'Kid' Crosby seals legendary status
Source: Agencies |
March 2, 2010, Tuesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
SIDNEY Crosby's overtime goal against the United States on Sunday brought Canada a desperately wanted Olympic gold and propelled him into the pantheon of the country's hockey greats: Wayne Gretzky, Maurice "Rocket" Richard, Gordie Howe and Mario Lemieux.
Crosby won the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins eight months ago and to that he can now add Olympic gold - all by the tender age of 22.
Crosby's career has been tracked in his homeland since he was in puberty, the son of former goaltender Troy Crosby, whose own career lasted only two seasons after he was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens.
After the game, Crosby raised his right hand and waved it almost sheepishly to respond to the deafening chants of his name. Then he looked down at the gold medal dangling from the pale blue ribbon around his neck.
"It's a pretty unbelievable thing," Crosby said. "You know what? Every kid dreams of that opportunity. Being in Canada, that's the opportunity of a lifetime. You dream of that a thousand times growing up. For it to come true is amazing."
The hero of a hockey-crazed nation pulled it from his chest and checked both sides, as if to confirm it was real.
"He's got a little destiny to him - his entire career, throughout minor hockey, junior hockey, NHL," Hockey Canada executive director Steve Yzerman said after Crosby scored 7:40 into overtime to beat the United States 3-2.
"So it's just another monumental moment in his career. And he's what, 22 still?" Yzerman said. "He's a special, special guy. Kind of like Gretzky."
Crosby was denied from a breakaway late in regulation by a check from winger Patrick Kane.
But in overtime Crosby chipped the puck off the stick of Brian Rafalski in the corner of the Americans' zone in overtime. Teammate Jarome Iginla got the puck, heard Crosby scream that he was free near the net and pushed the puck his way.
"Oh, he was screaming. He was yelling pretty urgently. There's different phases of yell," Iginla said, chuckling. "You can tell he had a step."
Crosby broke across the face of Ryan Miller and put the puck between the goalie's legs, setting off a wild celebration from Newfoundland to the Yukon.
Its epicenter was in the opposite corner of the ice, where Crosby threw his stick, threw off his gloves and then absorbed nearly every Canadian player in a mosh pit along the boards. Canada's gloves were all over the ice around Crosby, known as Sid the Kid.
"He's unbelievable. There's nothing that kid can't do or hasn't done already," said Canada forward Jonathan Toews, who scored Sunday's first goal. "He's a tremendous leader. He's accomplished so much in his young career."
Crosby won the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins eight months ago and to that he can now add Olympic gold - all by the tender age of 22.
Crosby's career has been tracked in his homeland since he was in puberty, the son of former goaltender Troy Crosby, whose own career lasted only two seasons after he was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens.
After the game, Crosby raised his right hand and waved it almost sheepishly to respond to the deafening chants of his name. Then he looked down at the gold medal dangling from the pale blue ribbon around his neck.
"It's a pretty unbelievable thing," Crosby said. "You know what? Every kid dreams of that opportunity. Being in Canada, that's the opportunity of a lifetime. You dream of that a thousand times growing up. For it to come true is amazing."
The hero of a hockey-crazed nation pulled it from his chest and checked both sides, as if to confirm it was real.
"He's got a little destiny to him - his entire career, throughout minor hockey, junior hockey, NHL," Hockey Canada executive director Steve Yzerman said after Crosby scored 7:40 into overtime to beat the United States 3-2.
"So it's just another monumental moment in his career. And he's what, 22 still?" Yzerman said. "He's a special, special guy. Kind of like Gretzky."
Crosby was denied from a breakaway late in regulation by a check from winger Patrick Kane.
But in overtime Crosby chipped the puck off the stick of Brian Rafalski in the corner of the Americans' zone in overtime. Teammate Jarome Iginla got the puck, heard Crosby scream that he was free near the net and pushed the puck his way.
"Oh, he was screaming. He was yelling pretty urgently. There's different phases of yell," Iginla said, chuckling. "You can tell he had a step."
Crosby broke across the face of Ryan Miller and put the puck between the goalie's legs, setting off a wild celebration from Newfoundland to the Yukon.
Its epicenter was in the opposite corner of the ice, where Crosby threw his stick, threw off his gloves and then absorbed nearly every Canadian player in a mosh pit along the boards. Canada's gloves were all over the ice around Crosby, known as Sid the Kid.
"He's unbelievable. There's nothing that kid can't do or hasn't done already," said Canada forward Jonathan Toews, who scored Sunday's first goal. "He's a tremendous leader. He's accomplished so much in his young career."
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
