CANADA’S MEN’S OLYMPIC TEAM AND WOMEN’S OLYMPIC TEAM WIN GOLD MEDALS AT 2010 OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES

On Sunday, Sidney Crosby (Cole Harbour, N.S./Pittsburgh, NHL) was the overtime hero, scoring 7:40 in to the extra frame as Canada won its second gold medal in five Olympics with a 3-2 victory over the United States at Canada Hockey Place. Jonathan Toews (Winnipeg, Man./Chicago, NHL) and Corey Perry (Peterborough, Ont./Anaheim, NHL) also scored for Canada, which saw the Americans tie the game in the final minute of regulation, setting up Crosby’s heroics.

VANCOUVER, B.C. – Canada’s Men’s Olympic Team and Women’s Olympic Team have both won the Olympic gold medal, marking the second time in five Olympics that Canada has stood atop the podium in both men’s and women’s hockey. Toews was named the tournament’s top forward, while they and defenceman Shea Weber (Sicamous, B.C./Nashville, NHL) earned spots on the tournament all-star team. Canada’s Men’s Olympic Team also won gold at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah, defeating the United States in that gold medal game as well. Canada’s win on Sunday made it the first host country to win Olympic gold since the United States’ 1980 ‘Miracle on Ice’ team was victorious in Lake Placid, N.Y.

Last Thursday, Canada’s Women’s Olympic Team won its third-consecutive Olympic gold medal, defeating the United States 2-0 in the gold medal game at Canada Hockey Place. Marie-Philip Poulin (Beauceville, Que.) scored both goals for Canada in the first period, while Shannon Szabados (Edmonton, Alta.) made 28 saves for the shutout. Canada’s Women’s Olympic Team also won gold at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Turin, Italy, defeating Sweden 4-1 in the gold medal game, and at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah, earning gold with a 3-2 victory over the United States in the final.

Poulin and Szabados were joined by forward Meghan Agosta (Ruthven, Ont.) on the tournament all-star team, while Szabados took home the top goaltender award and Agosta was named top forward and tournament most valuable player. The wins by Canada’s Men’s Olympic Team and Women’s Olympic Team return Canada to top spot in the IIHF World Ranking. The men had trailed Russia entering the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, while the women’s were in second spot behind the United States.