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I have much joy to share …<\/p>\n
I’m happy for Bill Guerin, one of the game’s great humans. I didn’t agree with a good many of his roster choices, but winning’s inarguable. He’ll now be correct for all eternity.<\/p>\n
I’m happy for Mike Sullivan. Good coach. Good man. Represented our country with class, as I’d told him knew he would upon wishing him well the most recent time I saw him in New York.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I’m happy for Jake Guentzel, who … didn’t play well at all. But he deserves all the good things.<\/p>\n
I’m happy, posthumously and with immense respect, for those with Pittsburgh ties who paved the path for an American ascension to gold, beginning, of course, with Herb Brooks and continuing ‘Badger’ Bob Johnson, who helped build up the Mike Modano\u00a0generation, and Ray Shero, who drafted Guentzel and loved, loved, loved seeing the U.S. succeed.<\/p>\n
Finally, I’m happy for another gentleman, who’s been part of all of the above, beginning with being Brooks’ assistant coach for the Miracle: Craig Patrick’s engaged in a serious health fight right now, but I’ll bet he found a way to savor every second of this scene.<\/p>\n
Here’s offering best wishes on that front.<\/p>\n
\u2022 I want to hear exactly zero whining from north of the border.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Not about the general dominance that Canada’s skaters had. Last I checked, the goaltender’s the most important player on the team for a reason, and the Americans showed up with the best of the best in Connor Hellebuyck.<\/p>\n
Not about how they should’ve somehow been rewarded for artfully they played. The Olympics have enough sports determined by judges. Ice hockey’s a hard no on that count.<\/p>\n
And definitely not about three-on-three overtime. There were two high-grade scoring chances in OT, both belonged to the Americans, and only Jordan Binnington’s glove kept Quinn Hughes\u00a0from ending it a couple minutes before his brother did.<\/p>\n
Besides, the format didn’t require Cale Makar\u00a0and\u00a0Connor McDavid both to butcher the decisive sequence the way they did.<\/p>\n
Watch this from a bunch of angles, specifically those two:<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
I mean, come on.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2022 McDavid’s a titanic talent, and no one can question that. But he’s now lost back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals and this, sandwiched around his winning goal in the manufactured (but fun) 4 Nations tournament. Players at his level — and there haven’t been many through hockey history — tend to be more decorated from a team perspective.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Which is to say, Sidney Crosby he ain’t:<\/p>\n
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GETTY<\/p>\n
And will never be.<\/p>\n
Awful as it is to see Sid appearing so … uncomfortable in accepting that silver medal yesterday, I’ll be the one who says it: His legacy’s only fortified by this outcome.<\/p>\n
In fact, Canada flat-out can’t win without a Pittsburgh captain at the helm: In 2002, Mario Lemieux captained Canada to its first Olympic gold in 50 years. In 2006, Wayne Gretzky omitted an 18-year-old Sid from the roster, saying he preferred veterans, and Canada wound up finishing … uh, seventh. In 2010 and 2014, Sid captained Canada to more Olympic gold, scoring in OT in the former.<\/p>\n
Now, this.<\/p>\n
Just saying.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Man, there’d better not be anyone up there questioning Sid’s desire to play not just the gold-medal game but also in the semi. Not one citizen among Canada’s 41.6 million could’ve wanted that more than he did. Trust me on that.<\/p>\n
\u2022 That said, imagine how apoplectic they’d all go if he laces ’em here Thursday night against the Devils. It’d be awesome unto itself.<\/p>\n
\u2022 As it is, I’m not envisioning that at all. And actually, I’m kinda hoping that Sid and Kyle Dubas, who also was over in Italy as part of Canada’s management, as well, have already resolved to spelling him for a stretch, even if he was a full practice participant Saturday, and even if he described himself after the gold-medal game as having been “pretty close” to playing.<\/p>\n
Take the time that’s needed to get the knee right. Be patient. Be smart. Let the Penguins who’ve had most of the month off here pick up their leader and take care of some business.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Not to be forgotten …<\/p>\n
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USA HOCKEY<\/p>\n