Poulin, Canada take back gold from rival USA in Olympic final

Bring out the cigars and tallboys.

After bitter disappointment in PyeongChang, Canada reclaimed gold in its eternal tug-o-war with the United States, beating their forever rivals 3-2 in the 2022 Olympic final in Beijing.

Captain Marie-Philip Poulin scored twice to add another chapter to her incredible record in the most important moments, while Sarah Nurse set the single-tournament mark for points with 18 after notching a goal and an assist in the victory.

Goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens made 38 saves to cap an extraordinary performance in net for Canada.

Here are the details for the gold medal triumph:

On another level

It's a bit shocking, in hindsight, the recent history between Canada and the United States. Yes, the Canadians entered as reigning word champions, but the United States had won five world championships before that and entered the 2022 Olympic Games as defending gold medallists, of course.

If not dead even, this is a rivalry that had skewed in the direction of the United States in recent years.

In China, though, there was a clear talent divide leaning disproportionately in favour of the Canadians. Gold wasn't won without effort and grit and some degree of uncertainty and stretches where they were outplayed, but the Canadians had the superior talent at just about every level. Its netminders were rock solid, while the Americans couldn't find one to rely on. Depth was clearly an advantage, too, with every single member of the Canadian roster filling, and thriving, in their role.

Canada had by far the most talented offensive team at the event, and maybe in the history of the competition. It scored 57 goals, or 27 more than the Americans. It had the six highest scorers at the tournament, including two that matched or exceeded the previous record for points in a single Olympics. It had a 13th forward in Jamie Lee Rattray who scored more goals than anyone one the American team.

It might have had the two best goalies, too.

Some have critiqued the tournament since it began, missing the importance of visibility and representation, and ignoring the strides other countries have made, calling it a competition between two teams and two teams only.

That might have been true in previous Games, but not in Beijing.

Because only one team was ever winning this competition. Everyone else was working to be on Canada's level.

Legend

Poulin's Hall of Fame plaque is going to include something anyone in her future company could only dream of having etched about themselves.

With her first-period goal, Canada's captain scored in a fourth consecutive Olympic final, setting the sort of standard for excellence and clutch in major international and defining moments that may never be matched as long as this game is played.

She is the only person in history to accomplish such a feat.

For a mere mortal, that would have been enough.

But this is Marie-Philip Poulin we're talking about here.

Hockey Canada's G.O.A.T. added a second to count seven goals in the four Olympic finals she has played over the span of 12 years in her legendary career.

Three of them can be considered of the golden variety.

If she went into the Hall of Fame tomorrow, it would be a worthy deviation from timing and tradition. She may also be Canada's greatest Olympian regardless of sport.

It's worth having the conversation.

Excuse me, doctor

Poulin's prowess may not be all that survives the test of time.

With the ice-breaker in the first period and an assist on the captain's second goal of the game, Nurse established a new record for points at a single Olympic Games, counting 18 for the tournament. She surpassed Hall of Fame forward and the former face of the Canada-U.S. rivalry, Hayley Wickenheiser, to set the new mark, though she did have the benefit of playing two additional games in what's now an expanded format.

It's a remarkable accomplishment for a number of reasons. Nurse was always going to be a key piece for the Canadians, but she began the tournament in a third-line function with checking ace Blayre Turnbull before being promoted into the top six after Melodie Daoust suffered a shoulder injury.

It was also a bit of a struggle for her in her first Olympics four years ago in PyeongChang, where she managed just a single point in five games.

While the goals and points arriving in droves surely felt exceptional as the tournament progressed and her role increased, Nurse couldn't fully erase the memory of South Korea without changing the colour of the medal.

Which, of course, she did.

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