Golden moments

We will attempt to write the following editorial without resorting to tired clichés about how golden Canada is at this Olympics and how hockey is our game.

We’re pretty certain we wouldn’t be writing this feel-good editorial at all had the Canadian men not beat the United States in hockey Friday to win the right to battle for the gold medal Sunday against Sweden. The mood just wouldn’t have struck us.

But, then again ... what an Olympics and what a couple of days it’s been. The way the Canadian women won gold over their arch rivals, the U.S., on Thursday would have been considered over the top had it been fiction and written for Hollywood. Down 2-0 with about three minutes left in the game, those gritty gals scored one goal, then pulled goalie Shannon Szabados, who was simply outstanding. The U.S. women shot at our empty net and hit the post with just 83 seconds left on the clock. Surely, it was a divine sign? With just 55 seconds remaining, MariePhilip Poulin tied up the game. In overtime, she scored again to win the game and the gold for Canada, just like she did in Vancouver in 2010.

It was a fairy tale ending, giving Canadian women fourstraight Olympic gold medals in hockey.

That same day, Canada’s women curlers, led by skip Jennifer Jones, won gold over Sweden, and on Friday, the Canadian men’s curling team of Brad Jacobs beat the Brits for the gold.

And the hits just kept on coming. Marielle Thompson won gold in the ladies’ ski cross, with teammate Kelsey Serwa taking the silver, and Charle Cournoyer snagged the bronze in the men’s 500-metre shorttrack speedskating.

There have been so many memorable moments during the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, even when no medal was won. Calgary’s Gilmore Junio, of course, comes to mind.

Here’s hoping there’s another heartwarming memory on Sunday, when Canada’s men battle for hockey supremacy against Sweden. The entire country will be watching, fanning the Olympic flame that reaches a faster, higher, stronger level of passion for hockey than for any other sport. Regardless of the outcome of that game, it’s clear that these have been a golden Olympics for Canada. Sorry about the clichés.