(The Canadian Press)

By Ian Gustafson

Iconic Moment

Looking back at Crosby’s golden goal on 10th anniversary

Feb 28, 2020 | 4:24 PM

On this day 10 years ago, Team Canada defeated Team USA 3-2 in overtime to capture the gold medal on home soil.

The goal heard around the world was scored by none other than Sidney Crosby who fired a shot past U.S. goaltender Ryan Miller.

It went down as one of the biggest goals in Canadian history, which brings up the question: Where were you when Crosby put Canada on top of the hockey world with the famous golden goal?

Were you running in the street celebrating waving your Canadian flag? Were you hugging your friend sitting right next to you? Or maybe you were sitting in disappointment if you’re American?

Bruce Vance, the City of P.A.’s marketing and sponsorship coordinator remembers watching the game at home with his family. Although he missed some of it because he had to help administer a hockey tournament going on at the time.

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“It was a very emotional moment to watch that goal go in,” he told paNOW. “Thinking of how much the Olympics means to Canada and to have it won in Vancouver on an incredible goal like that was certainly a once in a lifetime moment.”

He said he and his family were all very excited being a sports family.

“It’s something that’s pretty special for people that are invested most of their lives into sports,” he said.

Dane Byers, who played for the Prince Albert Raiders from 2002-2006, said he remembers being in Hartford, Connecticut, which he said was a different point of view.

“When I was still playing at the time whenever there was a U.S. versus Canada game and you’re playing hockey, there is sometimes side bets within the room,” he said. “Obviously Sidney scoring that big goal was huge as a Canadian and as some bragging rights within the hockey room.”

He said he was out at a local bar watching it with his teammates.

“It was huge for Canada being the Olympics were in Canada, so pretty cool to see and great for Canadians,” he said.

While he watched the game in the U.S., he said he can’t speak for his American counterparts, but assumed the loss was a blow to the ego.

“We’re all passionate hockey players and we are passionate from where we come from so when a goal like that is scored you either feel a little bit disappointed or you’re overcome with joy,” he said.

Even though Prince Albert Raiders Head Coach Marc Habscheid said he doesn’t remember the goal vividly he has represented Canada both as a player and a coach.

Habscheid played for Team Canada at the 1982 World Junior Hockey Championships, the 1988 Olympics and the 1992 World Championships. He was the head coach of the 2003 Canadian World Junior team, coached in multiple World Championships and was an assistant coach for Team Canada at the 2006 Olympics.

“When you’re coaching or playing for the P.A. Raiders, you’re representing 40,000 in the city and 100,000 in the surrounding area,” Habscheid told paNOW. “But when you’re playing for Team Canada, you’re representing 30 million people so it’s just another scale.”

Habscheid knew Sidney Crosby at a young age when Crosby was a stick boy during the 2003 World Juniors and coached him during the World Championships in 2006.

“He was just a determined guy — still is,” he said. “You could tell he had a very strong fire that burned within him.

“You look at all great players and it just seems that great moments follow great players around. Whether it be basketball — Michael Jordan or LeBron James — or hockey with Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky or Sidney Crosby. I mean those types of moments seem to follow great players around and that was no different for Sidney in Vancouver.”

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Ian.gustafson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @iangustafson12