A tournament win that came on the soil of the United States, surely tastes in the maple leaf, writes Jussi Paasi.
Jussi Paaser Sports Editor
Boston.
Everything sensed that the audience was expecting to see something exceptionally large.
This game had been marketed as one of the all-time hockey matches. Both the US and Canadian players had annoyed the four -country tournament finals to be one of the most significant games for them.
The NHL’s marketing machine can do its job. From the amount of incense, it could have been concluded that there was an Olympic gold in the distribution.
In the European eyes, the mood has sometimes looked a bit too syrupy and pompous. Like the Boston Arena, when before the finals, the media cube showed excerpts on the Miracle On Ice movie, which tells about the US 1980 fan -hockey Olympic gold -winning team.
I scratched my head and wondered how the events of 45 years ago are related to this match. Then the US won the Soviet Union as an underdog. In this tournament, the US team has already won Canada once.
Well, Miracle on Ice was perhaps timely in the sense that the relationship between the United States and Russia is now a world politically hot topic.
I wonder if I come from Rocky movies, I wonder before the game starts.
Not at all.
On the ice, an all -time ice hockey player, Wayne Gretzky. The home audience was buzzing. US players popularly proved to the Canadian species legend.
After Gretzky followed Mike Eruzionecaptain of the above -mentioned US historic Olympic team. Wearing he had tragically dead Johnny Gaudreau jersey.
It was then seen, or rather Canada’s first click on the USA.
Presented by O’Canada in Canada’s National Anthem Chantal Kreviazuh changed the words of the song. He sang in English “That Only US Command”, even though the words are exactly “in all of us Command”.
CBC News confirmedthat Kreviaazuh changed the words intentionally. They were shown For Donald Trumpwho has repeatedly hinted in the fact that Canada should make the state of the US.
A beautiful click
The hottest question before the start of the game was: Let’s fight or play? Fortunately, the teams chose the latter option.
In the previous encounter of the tournament, the US came on the ice of Montreal. Immediately the early seconds of the match were struck three times. The US applied for a handicap – and won the game. But Canada would not be Canada if its grip had woken up from the opponent’s bulging.
Canada was at the heart of the first change. And so was the US. The match was like an ice hockey textbook on how to play a profit.
Physically, but emotions under control. Flawlessly, but not for fear of mistakes. Risk -free. Coolingly. Judiciously.
Canada took the lead. The US acknowledged at the end of the opening round and passed in the second. Then Canada came to the levels.
Follow -up. Thriller. That’s what this was supposed to go.
From start to finish, the game was extremely high quality hockey. The requirement for every part of the game was insanely high.
And, of course, the best hockey player in the world was the solver. Connor McDavid.
The best players in the world offered the world’s best stalk. But was this one of the all -time matches? No.
We saw the best possible national team hockey.
It was a tremendously good ad for the sport. It was an indication of the magnitude of Canada hockey.
Canada clicked the United States in the most beautiful way. The Canadian fans were celebrating, and US supporters left disappointed. Suddenly, the arena was just full of red.
Our games, as we say in the hockey motherland.
A tournament win that came on the soil of the United States will surely taste in the maple leaf. The threat of the Yankees outside the trough when he has already received surreal features.
After victory, the Canadian audience sang their national anthem.
No one in the home audience was no longer booming.
Thanks to Canada and the US, the NHL’s four -country tournament was much more interesting than I could expect.
In addition, in Montreal and Boston, so much significant and remarkable things happened around the hockey that you have to write about their own thing over a week and a half.