If Sunday’s gold medal game is like the previous two between Canada and USA, we are in for a real treat at Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.
In 2002 at the Salt Lake City Games, Tony Amonte opened the scoring in front of the home crowd, in what American fans thought was going to be a coronation day for their men’s hockey team. Instead, Canada began to pull ahead. Joe Sakic and Jerome Iginla each scored a pair of goals en route to Canada’s 5-2 win. It was Canada’s first Olympic gold in men’s hockey since 1952.
In Vancouver 2010, Canada was trying to win the Olympic gold in men’s hockey on home soil for the first time. With Canada leading 2-1, Zach Parise scored the game-tying goal with 25 seconds left. In overtime, Sidney Crosby scored the game winner, deemed now as the “Golden Goal!” It is the only Olympic gold medal game with NHLers participating to go to overtime.