Featuring stacked rosters of hockey superstars boasting more that $200 million in combined NHL contract money, Friday morning's Team USA versus Canada men's hockey semifinal match at the Winter Olympics was one of the games' most anticipated events -- at least, for the majority of North America.
The match was slated for a noon ET start. But NBC's live streaming service offered an easy workday workaround that the broadcast giant hypothesized could overload office networks.
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As a transfixed continent followed along online, Canada won 1-0 behind a Jamie Benn goal and stifling defense to set up a showdown with Sweden for the gold medal on Sunday. We've already given you the full recap on delightfully nationalist pre-match trash talk, so now let's relive the hockey+Internet madness as it happened Friday.
Pre-match trash talk spread so far and wide that NBC Olympics honcho Jim Bell couldn't even contain his glee about the company's streaming numbers.
Over 300k streaming USA/Canada hockey... before the puck dropped. #nbcolympics— Jim Bell (@jfb) February 21, 2014
USA/Canada hockey streams now over 400k and growing. Welcome to the revolution. #nbcolympics— Jim Bell (@jfb) February 21, 2014
Then the puck was dropped. Lines were drawn once and for all -- especially by Americans.
Puck drop. Hell yes, LETS GO USA— Hannah Reed (@_HannahReed_) February 21, 2014
God bless America... Land that I love... Stand beside her & guide her!!! USA USA USA!!! Puck drop... Now!!! #USAvCAN— Drew Steele (@t3mperedsteele) February 21, 2014
puck drop!...hoping for good hockey, no injuries and a USA win! #SoGladIDontWork #TeamUSA #Sochi2014— J (@Lovethe88) February 21, 2014
The New York Times, as they are wont to do, kept us abreast of the scene in Sochi.
A little life in the arena. U-S-A chants get drowned out by CAN-A-DA chant. Dissolves into usual chaos. PA system takes over.— NYT Olympics (@SochiNYT) February 21, 2014
Canadian broadcaster Don Cherry brought his usual fashion, um, sense?
Your official Don Cherry intermission wardrobe update: pic.twitter.com/AI3qUHu2ZQ— Justin Ferguson (@JFergusonAU) February 21, 2014
People shared photos of their viewing arrangements.
I'm kind of working... #TeamUSA @NBCOlympics pic.twitter.com/D5GeaqhZZ4— Tod Sturgeon (@7of69) February 21, 2014
@NBCOlympics pic.twitter.com/6TSWoB0THg— Nisreen Ibrahim (@NisreenIbrahimk) February 21, 2014
Hockey semifinals are priority #1 at @thedailybeast @moneyries @HellerJake @benteitelbaum pic.twitter.com/etQOmhE5xG— Nina Strochlic (@NinaStrochlic) February 21, 2014
@NBCOlympics convinced our Spanish teacher to let us watch the game. USA pic.twitter.com/InwF3NUQ6p— Emily Wiegers (@ewiegs) February 21, 2014
And Jim Bell was more pumped up than ever.
USA/Canada hockey over 700k CONCURRENT streams. NBC Sports digital record. Higher than Super Bowl in 2012. If this goes to a shootout... oy.— Jim Bell (@jfb) February 21, 2014
Then Jamie Benn scored his second-period goal. That led to one of those situations where your entire Twitter stream looks like this.
With one more period to go and the score 1-0, the Canadians were filled with optimistic anxiety. The Americans tried to rally.
Third period. Deep breath. Buckle up.— Bruce Arthur (@bruce_arthur) February 21, 2014
"WAS IT OVER WHEN THE GERMANS BOMBED PEARL HARBOR? HELL NO!!!" #USA— Amanda Rykoff (@amandarykoff) February 21, 2014
But Canada was just too dominant on the ice. As time wound down, America was forced to take a long look in the mirror. The reflection it saw was frightening.
.@usahockey any time you’re ready— Erik Malinowski (@erikmal) February 21, 2014
Team USA missing easy passes now. Gripping.— paulkaps (@paulkaps) February 21, 2014
NOOOOOOOOOOOOO— Nate Scott (@aNateScott) February 21, 2014
I, for one, welcome our new Canadian overlords.— Richard Deitsch (@richarddeitsch) February 21, 2014
Game? Over. Hopes? Dashed. This had been the most popular piece of pre-match hype before the shutout.
Nothing is higher than the stakes of tomorrow’s game. pic.twitter.com/usqJ9EPTpg— Command Sign (@CommandSign) February 20, 2014
So, America, the question becomes: Are you ready for four more years of this?
