penalty, as Bobby Ryan trips Heatley in the corner behind Luongo. Boy, those penalties 200 feet from your goalie are really dumb, especially when Canada has al the momentum right now.
4:15: Staal gets a nice pass from Crosby for the best look on the power play, but Miller makes a routine save and the Americans have killed the penalty. Big kill there early in the game.
0:30: “EVERYBODY CLAP YOUR HANDS!” And the dork behind the U.S. bench can’t get the rhythm right. It’s “clapclapclapclapclapclapclap,” not “clap…. clap…. clap…. clap….” Stupid Canadians. After a few minutes of uneventful back and forth, the period ends with Ryan Callahan getting a mini-break along the right dasher with 10 seconds left and the puck ends up loose in front of Luongo as the horn sounds. Post-buzzer shenanigans in front of the penalty box as Corey Perry and Jack Johnson get into it, leading to a scrum reminiscent of the Balboa/Drago fisticuffs at the end of the second round in Moscow. Only difference is there isn’t a black guy on the U.S. bench that could hop over the boards and throw a water bottle at somebody. Where’s Donald Brashear when you need him? Is he American??
1-0 CANADA thru 20 minutes.
SECOND PERIOD:
18:50: Miller robs Iginla on a goofy bounce on the period’s first big rush.
17:50: Erik Johnson steals a pass and gets a good shot in on Luongo. Immediately thereafter, Ryan Malone cross-checks Perry in the face like an idiot and takes a penalty. The Canadians are going on the power play.
16:43: Good start to the man advantage for Canada, and Miller has to come across the crease for a good save on Joe Thornton. Kesler ends up with a breakout and it’s 2 on 1 shorthanded, but the play falls apart.
15:43: Dan Boyle with a huge blast that gets knocked down and cleared to kill off the penalty. Malone’s out of the box and Staal interferes with him as he tries to play the puck. That’s a penalty and the Americans get their first power play.
13:20: Five times into the zone, five easy clears, and Canada kills the penalty without breaking a sweat. I’m having early season Hurricanes flashbacks with that effort by the Americans. Just brutal. As Staal gets out of the box, Canada gets a 3 on 2, but Ryan Getzlaf misses high on a very good look.
12:47: SCOOOOOOOOOORES!!!! Getzlaf’s still on the ice, looks to a charging Patrick Marleau at the net, but Marleau leaves it for the trailer Perry who beats Miller glove side on a gorgeous wrist shot. Hockey as it was meant to be played and it’s 2-0 Canada, and the Americans are in trouble. From being a man down to going up by a deuce in the span of about 45 seconds… huge momentum swing there.
11:55: Toews trips up Ryan Suter in the neutral zone, and the U.S. has a shot to atone for the previous atrocious power play.
10:11: After some early sputtering, Team USA gets a shot in on Luongo and Stastny tries to jam it in as the whistle blows. Hockey scrum in front of the goalie and the refs break things up.
9:35: Big rush to end the power play and Luongo makes a great save on someone in front as the pace starts to pick back up. Canada gets another good look from Boyle and the net gets knocked off as I realize that the over/under bet from the pregame hasn’t come into play because MCGUIRE’S NOT ON THE CALL!! TSN or CTV must’ve given him the nod for the Canadian broadcast, which means no matter the outcome of the hockey game, Canada’s already lost.
8:30: A glass problem has delayed us for a moment, and shortly after we resume the U.S. SCOOOOOOOOOOOORES!!!! It’s Patty Kane making things happen with Kesler as Kane’s wrist shot from the high slot tips off Kesler’s stick and the puck trickles past Luongo. A good, fundamental hockey play there. Replays show that the Americans were offside by a hair on the play, but it’s ignored due to the Emancipation Proclamation, or the Bill of Rights, or section IV.B.4 of the DeCarlo Doctrine or some crap. Nevertheless, the Americans are on the board and it’s 2-1. You can feel the crowd tense up just watching the game on TV. I can’t imagine how it must feel in the arena.
4:23: After both teams slow things down to feel each other back out with the change in momentum, Miller makes a ridiculous save in which he was screen by about two dozen guys.
3:00: The Americans are rolling now, peppering Luongo with shot after shot, but Staal gets away on a break… but Miller makes a save, and the puck ricochets straight up in the air and for a moment, I’m thinking the crazy Rod Brind’Amour shootout goal in Philly two years ago that hit off the back of Marty Biron’s helmet. This one, however, falls in front of Miller, who covers up. Could’ve been a game changer there.
2:30: The Perry/Morrow/Richards line creates some havoc and Miller ends up out of position, but Richards whiffs on a rebound. The Americans dodge a huge bullet there.
0:00: Staal gets another breakout but misses wide to Miller’s left. The U.S. follows up with a last ditch effort on Luongo, but there’s nothing doing and we’re 20 minutes away from a decision.
CANADA 2-1 after 40 minutes.
THIRD PERIOD:
20:00: It gets no better than this, folks. Duncan Keith blocks Kesler’s shot to start things off and it’s out of play.
19:10: PING!! Canada finds the post seconds after Olczyk says that Miller, right this moment, is the better goaltender of the two. The replay shows it was Shea Weber, off Suter’s stick. An own goal there would’ve been brutal. Close call there, and as we come back from that, PING!! Chris Pronger this time ringing the post. Two posts in the first two minutes of the third period… what are the odds of those coming back to haunt Canada later?
16:20: Staal rushes Miller behind the net as Canada seems to be warming up now. It seems like the Americans are just holding on for dear life. And as I think that, Miller robs Perry in front to keep it at 2-1.
13:22: Luongo with a big save on Kesler on a shot through a screen. Kesler’s been great today for Team USA.
11:01: My notes are getting less detailed here as I’m mesmerized by the drama, but I must note Crosby’s helmet decal, as the K on “Reebok” has fallen off.
10:30: Miller with another huge save, this time on Heatley after Marleau scoops up a loose puck in the slot. Probably the best save of the game, as Miller slid back to his right and pinned the post with his skate. If Heatley lifts the puck, it’s a goal. Drury gets a decent look, forcing Luongo to make a save. Malone then misses wide and the Americans seem to be perking up a bit.
8:55: Jamie Langenbrunner finds Parise off the faceoff, but the shot goes wide. Good look there. Parise storms back down 1 on 3 and somehow gets a shot in on Luongo from the goalline while falling down. Great effort there. Business is picking up, King, with 7:45 to play.
5:00: Brian Rafalski gets the best look yet for the U.S. off a failed Kane wraparound. Huge save by Luongo there.
3:20: The Americans get a good shift and block a clearing attempt, but the play breaks down at the blue line and Crosby gets away alone on a breakaway… it’s his Olympic moment… a perfect cap to Canada’s gold medal… Captain Canada, the GOLDen boy… but the PUCK COMES OFF HIS STICK as he comes in on Miller!! Oh my goodness!! Kane may have gotten a stick in on the play from behind. Good hustle. That would’ve been the signature moment of the Olympics right there, but no.
1:25: Miller is pulled for the extra attacker, and after a whistle, the Americans call their timeout. DEES EES THEE LAST ROOOUUUND!!
0:55: Canada wants time now and we’re looking at a faceoff to Luongo’s right.
0:24: PARISE SCOOOOOOOOOOOOOORES!!!!!!!!!!!!! The entire nation of Canada is in collective shock. Just a simple rush the net desperation play, as Kane gets the initial shot and Parise cleans up the mess on the rebound. Given the way the tournament’s played out, probably fitting that it’s Parise.
0:00: Probably fitting that it’s gonna be the U.S. and Canada in overtime, too.
TIED 2-2 through 60 minutes.
OVERTIME:
20:00: 4 on 4 sudden death, a shootout if nobody scores… which ain’t gonna happen. As tradition dictates, I must pick my goal scorer for each team, and I like Chris Drury for the Americans. Dude just has a knack for these kind of moments. And for Canada, as much as Crosby would be the glamorous pick, I’m calling Brenden Morrow on a garbage goal.
19:30: Oh man, sudden death hockey is insane. Kesler gets in early, but Scott Niedermayer with a strong defensive play to stand him up.
18:49: Crosby turns it over along the boards, but Parise’s pass to a breaking Langenbrunner is JUST out of his reach and it goes for icing.
17:40: Erik Johnson with a big shot, but it’s deflected high and out of play by Phil Kessel.
15:45: Niedermayer to Iginla and Miller makes a good save. EVERY save in overtime is a great save. Marleau gets a 2 on 1, but Miller makes another save on him. Langenbrunner gets a shot himself and Luongo makes the save.
13:42: Miller makes a great save on Nash, who is picking up steam again. He had a great shift earlier in OT, too. He scares me right now.
12:34: Pavelski with a great hustle play and gets a wicked turnaround snap shot on Luongo who makes a phenomenal save.
12:20: CROSBY SCOOOOOOOOOOOORES!!!!!! It’s Iginla’s hard work along the boards that creates a mini 2 on 1 and Crosby beats Miller on the short side with a little wrist shot with eyes. FINAL (OT): CANADA 3-2. If I didn’t know better, I’d say the finish was rigged. Like him or not, and I know there’s a bunch of you that don’t, it’s a great moment with the face of the team (and the nation) winning the game in OT in front of the home crowd. Miller looks absolutely heartbroken, but he has NOTHING to be ashamed of; without his efforts, the Americans don’t medal, let alone take Canada to OT in the final. It is kinda crappy that the U.S. and Canada split 1-1, but Canada gets the gold medal, but them’s the breaks. And indeed, Miller is named tournament MVP. Much, much deserved.
POSTGAME: I love all the playoff beards I see on some of the players. Really cool that they name each player individually on the ice in the medal ceremony. Pronger looks like an old school Russian commie with his beard. And of course, Crosby has his 9th grade peachfuzz rocking. Everytime they show miller, I just wanna cry for the kid. Drury’s beard is great, and I’ll check my manhood at the door long enough to say that he’s pretty cute. He’s no Patrick Marleau, but he’s not bad. Okay, I’ll pick my card back up now, thank you very much. Very cool for me that Hurricanes Staal and Gleason both get medals, and that Finns Joni Pitkanen and Tuomo Ruutu took home bronze, too. A moral victory for this pathetic season, I suppose. Kudos to the Vancouver crowd for the ovation Miller gets upon receiving his medal. Very classy. The smile on Iginla’s face is what the Olympics are all about – it’s about as big as Canada itself. And Crosby gets the big pop as the last player recognized. Hard to believe he’ll ever have a bigger moment than this in his life – it’s all downhill from here. Might as well start by taking advantage of the extra condoms brought in by the IOC over the weekend. I hear Johnny Weir’s still hanging around.
And the moment Canada’s waited seven years for… the singing of O Canada on the final day of the Games, as 20,000 at the arena, and millions across the nation sing in unison. Chills, people, and I’m American. An Olympic moment for the ages, and congrats to the Canadians for this victory. If they had lost, the entire nation would’ve fallen into depression, every play in this game would’ve been over-analyzed for the next four years, players would’ve received death threats, and the economy would’ve gone into the tank. The Americans lost, and we’ll be pissed for a few hours, but by tomorrow, March Madness lurks, Spring Training begins, and the NFL Draft is a few weeks off. That’s the difference, and that’s why I was cheering for the Canadians today. It just means more to them, more than any sporting event could mean to any other nation in any other Olympics. And they got their moment.
O Canada.
My home and native land
True patriot love
In all thy sons command
With glowing hearts
We see thee rise
The true North, strong and free
From far and wide
O Canada
We stand on guard for thee
God keep our land
Glorious and free
O Canada
We stand on guard for thee
O Canada
We stand on guard…
For thee
