Crosby admits he's floating in dreamland after Olympic victory

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By Sportsbeat staff, in Vancouver

SIDNEY Crosby admitted he was in dreamland after netting the decisive overtime strike that secured Canada hockey gold in a thrilling final.

GOLDEN BOY: Sidney Crosby secured his place in Canadian hockey legend with an overtime goals securing the Olympic title against the USA (Getty Images)

Canada's golden boy - who has not really shone in Vancouver - admitted he struggled during a tense final with the USA but he delivered when it mattered.

Goals from Jonathan Toews and Corey Perry fired Canada into a 2-0 lead at the halfway stage of the match but Ryan Kesler, of the Vancouver Canucks, reduced the deficit late in the second period.

And Zach Parise forced overtime with less than 24 seconds remaining.

But Crosby secured his name in folklore with well-taken strike that left Ryan Miller grasping at thin air.

"It doesn't even feel real. It feels like a dream," said Crosby.

"Our team worked really hard in regulation time and they got that one by us in the end.

"But we came out so motivated in overtime and this is just an unbelievable feeling.

"I don't even remember a lot of the goal. I remember calling for the puck from Iggy [Jarome Ignila] and he just poked at it to me on the left side of the net. I just shot it. I didn't even really look. I just kind of threw it on the net.

"I knew I had a little bit of space to get to the net. Jarome won his battle, he did a great job on the wall there to win his battle and got me the puck and I just tried to put it on the net.

"There's nothing really that goes though your mind besides the joy of winning and to be able to share that with the guys and all of Canada. It's pretty amazing."

"I can only imagine what the atmosphere will be like on the streets. I remember the way it was when they won in 2002, I remember being on my street so, I'm sure it's pretty amazing.

"I just want to go hang out with the guys and enjoy it and enjoy it with the rest of Canada.

"You dream of this moment a thousand times growing up as a kid."

Crosby's strike handed Canada their eighth Olympic men's ice hockey, surpassing the Soviet Union, who won seven.

It is also the first time in 30 years the gold medal has been won on home ice with the USA claiming the title in Lake Placid in 1980.

And if Pittsburgh Penguins captain Crosby was not content with that, it is also the 14th gold medal for Canada in Vancouver 2010 - the largest by a host winter nation in history.

"To do this at home with these guys is special," said Canada coach Mike Babcock.
 
"Our guys did a great job and to win in overtime in Canada, it is a dream come true."

The mood around Canada Hockey Place could not have been more different when Parise fired the match into overtime and snatched the ascendancy, but Crosby finally announced himself on the Olympic stage to clinch victory.

The USA's Ryan Miller was named most valuable player of the tournament by Olympic media but it will come as scant consolation for the Buffalo Sabres stopper.

"Crosby is always someone I'm aware of on the ice," said Miller. "I thought I'd jump him [close the gap] but he got his head up a little bit.

"I felt good about my game. We did it as a team. We had a great tournament. "We wanted to capitalise and we had some chances but it didn't work out.

"We came here with the intention of winning and we fell short."

Parise added: "It's tough to put into words. We're pretty disappointed right now.

"We were confident going into it that being an important game going into overtime that we were going to win. It just didn't happen."

American captain Jamie Langenbrunner added: "For sure some day we'll be proud of what we accomplished, but we came here with the belief we could win a gold medal.

"It's going to be tough to swallow.

"We battled hard. Scoring a goal with 20 something seconds left shows the character in this locker room."

"The guys had a never give-up attitude. What can you do?"