Canada wins Gold Medal on Crosby’s OT winner
*Sidney Crosby’s storied career just took another turn towards greatness scoring the game winning goal in overtime as Canada defeated the United States 3-2 to claim the Gold medal.
Crosby who was quiet for much of the game, beat Ryan Miller under the pads from the low left circle to give Canada their coveted Gold medal.
Fans quickly chanted “Crosby, Crosby, Crosby” afterwards as Canada’s face of hockey has a story book ending to the Olympics.
Third Period Updates
0:00: Heading to overtime after thrilling end of the third period as the Canada crowd is in shock.
0:24: Parise scores with 24 seconds remaining in the game. Game tied at 2-2.
1:17: Face off in Canada’s zone. Americans have pulled the goaltender. USA calls time out.
3:12: Crosby with a breakaway and is poked away by Patrick Kane on the backcheck.
9:23: Team USA with a quick surge, after Ryan Miller keeps the game a one goal game making a right pad save on Dany Heatley.
12:00: Has Ryan Whitney had a shift since Corey Perry’s goal?
13:30: Patrick Kane playing a very strong game.Team USA has been aggressive with their defensemen jumping up into the play as Kane pulled up and found Ryan Sutter in the slot.
14:30: Canada is playing their best defensive game of the tournament. They continue to do a great job of keeping the Americans to the outside.
18:00: Canada hits two posts in the first two minutes of the period. Ryan Getzlaf’s line has been exceptional at controlling the play down low in the offensive zone.
20:00: Third period is underway. Roberto Luongo is not controlling his rebounds. Americans need to keep getting traffic.
Second Period Updates
0:00: End of the second period — 2-1 Canada.. Great up and down action in the second period. 25-23 shot advanage for Canada with shots 15-15 in the second period.
4:23: Miller makes that glove save look easy. Not sure how he saw that with all of the traffic in front.
5:00: The Americans seem to have some life now who are starting to push the play.
7:12: Ryan Kesler gets the Americans on the board, deflecting a Patrick Kane shot past Roberto Luongo. 2-1 Canada.
8:50: Jack Johnson will be a No. 1 defenseman in the National Hockey League. Just needs a change of scenery, most scouts tell me. Great power move by Johnson and Luongo robs Statsny off of a Johnson rebound.
11:35: Team USA goes on the power play. Canada not giving the Americans much space to set up.
12:47: Corey Perry makes it 2-0 Canada. All of the momentum is with Canada. Don’t look for Ryan Whitney to see too much ice time the rest of the way.
15:19: Team USA goes on the power play after just killing off a penalty. Eric Staal off for interference.
17:27: Ryan Malone called for high sticking at 17:27 of the period.
18:50: Turnover by Ryan Kesler who fails to clear the puck, gives Jarome Iginla a prime scoring opportunity in the slot.
20:00: Second period is underway
First Period Updates
*The Americans have to keep getting traffic in front of Roberto Luongo. Canada is keeping the Americans to the outside and USA has yet to truly test Luongo.
A concern for the Americans is Canada’s transition game. The Americans need to be aggressive in the neutral zone and not give the likes of Sidney Crosby and Joe Thornton time to create plays.
What to watch for is whether the Canadians wear down the Americans as the game progresses. In the final 10 minutes of the period, Canada was very aggressive down low on the forecheck.
0:00: End of first period. Canada leads 1-0 and has a 10-8 shot advantage.
2:50: Brooks Orpik is playing playoff type of hockey. Leads Team USA with 4 hits thus far. Canada has a 10-5 shot advantage, outshooting USA 8-2 in the last seven minutes.
3:38: Big kill for Team USA as Canada is controlling the play. Canada’s transition game is excellent right now.
5:58: Bobby Ryan called for tripping Dany Heatley. Offensive zone penalty. Heatley was slow to get up.
7:10: Turnover by Brian Rafalski as Erik Johnson forced his hand with a bad pass and Jonathan Toews make it 1-0 Canada. Ryan Millers shutout streak ends at just over 150 minutes.
9:30: Team USA has 4 scoring chances to Canada’ 1. 3-2 shot advantage by Americans.
10:11: Power move by Dustin Brown beating Shea Weber to the net and nearly getting one past Roberto Luongo.
11:45: Hard hit by Orpik who nearly sent Dany Heatley into the Americans bench.
13:30: Canada’s defensemen have been actively jumping up in the play and on the half boards in the offensive zone. Created odd-man rush off of USA being a bit too aggressive on the fore-check.
15:00: Team USA quick transition game thus far. Game is opening up early
17:45: Canada’s top line in the tourament has been the Marleau – Thornton – Heatley unit. Appears Ron Wilson will match his checking line against them.
18:30: Team USA’s third line of Ryan Malone – Joe Pavelski – Phil Kessel have done a great job of cycling the puck all tournament.
19:20: Team USA with the last change matching up the pairing of Brooks Orpik – Jack Johnson against Sidney Crosby’s first shift.
20:00: Starting Lineups – USA G Miller – D Sutter – Rafalski – F Lagenbruner – Statsny – Parise
Canada Starting lineup: G – Luongo – D Niedermayer – Weber – F Nash – Toews – Richards