USA Vs. Canada: One Game or A Change of Mindset?

The interest in the USA vs. Canada Olympic hockey game yesterday can be summed up by Seth Davis from Sports Illustrated.  On Twitter at 7:45pm yesterday he posted,

"Flipping between US-Canada hockey and VT-Duke hoops. Looking forward to @TimBrando accidentally calling VT's coach Seth Davis."

Three hours later he posted,

"I have not watched a second of the VT-Duke game, and I don't even like hockey. Riveting!!!!!!!!"

Unless you're a hockey fan you probably weren't tuning in at 7:45 to watch the puck drop.  You probably heard about the game, didn't expect too much of it, and went about your Sunday night like you usually do, basically fretting over going to work in the morning.  The ones that were watching initially were excited for the game, but we didn't realize the magnitude and excitement that the game would have.

The game of hockey changed in 41 seconds.

As soon as Brian Rafalski's goal got deflected past Martin Brodeur the sports world changed.  Immediately I was receiving text messages and calls from people making sure I was watching the game.  There was enthusiasm for America and an interest in hockey that we haven't seen in a long time.

I'm a Pittsburgh Penguins fan.  I was at the edge of my seat for all seven games of the Stanley Cup last year.  I don't know if any of them were as special as this one.  The weird thing is that this game didn't mean much.  It was just a preliminary game.  The intrigue was built up because it was two neighboring countries, both undefeated, and America was the underdog that had a chance, but a slim one.  Canada was easily the favorite that had the most talent, size, skill, speed, and athleticism.

The game went back and forth throughout the night.  Ryan Miller was absolutely amazing in net.  If you don't have a team to root for then root for the Sabres.  I told my friend, "Ryan Miller is making the Buffalo Sabres my second favorite team."  Before yesterday, I hated the Sabres.  It was the type of performance that turns you into a fan.

As the game went to 3-2 USA and then 4-2 USA the pride of the country grew.  Every other post on my Twitter feed read either, "USA USA USA!" or "Take that Canada!"  Both comments of which I loved.  I tried to remember the last time that I really saw the country come together as one like it felt like yesterday.  Michael Phelps in the Olympics was a big deal, but it still wasn't the same, maybe because it was an individual sport.  The USA basketball team had some excitement, but I think America always felt like we were the best in basketball so even winning the gold medal last Olympics didn't have the same special feeling.  It just felt like we got back to where we were supposed to be.

Canada fought back.  Sidney Crosby scored with a little over three minutes to get the score to 4-3.  Immediately the excitement on the Internet changed from USA pride into nervousness.  The final three minutes were punishing to watch.  It felt like Canada was on a Power Play the entire time as they pelted shots at Ryan Miller.  Canada pulled their goalie, the puck cleared down the ice, and Ryan Kessell superman dove to slap the puck in to give the US a 5-3 lead and a minor upset over the world's most dominating hockey team.

America prevailed as an underdog.  That's what made the game special. For once we weren't the dominate team that was expected to win. We were a team that was the underdog in a sport that is an underdog.

This game is in no way in comparison to the Miracle on Ice and it doesn't even have that much importance since it wasn't for a medal, but it meant a lot. It meant a lot to the people who love hockey; it meant a lot to the game of hockey; and it meant a lot to America, who showed a national pride when usually we just show a partisan pride amongst each other.

The game may have not changed everyone's outlook on hockey forever, but it changed it for one day. I guess winning really does cure everything, even peoples' perceptions. We will have to wait and see if the US team can keep skating on to an Olympic medal. I do know that as the games continue that there will be a lot more fans watching and cheering on our country as we go for a gold medal; something that most of us thought was only possible to obtain in an American dream.