In my opinion, Crosby’s goal is the most important goal in canadian hockey history.
Here is why:
1-Henderson’s goal is important because we saved face, not because we were the best. Canadians thought that we would walk all over the soviets and we were in for a surprise. It took Bobby Clarke to savagely break their best player’s ankle for our boys to be able to rise above the soviet. If Kharlamov would have been healthy for the last game, the result would probably have been different.
2-Lemieux’s goal is important because we knew at that time that the soviets were a dominant force in hockey. Gretzky, the greatest player ever, said that he played his best hockey during this tournament. His feed to Lemieux who shot the puck in the top corner became an instant classic moment in hockey history.
3- Crosby’s goal is more important than both because it is in overtime, during the gold medal game at the olympics where all the best players in the world are gathered.
It is important because the pressure from canadian fans was the strongest ever.
It is important because it happened on canadian ice.
It is important because the nation stress level shot up 24 seconds before the end of regulation time when the USA scored and another 1000 pounds of pressure was added to each player as they went to the dressing room before the overtime.
It is, without a doubt, The Most Important Goal In Canadian Hockey History and I feel lucky to have been able to witness it just like I witnessed the other two goals.
Now you can vote and you can even disagree with me
[quote=“BigThumb”]
Now you can vote and you can even disagree with me [/quote]
I think Henderson’s goal was more important than Crosby’s goal. And yes, I did stop watching soccer long enough to watch the overtime period
My rationale: Hockey is a pretty minor sport to the USA. It’s a major sport in Russia. Henderson scored against a hockey nation. Crosby’s (most excellent) goal was against a baseball, basketball, football nation.
That game sucked! Why oh WHY did the U.S. have to score? I had to stay awake for at LEAST another hour! Not cool when your 9 hours ahead!!
Ok, in reality, one of the most intense games of hockey I’ve ever seen, but as a non-Canadian, I can say the best team won without fear of prejudice! I dunno what was said in the dressing room, but your boys were seriously fired up for that overtime and it was just a matter of time!
Well played, deserved to win, and for 2 hours I hardly breathed
I tend to think the goal by Crosby was the biggest goal ever.
Everyone, everywhere in the world grows up knowing about the Olympics.
Unlike the 1972 series to score the biggest goal in canadian history you have to compete everyones best, not just 2 countries. I also agree about Bobby Clarkes slash on Varlamov taking away from the win. In my opinion we did not win that series by playing a fair, sportsmanlike series.
Canada Cup was everyones best, but I think it was more important to Canadians than to the other countries.The Olympics is importany to everyone, everyone feels pride when their country does well.
This was the 1st time ever Canada had there best players playing in their home country, so the pressure was huge.
You need drama to elevate a goal to biggest goal ever. Just the way the game ended makes it the biggest goal ever. A one game winner take all, giving up the tying goal with the opposition pulling their goalie, and scoring with under 1 minute left. Although the Canada cup 3 game series was just as dramatic, I believe the players on the other teams would much rather win Olympic gold rather than a Canada cup.
We needed focus on a new superstar. One shootout win, one overtime gold. Go Crosby!
Hell we even taught Kesler how to play so they could get close.
Anyone notice how much better Team Canada played against the Russians? Passes went to the sticks instead of into the skates. Was more cohesive and not as scrambly as the games against the US. More hitting.
The USA had great goaltending and incredible luck, seemed to score against the play time after time. Canada reminded me of the Canucks, had to earn every damn goal the hard way, shots off the crossbar all went out none in, sticks breaking, pucks bouncing, etc.
A new legend, and the Canucks go back to work with two heros on their team!
Henderson’s goal was certainly dramatic but I have always wondered if winning that tournament didn’t set us back. We went in thinking we would dominate. By winning we figured that our system could learn nothing from European hockey.
Crosby’s goal was on the biggest stage of all and you can’t beat the biggest stage. But the goal was as much a sigh of relief as it was a whoop of joy.
However:
Lemieux’s goal occurred after years of serious doubt. We won in '72, but we began to realize that the Soviet Union had some serious players and an excellent system. Winning in '87 actually meant we were the best again.
No disrespect but Cournoyer to Henderson! Iginla to Crosby! Gretzky to Lemieux! The last is just so totally magical that it can’t be beat.
And as for magic. The '87 series was really the final of those wonderful international tournaments that held so much mystique. Because so few Europeans played in the NHL these teams were a mystery to us. We see Ovechkin and Malkin, the Sedins etc. on a regular basis. To me, beating them doesn’t mean quite as much as beating Larionov, Fetisov and other Red Army stars.
One last note. Here is a list of Team Canada from '87. It is hard to know now what the legacy of today’s players will be. But I can’t help thinking that this year’s team despite Gretzky, Lemieux and Messier is the better overall squad. What do you think?
Forwards and defense: Dale Hawerchuk, Mark Messier, Mike Gartner, Glenn Anderson, Kevin Dineen, Michel Goulet, Brent Sutter, Rick Tocchet, Brian Propp, Doug Gilmour, Claude Lemieux, Mario Lemieux, Wayne Gretzky, Doug Crossman, Craig Hartsburg, Normand Rochefort, James Patrick, Raymond Bourque, Larry Murphy, Paul Coffey
Goaltenders: Ron Hextall, Kelly Hrudey, Grant Fuhr
Coaches: Mike Keenan, John Muckler, Jean Perron, Tom Watt
I would agree the 87 team may be the greatest team of all-time. We may never see another Gretzky or Lemieux in our lifetime.
My biggest point about the Crosby goal being the biggest goal of all-time is the fact that it was on the biggest stage possible.
Probably 90& of the world could care less, or ever heard about a Canada cup in hockey, but everyone knows about the Olympics.
Crosby’s goal got my vote simply because it pushed Canada to 14 gold medals, which set the record for the most gold medals by a country in a single Games in the history of the Winter Olympics, and because it was done in overtime of a one-and-done game. Without that goal Canada would be tied with two other countries for most gold medals in a Winter Olympics, with that goal we stand alone in the record books.
That being said, the goal was just scored yesterday and we’ll have to see how it stands the test of time. Myself nor my friends were alive when Henderson scored in 72, but those of us who know anything of hockey know of that goal, it’s importance to Canada and the story of the Summit Series.
I would, however, be surprised if the same doesn’t hold true of Crosby’s goal and future generations.
Being the last medal event and putting us to the highest gold medal total is big.
I wonder how many non hockey fans were watching hockey for the 1st time just to see if Canada would break the record for most golds in a single olympiad.
It was the Olympics. Hockey is still a relatively minor sport here in the US. It all depends on where you go. It’s definitely more popular in Michigan and in the Northeast than anywhere else.
i like the sport but just enjoy the intensity of hockey more . plus i dont really have a soccer team to cheer for except the whitecaps . hopefully they’ll be televised in the new league
Read it again. I didn’t compare the World Cup to the Super Bowl.
I was comparing the Super Bowl (continental championship held every year) to the Champions League final (continental championship held every year).
Olympics are also worldwide (and every 4 years), hence they should be compared to World Cup. Also worldwide (and every 4 years).
This hockey game wasn’t as small-time in the USA as I thought. Those kinds of ratings are better than baseball, basketball, etc. Also, if you follow the link to the USA ratings, you’ll see that this game did great in diverse American markets too, including some Texas and Florida markets.
So perhaps I’m gonna have to change my vote… Since the rationale I gave isn’t true.
Proportionally, it is probably the same. 258 medals (86 gold) were awarded at the 2010 olympics. Canada won 10.1% of the total medals and 16.3% of the gold medals. In Beijing, there were 302 events so a minimum of 906 medals and 302 gold. China won 51 gold (16.9 %) and 100 medals (11.0%) and the US had 110 medals (12.1%). Looking at this, I would say that Canada’s olympic team compared well to top teams from the summer games.
Also,if Brazil, Portugal and Spain had sub-zero winters and the culture that goes with it, they’d be playing hockey
