We're trying out a new feature on Outsports today with a live chat during the US-Canada hockey game. Come by and chat with fellow Outsporters during the game:

http://outsports.com/olympicsblog/2010/02/...al-hockey-chat/

Just heard Bob Costas and Al Michaels say that this win was the greatest win in Canada's hockey history. But I think that the 1972 Canada Cup victory over the USSR was the greatest game. That was Canada's "miracle on ice."

Essentially, this was one group of NHL All-Stars beating another group of NHL All-Stars. This wasn't anything like the Olympic tournaments in which the NHL players didn't appear.

All I know is that an entire nation had a sigh of relief when Crosby scored and then one massive party broke out from coast to coast. We may have set an Olympic record for the number of gold medals won but this was really the one that counted the most for us. Great game all around, no one has any reaqson to hang their head.

Flickr pic of celebrations at Yonge-Dundas Square in Toronto. Video: http://www.flickr.com/photos/duggylimes/43.../in/pool-blogto

Apparently all the major intersections on Yonge St. from Eglinton to Queen St. are blocked to traffic by people celebrating. Another YD Square pic. Yonge Street pic. Yonge-Dundas crowd pic, and another, and another.

They're playing ball hockey on Yonge between Dundas and Queen (American's should note the lack of snow--yes, we missed all those big snowfalls that you got in the East coast.) Another Yonge St. hockey pic.

Video: celebrating at Yonge-Eglinton (midtown Toronto).

They're celebrating on Church St., too. I just saw this on Twitter:
ericoba RT @Pica_A: Seriously MAD honking & screaming on Church Street! RT @marksinghTO Yes, the gays LOVE hockey but love Canada more! #gocanadago

Video: celebrating win at Yonge-Dundas Square.

And the Olympic basketball tournament is what, exactly?

Professionals should be allowed in the Olympics for two reasons. First the Olympics are supposed to be a celebration of the best, which second tier amateur performance clearly aren't. More importantly amateur-only competition effectively restricts competition to those who have the means to remain amateur for significant portions of their life. While some would all like to go back to the good-old days where the Olympics were the domain of the privileged white upper class, the inclusion of professionals has increased the ability of poorer nations and economically marginalized individuals to compete. Is it a level playing field? No, but it's a hell of a lot better than what it used to be.

Personally, I think both of you have great points. But I have to end up on Joe's side. I just can't watch the men (and for me that's quite the change in behavior ). One of the reasons I watch, or at least try to watch through NBC's tortured coverage, of the Olympics is that is is different from what I can watch every night. The only winter Olympic sport that I get to see on any kind of semi-regular basis besides hockey is figure skating, and sometimes some of the X games events. So seeing events like curling, biathlon, arials, etc is a treat (even if I have to put up with the horrid coverage). Men's hockey now, is just the same guys I see every night just wearing different colors (and in a tourny format I despise, but I'll let that go for this discussion). Why do we get so excited over this but not the All star game? Its effectively the same thing, just without that nationalist fuvor. BTW I can't stand watching the All Star Game either.

Though Dan, you are 100% right about the basketball thing, which is why I don't watch that either. I can watch a bunch of NBA players any time I want during the season. But I never want to, so perhaps the point is moot there.

Winning an Olympic medal ought to be a life defining moment. It ought to change their lives in some way. I just don't see that happening with any of these guys. But perhaps I have too much of a romantic notion of it.

At any rate, I read that it was a great game, an OT win in fact, so that's great! Congrats to Team Canada for pulling off a victory.

It will be interesting to see what comes of this for 2014. I suspect they will go again after gaining concessions from players on the next CBA. And if the players aren't willing to make the concession then that is all the proof we need that they don't belong there.

There's already a Facebook fan page for Crosby's Olympic Goal... with over 126,000 fans at present.

Perhaps this was the reason.

It's a nice picture, but I I'll have Toews pls.

More pics and videos of celebrating in Toronto.

First off, congratulations to me neighbors to the north who provided me with the sport I love. Was there any doubt that Canada would come through in the end? I kind of had a hunch they would. Looking back in hindsight, I wish the US would have lost the first encounter with Canada and of course, gone on to win the gold. Close, oh so close, but no cigar. Having said that my hats off to Ron Wilson, John Tortorella and the rest of the US Coaching job who did a MASTERFUL job of almost getting the US a gold medal. But, they did manage to finally beat Canada on Canadian soil for the first time in 50 years I think, so we now know, it can be done. And way to go to the rest of the US squad, and especially Ryan Miller who played his guts out and very nearly brough us gold. Silver will do for now, but I can't wait for the next go round with Canada!!

I agree.

Read an interview yesterday with Jim Craig in which he said that he likens his gold medal win to a local tavern singer turning overnight into the Beatles.

The game was still fun to watch, though!

The Olympic basketball tournament is essentially the same, except it doesn't shut down the NBA season for two weeks.

And I'm not saying it's right or wrong for professionals to be allowed in the Olympics. I'm merely pointing out that the 1980 USA-USSR game was a true mismatch on paper because the Soviets were using loopholes to get their pro players into the Olympics when the USA did not. While there's a talent gap between some of these teams, it's nowhere near what it used to be under the old Soviet system.

For me the upshot of the Canada-USA matches was that it fit the documented pattern that "violent teams tend to lose more than non-violent teams".

Just from the penalty stats, the Canadians had more penalty minutes than the USA when Canada lost and an equal number when Canada won.

Which suggests the Canadians spent more time trying to score points than time trying to prove their manhood (or deliberately injure USA players?) during the second game.

I didn't watch the entirety of either game so I'd be interested to know if others noticed a difference, in style or tactics, on the part of the Canadians between the two games.

And do you think it was intentional or just coincidental?

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs made good on his (losing) bet and wore a Team Canada jersey. Underneath it, however, he wore a Team USA jersey. AP video.