VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Fueled by star power and a deafening crowd, Canada foiled the U.S. hockey team’s attempt at Miracle on Ice 2.0 with an epic 3-2 overtime Olympic gold-medal win Sunday. In the end, the Canadians lived up to the astronomical expectations and pressure.

Sidney Crosby beat Ryan Miller 7:40 into overtime to allow Canada to become the first host nation to win men’s hockey gold in 30 years. Mike Babcock’s club – which shouldered the hopes of hockey-crazed Canada — avenged its stunning loss to the Americans in pool play.

But it wasn’t easy.

Zach Parise scored the biggest goal of his life near the end of regulation to silence a deafening crowd and send this one straight into the annals of all-time great games. With Ryan Miller out of the net, the Americans made one final frenetic push in the Canadian zone with time ticking away.

Jamie Langenbrunner redirected Patrick Kane’s wrister off Luongo’s body before Parise rebounded it home past Roberto Luongo with 24.4 seconds remaining, silencing a crowd ready to kick off a party for the ages. After lighting the lamp, Parise skated to the boards and jumped up on the glass in jubilation.

The Canadians scored a goal in each of the first two periods at Canada Hockey Place to send the partisan crowd into a frenzy. The scrappy, no-name Americans may have lacked star power, but Ron Wilson’s club gave the powerhouse Canadians all they could handle in the marquee event of these Olympics.

Miller, who had 36 saves in the gold medal game, earned tournament MVP honors.

Luongo – who emerged as a star in these Games after replacing Martin Brodeur – had 34 saves.

Miller, not surprisingly, was sharp early, turning aside Drew Doughty’s shot at point blank range a little more than four minutes in. Miller’s 42 saves, of course, propelled the U.S. to an upset victory over Canada in pool play despite being outshot 45-23. Miller, who had a tournament-best 1.04 goals-against average and .954 save percentage, also stopped Rick Nash’s wrister nine minutes into the opening period.

The Buffalo Sabres goalie, who had given up five goals in the Olympics – and none in the past quarterfinals and semifinals – received sing-song “Miller” chants from the partisan Canadian crowd.

The Americans — who steamrolled Finland two days ago to cruise into the gold medal game —
came within inches of taking the lead on Dustin Brown’s shot that trickled behind Luongo’s pad and stopped before crossing the goal line to keep it scoreless.

The Canadians, who held a 10-8 shot advantage in the first period, struck first.

The U.S. won a faceoff in its zone before coughing it up. Jonathan Toews’ shot beat Miller to give the host nation a 1-0 led with 7:10 to go in the period. Mike Richards’ wrister bounced off Miller’s pads before Toews’ rebound past Miller’s glove to put the Americans in their first hole of the tournament. Toews’ tally also snapped Miller’s Olympic scoreless streak at 124:28.

The Canadians had another opportunity when Cherry Hill native Bobby Ryan was whistled for tripping with just under six minutes to go in the period. But Miller turned away Nash’s wrister to help the U.S. kill the penalty and stay within one goal.

Jack Johnson and Canada’s Ryan Getzlaf punctuated the hard-hitting period with a shoving match along the boards as time expired.

The Americans, the least penalized team in the tournament, committed an uncharacteristic penalty early in the second period to give the Canadians their second power-play opportunity. Ryan Malone was whistled for high sticking to give Canada a chance to widen its lead. But Miller held firm as the U.S. killed off another penalty.

In a quick-paced period that featured 15 shots for each team, the U.S. had its first power play a minute later when Eric Staal was off for interference. But the Americans couldn’t get the puck past Luongo, who had 22 saves by the second intermission.

The Canadians took a two-goal lead when Corey Perry beat Miller with 12:47 remaining in the second period. Ryan Whitney deflected Ryan Getzlaf’s centering pass to Perry, whose shot sailed past Miller’s glove side to dig a deeper hole for the Americans. Wilson’s club came up empty on its second play before finally breaking through against Luongo with 7:16 left in the second.

Ryan Kesler beat Luongo – his teammate on the Vancouver Canucks — to get the U.S. within striking distance. Kesler redirected Patrick Kane’s shot from outside the circle — off Luongo’s body — and into the net.

Miller kept it close with several solid saves amid a Canadian rush late in the period. The American netminder made a terrific glove save of Shea Weber’s slap shot outside the circles with less than five minutes to go. He later turned aside Mike Richard’s shot from close range.

The Canadians had golden opportunities in the third period, banging a pair of shots off the pipe.
The Americans held a 9-7 shot advantage in the third. Each team had 32 shots after regulation.

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