Of course I watched the game. Occasionally a sporting event takes on a special status and rises above sport. It was between Canada and the United States and the final game of the “best against best” hockey series. Now, before I get into what in the end was a great game of hockey, allow me to explain that booing of the American national anthem here in Canada wasn’t a case of Canadians booing the United States or even their hockey team. The boos were directed at Donald Trump, an American strong man who represents a real threat to Canada. That is all it was, boos directed at a man with orange hair.

Related to that is the flack being taken by Wayne Gretzky who, on stepping on the ice as Canada’s honorary captain in the final game, gave a thumbs up to the American team as he walked by their bench. It was a sporting thing to do. Some Canadians people didn’t like that but let me straighten you out here. Wayne Gretzky is a hockey player not a diplomat. He was acting just like a hockey player in acknowledging the United States hockey team which as it turns out is the second-best team in the world. It was a “hockey player to hockey player” connection. That is all that was.

Now the game itself which Canada won 3-2 on an overtime goal by Connor McDavid was a classic. I know a little bit about hockey and the engineering of the winning goal was a master class into the how the game of hockey can be played at its highest level. From a faceoff in the United States zone the puck came back to the point to Canadian defenceman Cale Makar, who I think just might be the best defenceman in the entire world. He didn’t shoot it at the net or pass to the other point. His angle wasn’t great. He saw that the American defenders were poorly positioned. There were too many on the right-hand side. Makar fired the puck all the way around the boards to a spot where Leafs darling Mitch Marner had positioned himself. He was alone and he was uncovered. Brilliant!

It gets better. Marner didn’t stop the puck with his stick along the boards. He used his skate to deflect the puck to his stick and saved himself a split- second. With two American defenders making their way towards him he took one step with the puck towards his right. It made all the difference. Marner was uncovered. In an instant he passed to McDavid in front of the American net. McDavid was also uncovered. The play of Makar, Marner, and McDavid had broken the Americans down. McDavid shot the puck into the net on the glove side. It was over.

Did it matter to me? Of course it mattered. I stayed up for the game. I had to be somewhere in the morning. I didn’t care. In my life there are only three or four hockey games that really mattered to me. Now the truest thing about hockey is that you don’t always win. Canada against the Soviets in 1972 was big. I always remember it was the day I got my driver’s license. We won. Montreal coming back from a 2-0 deficit to beat my Chicago Black Hawks will always be with me. My team lost. St. Pat’s beating St. Bon’s for the Boyle Trophy also is etched in my mind. My heart was broken.

Now with Canada’s win over the United States I can sleep. I know I implied it was just a hockey game, but I was lying. The quality of hockey from both sides was breathtaking. It was more than that. It was about our nation. It was about our Canada, and we won. Hooray for Canada!

You can contact Jim Furlong at [email protected]