MILAN — Canadian fans solemnly trudged out of the Milano Santagiulia Arena after a crushing overtime defeat for the women’s hockey squad on Olympic ice.
The red and white jerseys faded into the brisk streets of Milan following the game after the women’s hockey team lost 2-1 in overtime on Feb. 19 in Milan against the U.S. in the gold medal Olympic final.
For Canadian fans, the night ended in disappointment, not defeat. They clung to their pride for a team and a country that will always stand united, far beyond the ice, and they left the stadium proud that their team controlled and carried the game early on and fought until the final buzzer.
What started as a night of hope and national pride ended in bitter defeat, as Team USA tied the score and sent the game into overtime in the final minutes.
The overtime loss stood in stark contrast to the energy that started before the puck drop.
Before the game commenced, Canadian and American fans piled into a tiny Italian bar steps outside of the arena. Although opposing fans sat apart, red and navy jerseys exchanged banter ahead of the highly anticipated match-up.
In the cramped bar where dozens shared pizza and beer, the two rival nations had one thing in common: the love of the game.
Inside the arena, the energy in the stadium could not be replicated as two of hockey’s biggest rivals faced off.
Canadian fans filled the majority of the stands, as the sea of red and white washed over the upper and lower bowls of the arena.
As American fans in star-spangled overalls and eagle masks chanted “U-S-A,” Canadian fans overtook the cheer that rattled the barely finished stands, roaring “Can-a-da.”
The Canadian fans cheer’s echoed through the stands, drowning out the chants of their rivals. For three periods, Canadian pride stood strong, as fans clinked their metal beer cans and waved the maple leaf above their heads. Redemption seems possible for the humbling 5-0 pasting by the Americans in the preliminary round.
It was in the final two minutes of the third period, as the entire arena stood on its feet, that Canadian fans anxiously peered over the ice. For a moment, the gold medal was close. But fans knew two minutes can be a very long time in hockey. The U.S.'s goal that tied the game 1-1 by Hilary Knight changed the crowd's momentum within seconds.
But the three-on-three overtime goal by Megan Keller brought the first moment of stillness for Canadian fans.
The final defeat marked another moment in the long-standing rivalry between the two national teams, which have met in multiple Olympic finals since 1998.
The overwhelming wave of Canadian nationalism and pride swept through the arena and stayed up until the women’s team was presented their medals.
Although the gold medal may have slipped under the Canadian women's sticks, the fans’ love of the game and the country remained unwavering.
