The dust has settled somewhat since Team Canada lost its semi-final match-up against the Russians two nights ago at the World Junior Hockey Championships in Calgary by the ironic score of 6-5.
Fans have hardly had the time to conduct a proper autopsy of the heartbreaking loss to our long time international foes, that now our boys must hit the ice this afternoon in the bronze medal game against Finland.
While it is certainly true that we never send a hockey team to represent us, and our game, hoping and dreaming for a bronze medal, winning this game is very important for a number of reasons.
Beyond the facts that as a nation, it often feels as though the only thing we can really agree on is the fact that we all believe that hockey and Canada are synonymous, and that a loss today will undoubtedly send all the writers, analysts, and barroom experts in a tizzy, winning this game is important for the players.
I would suspect that being selected as a member of Team Canada is the highest honour that these young men have ever had bestowed upon them. Of the thousands and thousands of boys who play this game across the country, these are the chosen ones.It is something that they have dreamed about, and worked towards, their whole lives.
A win today and they can say that they came back hard in the 3rd period against the Russians, lost by a goal, and kept it going for one more game. A loss however, would rob them of that privilege and turn what should have been one of their lives' greatest times, into one that they'd rather forget.
And when it's all said and done, no one wants to have to live with regrets.
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