BOSTON — Connor McDavid was 13 years old when Sidney Crosby scored his golden goal.
The hockey phenom gathered around the television with friends to watch the superstar secure a dramatic overtime triumph at the 2010 Olympics.
McDavid now has his moment. And Canada can exhale.
The Edmonton Oilers captain scored at 8:18 of OT to lead his country to a breathtaking 3-2 victory over the United States in Thursday's final of the exhilarating 4 Nations Face-Off.
After goaltender Jordan Binnington — criticized on the outside before and during the tournament — made a trio of outstanding saves to keep the extra period going, McDavid took a pass from Mitch Marner in front and ripped a shot past Connor Hellebuyck to set off wild celebrations.
"We just found a way," said the 28-year-old. "Means lots to our group."
Crosby had a front-row seat before spilling over the bench with teammates.
"Really fitting," he said of McDavid's winner. "The level that he plays at, he's got that ability every single night to change a game. He's proven it time and time again. And he proved it in one of the biggest moments."
"Just excited for our group," added McDavid, named player of the game. "Everybody was so dug in."
Nathan MacKinnon and Sam Bennett had the goals in regulation for Canada. Marner added two assists. A stellar Binnington finished with 31 saves.
"Connor is the best player in our game," said MacKinnon, the tournament MVP. "For him to put it in like that in such an intense atmosphere, in a hostile environment for Canadians, was special."
Brady Tkachuk and Jake Sanderson replied for the U.S, which got 24 stops from Hellebuyck. Auston Matthews, robbed twice in OT by Binnington, chipped in two assists.
"We battled our hearts out," said Matthews, the American captain. "I couldn't be prouder of this group."
The matchup that had the North American sporting world's attention was played against the backdrop of heightened political tensions between the countries.
U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened sanctions and repeatedly mused — including Thursday on social media — about making his country's northern neighbour and close ally the "51st state."
"We have a lot of pride with being Canadian, but also for hockey as well," said Crosby, the team's 37-year-old captain. "Our group felt that and it meant a lot that we could find a way to pull it out."
The team sporting the Maple Leaf on their chests tried to stay out of the noise swirling around the locker room. They also knew it was there.
"I just hope Canada is proud," said head coach Jon Cooper. "Because every player in that room is proud to be a Canadian. Did we need a win? Not only our team, but Canada needed a win. The players bared that on their shoulders and they took it seriously. This one was different.
"This wasn't a win for themselves. This was a win for 40-plus million people. The guys knew it and they delivered."
The U.S. was without injured defenceman Charlie McAvoy, while Canadian counterpart Josh Morrissey was a late scratch because of illness.
Canada did have Cale Makar after he missed a 3-1 preliminary round loss to the Americans on Saturday in Montreal, another mouth-watering encounter that included three fights in the game's first nine seconds, also due to illness.
Canada put its 15-year streak of topping high-level international competitions involving NHL players on the line after winning Olympic gold in 2010 and 2014, and claiming the 2016 World Cup.
"You can't write it better," said Binnington, who won Game 7 of the 2019 Stanley Cup final in the same building. "That finish was so special — for us, for the country, for our families."
The league missed the last two Olympics, but will return in 2026 in Milan-Cortina, Italy, after the 4 Nations — which also included Sweden and Finland — set the table with stirring theatre. Russia was banned from the event due to its war in Ukraine, while reigning world champion Czechia didn't make the cut.
Jersey-clad fans from both countries gathered in the streets and bars around TD Garden in the hours before Thursday's puck drop. Plenty had signs, including one from a Canadian fan that read: "Welcome to the U.S.A. … Canada's 11th province."
The electric atmosphere inside the building started with jeers for the team in red and chants of "U-S-A! U-S-A!" during warm-ups.
"O Canada" was loudly booed inside the arena by American fans in response to "The Star-Spangled Banner" getting similar treatment in Montreal earlier in the event, and at recent NHL and NBA games across Canada in response to Trump's threats.
MacKinnon opened the scoring at 4:48 of the first when he took a pass along the boards and wheeled into the high slot before firing his tournament-leading fourth goal through traffic on Hellebuyck.
Tkachuk tied it at 16:52 from in tight after Matthews tried to jam in a wraparound.
Sanderson gave the Americans, who received a five-minute call from Trump in the locker room Thursday morning, their first lead at 7:32 when he fired past the Canadian netminder.
Canada responded with six minutes left in the period when Bennett roofed a shot off a slick setup from Marner.
The edge-of-your-seat third included Brandon Hagel tipping a Makar point shot off the post and a couple of in-tight American looks before Marner had the puck on his stick in a dangerous position in the dying seconds of regulation.
Matthews had a great opportunity in the extra period that Binnington denied on the doorstep. Binnington then stopped Tkachuk and snagged another Matthews effort before McDavid penned the story's final page.
Now the focus turns to the next challenge at the 2026 Games.
"We want to do it again," McDavid said. "That's what it comes down to. This was great, exciting.
"But the focus is next February."
The journey starts anew.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 20, 2025.
Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press
