Crosby returns from Olympics with ‘sense of relief’ after winning gold
PITTSBURGH — Sidney Crosby’s second Olympic experience was not as dramatic but just as rewarding.
Crosby returned from Sochi, Russia, with his second Olympic gold medal, this one as the captain of the Canadian team. Leading a national team certainly brings a different sense of responsibility, but the same expectation.
“I think everybody feels a sense of pride, but also a sense of relief knowing you were able to do what everybody expected,” Crosby said Wednesday. “It’s not easy to win, but to be able to go in there with the goal of winning and achieve it is a great feeling.”
Now, Crosby and fellow Canadian gold medallist Chris Kunitz are ready for a return to normalcy in the NHL, joining head coach Dan Bylsma and five Olympic teammates, including Russia’s Evgeni Malkin, as the first-place Penguins prepare for a stretch run that features 24 games in 46 days.
“It’s good to get into a routine again,” Crosby said. “Managing rest is something we definitely have to keep in mind.”
Canada steamrollered through Sochi, allowing three goals in six games for its third gold medal in the last four Olympics.
“Everybody talks about our defence, but I think we were able to control the puck a lot in the offensive zone and when you do that teams don’t get a lot of time or energy to come against you,” Crosby said.
Canada never trailed, a dominating effort that culminated in backto-back shutouts of the United States and Sweden in the semifinal and gold-medal game.
“The last three games, especially, we were at our best, but I think we got better as it went on,” Crosby said. “The scores were close, but we felt like we controlled the last three games and played the way we wanted to.”
Once again, Crosby’s shining moment came in the gold-medal game, when he deked goaltender Henrik Lundqvist before depositing a backhander on a breakaway.
It didn’t carry the weight of his golden goal, the 2010 overtime game-winner against the U.S., but Crosby’s first goal of the tournament effectively clinched the gold medal.
“It was a great experience,” Crosby said. “Obviously, winning makes it better.”