USA vs Canada
Photo by: Paul Drinkwater/NBC

The Canadian Men's Ice Hockey Team defeated the United States, 3-2, in overtime in the gold-medal game of the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games as Sidney Crosby scored one of the biggest goals in Canadian hockey history, netting the winner 7:40 into overtime.

Zach Parise scored the game-tying goal for the United States with 25 seconds left in regulation to force a 20-minute sudden-death overtime, played four-on-four.

Team Canada claimed its second Olympic gold in three tries while Team USA claimed its second silver medal in the past three Olympic Winter Games (2002). The gold was Canada's eighth in men's hockey at the Games – and the first since Team Canada defeated the host U.S. 5-2 at the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City.

Canada scored the game's first two goals, with Jonathan Toews opening the scoring at 12:50 of the opening period and Corey Perry extending Canada's lead to 2-0 at 7:13 of the second period.

Team USA responded with Ryan Kesler's second goal of the tournament to cut the lead 2-1 at 12:44 in the second period.

After collecting the puck in Team USA's defensive zone, Kesler skated down the middle of the ice before passing to Patrick Kane just inside the offensive blue line. After the pass, Kesler drove hard to the net and deflected Kane's shot from the top of the right circle past Canadian netminder Roberto Luongo.

With U.S. goaltender Ryan Miller pulled in favor of six skaters, Parise tied the game with 25 seconds remaining in regulation.

Joe Pavelski started the play in the right corner and fired a shot toward the net that deflected off a player in front before finding Kane at the top of the right circle. Kane's shot attempt deflected off Jamie Langenbrunner's skate and was stopped by Luongo before Parise banged the rebound in for his fourth goal of the tournament.

In overtime, Canada's Sidney Crosby scored the gold medal-winning goal at 7:40.

Miller turned aside 36 shots faced as the U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team claimed its 11th total Olympic medal.

Sunday's USA vs. Canada gold medal hockey game, that NBC's Bob Costas called, "One of the greatest sports events I have ever seen," was the most-watched hockey game in 30 years. Canada's epic 3-2 overtime victory (3:20-6:13 p.m. ET) drew an average viewership of 27.6 million, the most watched hockey broadcast of any kind since the USA vs. Finland 1980 gold medal game in Lake Placid on Feb. 24, 1980 (32.8 million). For historical comparison, the "Miracle on Ice" USA-Russia semifinal game that aired on tape delay on Feb 22, 1980 from the Lake Placid Games drew 34.2 million average viewers.

USA vs Canada
Photo by: Paul Drinkwater/NBC

NBC's BOB COSTAS ON GOLD MEDAL GAME:

"That's one of the greatest sports events I have ever seen."

"A script so classic that if it were a movie, they would send it back because it was unrealistic."

"With all due respect, this can never be repeated. On home soil, for Canada, in the sport that matters most, against the Americans - this can never be repeated. This can never be approached, let alone equaled."

NBC's AL MICHAELS THOUGHTS ON THE GAME:

"You could not have written a better script for this country. The goal that will resonate throughout history in Canada."

MICHAELS ON THE ENERGY AFTER THE GAME:

"You could light the entire province of British Columbia with the energy in that building."

COSTAS ON THE POST GAME CELEBRATION:

"Times Square on New Year's Eve couldn't be more packed than the streets of Vancouver."

"This place has already reached a crescendo. By this place, I don't mean BC Place, I don't mean just Vancouver, I meant the entire country after the hockey game."

MICHAELS ON SIDNEY CROSBY'S GAME WINNING GOAL:

"The goal that will resonate throughout history in Canada."

"Crosby is the 21st century equivalent of what Wayne Gretzky is to Canada.

Ryan Miller was named the most valuable player of the tournament by both the tournament directorate and the media. He also ended the tournament with a U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team record for best goals-against average (1.35). The record was previously held by Jim Craig (1980/2.14) ... Brian Rafalski was named the best defenseman by the directorate ... Miller, Rafalski and Zach Parise were named to the media all-star team ... The U.S. finished the tournament with a 5-0-1-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record ... Parise (4-4) and Rafalski (4-4) paced the U.S. with eight points each ... The U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team has won 11 total Olympic medals (Gold-1980, 1960; Silver-2010, 2002, 1972, 1956, 1952, 1932, 1924, 1920; Bronze-1936) ... The 2010 gold-medal match-up was just the second gold-medal game to reach overtime (1994) ... Today marks the 50th anniversary of the 1960 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team's gold medal-clinching 9-4 victory against Czechoslovakia

GAME SUMMARY

Scoring By Period

First Period - Scoring: 1, CAN, Toews (Richards), 12:50. Penalties: USA, Ryan (tripping), 14:02.

Second Period - Scoring: 2, CAN, Perry (Getzlaf, Keith), 7:13; 3, USA, Kesler (Kane), 12:44. Penalties: USA, Malone (high-sticking), 2:33; CAN, Staal (interference), 4:41; CAN, Toews (tripping), 8:25.

Third Period - Scoring: 4, USA, Parise (Langenbrunner, Kane), 19:35. Penalties: None.

Overtime - Scoring: 5, CAN, Crosby (Iginla), 7:40. Penalties: None.

Shots By Period

Goaltenders Shots / Saves

Power Play: CAN 0-2; USA 0-2

Penalties: CAN 2-4; USA 2-4

Officials: Referees-Bill McCreary (CAN), Daniel O'Halloran (CAN); Linesmen-Stefan Fonselius (FIN), Jean Morin (CAN)

Attendance: 17,748

2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games
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