USA wins the only game that matters
Hamiltonian Laura Fortino, right, comforts Laura Stacey after losing the women’s gold medal hockey game to the U.S.
A few hours before he tuned in to watch his sister, Sarah, take the ice for the biggest game of her life, Isaac Nurse was struck by the enormity of what she was about to accomplish.
“It’s incredible. She’s been talking about the Olympics since she was a little kid,” he smiled. “To see she’s going for it right now, it’s just really exciting.”
Unfortunately for Sarah, a rookie forward on the Canadian women’s hockey team, and Isaac, who was watching from home, the gold medal final against the Americans went off script.
Instead of the win she’d coveted since watching Canada beat the U.S. in Salt Lake City in 2002, she settled for silver — in a shootout and by an identical 3-2 score, no less.
But the Hamilton native’s Olympic debut was nonetheless impressive. Skating on the fourth line, the 23-year-old played with energy and a relentless work ethic. She killed penalties. She even chipped in some offence, scoring the winning goal in a preliminary round upset against Canada’s cross-border rivals.
She looked comfortable. Aggressive. Confident. She also looked a lot like her little brother.
In his second season with the Hamilton Bulldogs, Nurse, an 18-year-old forward, has established
himself as one of the most reliable and hardworking players on a team stacked with NHL prospects and picks.
He’s more than a role player, though. Like Sarah and the rest of his long line of athletically gifted kin, Nurse has proven he can execute — and it came as a bit of a surprise.
“We expected him to make an impact, but we didn’t expect him to make this much of an impact,” said head coach John Gruden. “It’s kind of like wherever we put him, that line seems to do well.”
An 11th round pick in 2015, Nurse was cut in his first training camp with the Bulldogs and on the cusp in his second. But Gruden and Steve Staios, the Hamilton GM, saw his potential and kept him around.
He made the most of the opportunity in a solid, yet unremarkable, rookie season. Then, at his third training camp, something happened. A different Nurse showed up.
“I think the mind is a powerful thing,” said Gruden. “I think he had a really good off-season in the gym and I think his confidence has grown. Instead of just being content last year to be in the league, now he’s intent on making a difference.
“It’s really been pretty special and he just keeps getting better.”
Like his sister, what stands out most about Nurse is his energy and his consistency. He doesn’t slow down and he doesn’t give up — ever. “I swear to God, he never gets tired,” said Ben Garagan, who has skated next to Nurse at centre.
“He’s always going and that carries over to other guys on the line with him. It’s just a huge impact when he’s playing with us.”
He brings more to the table, though, as Gruden pointed out.
In 57 games, Nurse has 14 goals and 12 assists — more than triple his offensive output as a rookie. And his playmaking ability, which is often overlooked, has a lot to do with it. “His hands are a lot better and his skill level is way better than we give him credit for,” said Gruden.
Matt Strome, another frequent linemate, agreed. “I think he really has that tools that he can use to make smart little plays, maybe it’s just dumping it in at the right time or chipping it past the D to the centreman,” he said. “He’s got that.”
Nurse, meanwhile, credits his success to hard work and his well-known family — Sarah included. It helps, he said, to be surrounded by others who also strive constantly to improve.
“Everyone pushes everyone to get better,” he added.
The week ahead At Kingston Friday, 7 p.m. The storyline: The Frontenacs go into the weekend on a threegame winning streak and just four points back of the conference-leading Bulldogs.
Player to watch: The team’s gamble on Gabe Vilardi paid off — the L.A. Kings prospect, who missed the first four months of the season with a back injury, has notched two points a game since the Frontenacs acquired him from Windsor at the trade deadline. Neat stat: Four of Kingston’s five meetings with Hamilton this season were decided by a goal, including one in overtime and two in a shootout. Local connection: None. Sudbury
Saturday, 7 p.m., FirstOntario Centre The storyline: The Ontario Hockey League’s last-place Wolves had just one win in their past 10 games heading into Wednesday’s 3-2 loss to longtime divisional rival North Bay.
Player to watch: Three of Macauley Carson’s eight goals this season have come against Hamilton.
Neat stat: Sudbury has won just twice in eight trips to overtime this season and its 0.250 win percentage in OT is the worst in the OHL. Local connection: Cole Candella and Evan Krassey are former Bulldogs. North Bay
Sunday, 2 p.m., FirstOntario Centre The storyline: The Battalion start the weekend on a high with wins in two of their past three games and no less than a point in eight of their past 10.
Player to watch: Lead scorer Justin Brazeau has three points in three games against the Bulldogs. Neat stat: North Bay is usually outscored in the first and third periods, but has a plus-nine differential in the second — that’s among the highest in the OHL in that frame. Local connection: Jesse Saban is a former Bulldog and Adam McMaster is from Beamsville.