WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah - As the Canadian fans broke into a roaring, impromptu rendition of their national anthem with one minute remaining in the gold medal Olympic hockey game Sunday, 50 years of agony and heartache began washing away.
Canada, the country that invented this sport, cultivated it and, in the opinion of many Canadians, perfected it, finally had an Olympic gold medal to validate those claims, defeating the United States, 5-2, at E-Center. It was the first time Canada had won this event since 1952.
"Everybody in Canada was watching this game today with as much passion as we were trying to play with," Canadian defenseman Al MacInnis said. "It's amazing that a sport like this can bring a country together."
The Americans, who earned their first medal in this sport since winning gold in 1980, were undefeated in their last 24 Olympic hockey games on home soil, dating from 1932. Despite this loss, their consistently stirring performances advanced the cause of U.S. hockey and erased the disappointment of a fifth-place finish in the 1998 Olympics and the unprofessional off-ice conduct that accompanied it.
This game, filled with stars from the National Hockey League, was a testament to how the slightest of errors can affect an outcome when being played at this tempo and with such skill. A turnover, the slightest defensive lapse, is damning: The Americans netted the opening goal about nine minutes in, when defenseman Tom Poti stole the puck in the defensive zone and triggered a two-on-one rush that culminated with winger Tony Amonte handcuffing goalie Martin Brodeur.
Canada, whose women's hockey team also won gold, answered about five minutes later. The U.S. lost control of the puck in the offensive zone and goalie Mike Richter was under siege. Hall of Fame center Mario Lemieux let the puck pass him by, knowing that teammate Paul Kariya had a better shooting angle at the far post.
Canada was rolling, grabbing the go-ahead goal with less than two minutes remaining in the opening period. Center Joe Sakic, voted the most valuable player in the tournament, threaded a perfect pass through the crease to Jerome Iginla for Iginla's first of two goals Sunday.
Team Canada failed to expand its lead on a lengthy two-man advantage early in the second period (Lemieux missed an absolutely empty net). That penalty kill energized the arena, but problems remained.
The United States could not establish the puck in the offensive zone. Its attack is best at close range - where power forwards like John LeClair and Bill Guerin are most disruptive - but that thrust was missing.
A power-play would provide the best forum for a comeback - Team USA was almost unstoppable with a man advantage - and the Americans cashed in late in the second period as Brian Rafalski's shot hit the stick of Canadian defenseman Chris Pronger and spun through Brodeur's legs.
Canada went back on the power play and Sakic whipped a rising shot through traffic with less than two minutes left in the second period; the puck hit U.S. defenseman Brian Leetch and completely changed directions. Canada was ahead to stay.
"We would have loved to have won, but if anyone one else was going to win, I think the right team won," U.S. center Jeremy Roenick said. "We lost to a lot of great hockey players. We lost to a great nation. We have nothing to hang our heads about."
