Crowd erupts on Stephen Avenue as team wins gold fourth time in a row

Dozens jumped, yelled, cheered and hugged in celebration on Stephen Avenue Walk when Marie-Philip Poulin slapped the puck into the net on a power play, winning gold for women’s hockey at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.

Canada was down by two goals near the end of the third period, but caught up to tie the game with only 55 seconds left. The golden goal happened at 8:10 in overtime.

The win marks a historic moment as the fourth Olympic consecutive win for the team. The American women’s basketball team is the only women’s team to take home more consecutive Olympic wins.

The lunchtime crowd that normally scurries along Stephen Avenue to get back to work, stopped in front of Flames Central to watch the team and join in singing Oh Canada during the medal ceremony.

Michelle Kukurudza had been watching the game from inside the McDonald’s across the way for a while, and said she saw about 30 other people stop on the street to watch.

“Canadians love their hockey,” she said. “They’ve been doing so good… and it’s good for Canada.”

Calgarian Sean Bowie said he “committed the cardinal sin” by giving up on the team in the third period while they were still down by two goals. He said he got ready for work instead of watching the game, and said he was shocked when he saw a lady on the C-train watching the game on her phone.

Sean Bowie (right) said he lost hope in the women’s hockey team in the third period, and was surprised to hear on his way to work that they were still playing. “The whole train just cheered. It’s amazing, I’m so proud,” he said.

Photo by: Alyssa Quirico

“They scored while I was on the train and everyone just knew instantly. The whole train just cheered. It’s amazing, I’m so proud,” he said.

Bowie said the best thing about the Olympics is that they bring everyone together.

“There’s no tribalism, we’re all one at that moment,” he said. “And it sort of supersedes all the marketing that it’s become.”

Bowie said that he will be watching the men as they vie for a spot in the gold medal game, adding that if they make it to Sunday’s game, he’ll definitely wake up at 5:30 a.m. to cheer on Team Canada once more.

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For a recap of some of the best moments from the Sochi Winter Games visit the Calgary Journal’s Storify page.

aquirico@cjournal.ca