Let's Show Them Whose Game It Is

The ice was ready. The players were ready. We were ready. The time had come. A nation's pride rested on the game of the century. Canada Vs USA. Having already lost to the American's the week before, the wounds were fresh, the pain of loss real. It was time to show the world whose game they were playing and to bring the gold medal home.

We gathered early at Paupers Pub on Bloor and Bathurst. We came in our Canada tops ready to shout Go Canada Go. We waited in line at 1pm - the doors were due to open at 2pm. The line grew as we anxiously waited. Just after 2pm we were let in and the hunt was on for a table. We found one with a great view of the projection screen TV and set about ordering food. The room filled with hoardes of people dressed in Canada colours and flags.

The atmosphere was incredible - everyone was there to support the team and had high hopes of a win. The game was due to start at 3pm but the minutes ticked slowly by til 3.20pm when the puck hit the ice. Within the first 2 periods Canada scored 2 goals and the crowd went wild. This was all playing out nicely. Now all we had to do was hold on til the end of the 3rd period.

It seemed certain we would win. Then the American's took their goalie out of the net and put him on the ice. Weird but true. Surely a empty net would be easier to get a puck into? We watched the seconds go down with baited breath. We were going to win, we were going to get the.........then at 24.4 seconds USA hit the puck into the net. OMG! The score was now 2-2!! What, how did this happen? Suddenly the crowd gasped, mouths dropped, people fell off stools. Noooooooooooooooooooo!! The game would go into extra time and then if there still was no winner, there would be penalties. Was the dream sliiping away?

Desperate times were upon us. People huddled together and sang the National Anthem, others shook their heads in disbelief. The 15 minutes of intermission were over quickly and the players were back on the ice. It seemed to be all happening in a blur. Everything rested on this. We watched tensely. Then Sidney Crosby was moving towards the net then he passed the puck then he had it back and made a shot and then GOAL!! Canada had won!! The crowd went mental - screaming, shouting, jumping on tables. It was crazy. We had done it - we had shown them. Hockey is Canada's game.

The celebration carried over onto the street. Car horns were beeping, people were waving flags, people in cars were hi-fiving people on the street. Good times. We were together as a nation and celebrating the biggest event of the decade.

Streets were closed off as the celebrations got more intense. As the subway train came into the station the driver beeped the horn. Excited fans on the train waved flags and sang. We went down to Dundas Square and it was wild with people waving flags, singing and crowd surfing. People were overjoyed at the winning of the gold medal for hockey. It was incredible.

It was a immense game and one awesome night. I was happy to be a part of this historic moment. Go Canada Go!