by Nicholas Nikolov

Created on: March 01, 2010   Last Updated: June 13, 2010

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – The 3-2 win over the US in Canada is a much more gratfying win over Canada's neighbours to the south way back when in Salt Lake City Winter Olympics 2002 gold-medal game was all-important rousting the Americans on their home soil 5-2. The feeling then was an indescribable out-of-this-world sensation because it was 50 years to that day where Canada won its first gold medal in the Olympic Games.

Nevertheless, the victory was just as significant in winning the gold medal this time around on home soil – stealing the gold from the U.S. for the second time – just as it was eight years ago. The atmosphere was utterly euphoric with the high-intense pressure of every Canadian hoping their boys become the gold-medal champions on home ice.

Team Canada did not disappoint before a jam-packed Canada Hockey Place, shoulder-to-shoulder crowded bars and pubs across the country, in every household watching on their televisions and sensing the entire nation – in every city, town and village from coast-to-coast expecting the gold.

What could be a more perfect ending than that of Canada’s tremendous close victory over the U.S. to receive the gold in men’s hockey and finish off the Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver?

It was a heart-stopping edge-of-your-seat thriller that if you blinked you would miss all the action as the game instantly became an instant classic. Paul Henderson in the 1972 Summit Series against the old-USSR – Mario Lemieux’s game-winning goal against the USSR in the 1987 Canada Cup – and now Sidney (Sid the Kid) Crosby “Golden Goal” in 2010 joins that very prestige’s Canadian hockey history.

Crosby was the architect of the championship goal. The Pittsburgh Penguins captain chips it into the corner – tries to split the defence, but couldn’t – and manages to maintain puck possession along the half-boards. Crosby’s sublime well-worked overtime give-and-go goal with Calgary Flames’ captain Jarome Iginla – who was a factor in 2002 – as Canada does it again.

Although Canada did have plenty of opportunities to possibly put the game to bed in the third with Weber and Pronger both rattling the goalpost and Crosby’s breakaway that was stopped by goaltender Ryan Miller. The remainder of the third, however, was in favour of the U.S. with relentless shift after shift pushback for the tying goal as Canada just

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