Canadians Denied Hockey Gold In Heartbreaking Overtime Loss

But our players ‘can still hold their heads high’, Wayne Redshaw writes

By Wayne Redshaw

  It may be a tough pill to swallow after Canada suffered a 2-1 overtime loss to their arch-rivals, the United States, in the men’s gold medal game of the Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina, Italy on Sunday but the Canadians, I feel, can still hold their heads high.

  Yes, it was disappointing, especially after dominating the game from the second period on. Unfortunately, the Canadians couldn’t cash in on those opportunities they had around the U.S. net. They gave it all they had but came up short.

   When you get to overtime, anything can happen as all it takes is one shot. In fact, that‘s all the U.S. had by Jack Hughes at the 1:41 mark of the three-on-three overtime. It‘s interesting to note the U.S. also scored their only other goal at the six-minute mark of the first period on their very first shot on Canadian goalie Jordan Binnington.

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  The hockey we witnessed in the Olympics was first-class and no doubt that was because NHL players were participating in the Games for first time since Sochi in 2014. The 12-year wait was well worth it and players didn’t disappoint us one bit. They delivered in every respect.

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   These Games also served as a coming-out-party for Canada’s 19-year-old Macklin Celebrini. A first-round draft pick by the San Jose Sharks in 2024 the 19-year-old Vancouver native really proved he belonged in the Canadian lineup every time he stepped on the ice whether he was playing on the big line with Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon or with other Canadian players.

  In fact, I thought Celebrini was one of Canada’s top performers in every outing of the Games. We don’t get the opportunity to see Celebrini on TV that often during the NHL season with San Jose based on the west coast and three-hour time difference. But he was showcased in the Olympics and the youngster delivered on all fronts.

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 The Olympic gold medal victory for the United States was their first since 1980 in Lake Placid. The last International victory for the U.S. came in 1996 when they defeated Canada in the finals of the World Cup.

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  Sunday’s victory also gave the United States a hockey sweep in Italy as the U.S. women defeated rival Canada 2-1. That game was also decided in overtime.

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   Now with the Games history the big question is what will the NHL do before the next Winter Olympic Games scheduled for 2030 in France?

   Last year if you recall, the NHL did away with the mid-season All-Star Game and sideshow and staged the Four Nations Cup, which proved to be highly successful and entertaining.  It spoiled us to say the least as the brand and calibre of hockey equaled just what we witnessed in these Games.

  Hopefully NHL CommissionerGary Bettman  plans to continue the Four Nations Cup on an annual basis until the next Olympics come around in 2030.

(Wayne Redshaw has covered hockey at the amateur and professional levels spanning four decades. He was named a Life Member of the Professional Hockey Writer’s Association in 1997 and in 2000 was inducted into the Buffalo Sabres Hockey Hall of Fame. He can be reached at wredshaw@icloud.com).

Remembering Julia Turner

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Tribute: Vance Millar, Stellar Hockey Player

By WAYNE REDSHAW

    The Niagara sports community has lost another member

     Vance Millar, a well-known and talented hockey player, died August 5. He was no stranger in Niagara’s arenas back in the 1950s, the 60s and the 70s. He played three seasons (1955-56 to 1957-58) with the Stamford Kerrios of the Niagara District Senior B Hockey League. He also spent three seasons in Welland. Mr. Millar played for the Intermediate A teams when they were known as the Merchants in 1962-63 and again in 1973-74 seasons. He was also a member of the Welland Burloaks in 1963-64 when they were a Senior B entry.

    Mr. Millar was captain of the Merchants team in 1962-63 when they captured the John Ross Robertson Trophy, emblematic of the OHA Intermediate A championship. It marked the first ever OHA title won by a Welland team and nearly six decades later still remains the only Welland team to win an OHA championship.

    It was April 24, 1963 at the Welland Arena when the Merchants put the finishing touches to their first-ever championship disposing of the Bradford Expressmen 8-1 in game five of the provincial final. He had a large helping hand in clinching the victory by scoring twice.

  Mr. Millar would play on two more championship squads playing with the Galt Hornets of the Senior A ranks. In fact Galt not only won the provincial title twice (1968-69 and 1970-71) but added the Allan Cup each time making them Canadian champions. Mr. Millar was captain of the 1970-71 squad. With winning the Canadian title twice he and his teammates also got the opportunity to represent Canada at international tournaments.

  In all, he spent seven seasons with the Hornets. He also played one season (1966-67) with the Woodstock Athletics.

   Mr. Millar was a solid two-way player and gave 100 percent every time he stepped on the ice. As it said in his obituary, “Vance made friends everywhere he played, many of these were as strong in the end as they were the day he made them. His hockey family was vast and cherished.”

 To his family and friends, I express my condolences.

(Wayne Redshaw has covered sports in Niagara for over 50 years, 33 and a half at the Welland Tribune. He was publisher of the FORE! Golfers Only for 12 years and also wrote for many national newspapers and magazines in Canada and the United States. He can be reached at wredshaw@icloud.com)