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This was the best possible
way to end the Olympics for Canada.

      Sidney Crosby, shut down most of the tournament, wristed a shot
past Ryan Miller 7:40 into overtime after the United States tied it
with 24.4 seconds left in regulation, and Canada survived a tense,
taut game to beat the Americans 3-2 in the men's hockey final
Sunday. 


It capped Canada's record gold rush in the Vancouver Games
and set off a national celebration.

      In one of the greatest games in Olympic history, Canada's
collection of all-stars held off a young, desperate U.S. team that
had beaten it the previous Sunday and, after staging a furious
comeback after falling behind 2-0 on goals by Jonathan Toews and
Corey Perry, almost beat the Canadians again.

      With Canada less than a minute away from celebrating the gold
medal, Zach Parise - the son of a player who figured in Canada's
finest hockey moment - tied it with Miller off the ice for an extra
attacker.


      The moment he scored, the sighs of disappointed fans probably
could be heard from Vancouver to the Maritimes. But Crosby,
scoreless the previous two games, brought back the cheers with his
second post-regulation game-winner of the tournament by scoring
from the left circle that Miller was helpless to stop. He also beat
Switzerland in a shootout during the round robin.

      It was close. It was nerve-racking. It was a game worthy of an
Olympic hockey final. And, for the Americans, it was a monumental
letdown.


      Before the game, Crosby received a brief text message from
Penguins owner Mario Lemieux that said: "Good luck."


      Now, Crosby joins Lemieux - whose goal beat the Soviet Union in
the 1987 World Cup - and Paul Henderson, who beat the Soviets with
a goal in the 1972 Summit Series, among the instant stars of
Canadian hockey. At age 22, Crosby has won the Stanley Cup and the
Olympics in less than a year's time.

      Minutes after the game ended, delirious fans chanted, "Crosby!
Crosby! Crosby!" and IOC president Jacques Rogge gave a
raise-the-roof sign to the fans before presenting Crosby with his
medal.


      "Our team worked so unbelievably hard," Crosby said. "Today
was really tough, especially when they got a goal late in
regulation. But we came back and got it in overtime."


      To win, Canada withstood a remarkable and determined effort from
a U.S. team that wasn't supposed to medal in Vancouver, much less
roll through the tournament unbeaten before losing in the first
overtime gold medal game since NHL players began participating in
the Olympics in 1998.


      Miller, the tournament MVP, was exceptional, and Zach Parise
scored a goal that - if the U.S. had won - would rank among the
storied moments in American Olympic history.

      With less than a half minute remaining and Miller off the ice
for an extra attacker, Patrick Kane took a shot from the high slot
that deflected off Jamie Langenbrunner to Parise, who shot it off
Roberto Luongo's blocker and into the net.


      Parise is the son of J.P. Parise, who scored two goals for that
1972 Canada Summit Series team.


      Three minutes before Parise scored, Kane - who also set up Ryan
Kesler's goal in the second period - knocked the puck off Crosby's
stick on a breakaway that would have sealed it for Canada.


      Canada goalie Roberto Luongo didn't outplay Miller, but still
proved he is a big-game goalie - something he has never been
previously - by making 34 saves in his own NHL arena. Luongo went
5-0 in the tournament and 4-0 after replacing Martin Brodeur
following America's 5-3 win the previous Sunday.

Gallery

US women's hockey team loses to Canada, gets silver

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Olympics and Paralympics

The Canadian men's hockey team won the gold medal at the Vancouver Olympics Sunday afternoon, beating the US team 3-2 in overtime.

Canada beats US for hockey gold, 3-2 in OT

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