When it was over, the vocal home-nation supporters departed Canada Hockey Place in disbelief and stunned silence after the Americans beat Canada 5-3, the first US victory over Canada at an Olympics in half a century.
“We knew it was going to be a once in a lifetime atmosphere,” US forward Paul Stastny said. “You can’t beat it.”
Hundreds of flags waved. Cowbells rang. With faces painted red and white, red wigs or tattoos topping bald heads and chants of “Go Canada Go” keeping noise at a high pitch, Canadians enjoying their sport obsession with gusto.
“It’s electric,” said Alison Brown, sitting in the eighth row in her hometown arena. “This is the biggest event of the Olympics. For Canadians, this is the biggest game.”
That’s why past defeats cause a national depression – so much of Canadian identity is wrapped in the sport they adore.
“It’s a religion,” Brown said. “Everybody has grown up playing hockey or knows someone who plays hockey or has cheered for someone who plays hockey.”
Cheers reverberated from one end of the arena to the other while millions watched on television across the country, envious they were not there to join fans trying to will their team to victory.
“This is huge, bigger than the gold medal. It’s the US. We always want to beat them,” said Farzan Poursoltani, who wore the Canadian flag draped around his shoulders like a cape.
US goaltender Ryan Miller, who made 42 saves as the crowd screamed, said he had hesitated to join his family at dinner in the city after being heckled with “trash talk”.
“It was the most polite trash talking you ever heard in your life – ‘Go Canada,'” Miller said.
But a dinner in the city is off-limits.
“I don’t think they would be too happy now,” Miller said.
A thunderous wave of cheers went up for the opening face-off, matched only when the beloved red-clad Canada squad skated on the ice.
Among those watching was Alexandre Bilodeau, whose moguls gold medal was the first gold medal ever won by a Canadian in a home Olympics, an honour that brought him a standing ovation.
“There’s red everywhere and everybody is so pumped for the Canadians. It’s great,” Bilodeau said.
Waiting to enter the arena, a group of fans spontaneously began singing Canada’s national anthem, using that same lustful passion to boo the US squad when they skated onto the ice.
Canada’s Jonathan Toews said the team did not properly take energy from their fans when it mattered most.
“Good atmosphere,” he said. “We didn’t use our crowd enough.”
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