Crosby's childhood coach ecstatic for Canada's 4 Nations Face-Off championship

Paul Mason has coached minor hockey and minor baseball in Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, for 46 years. He's been fortunate enough to have coached several NHL players, including Sidney Crosby, who is playing for Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off. Paul and his wife, Dana, and Crosby's parents, own Top Shelf Pro Shop at Cole Harbour Place, Crosby's childhood rink. Paul can often be found at the pro shop or on the ice there. His son, Liam, helps him coach and his daughter, Kirsti, coaches ringette at the rink.

In his final update, Mason talks about watching the 4 Nations Face-Off Final where he and his Cole Harbour peewee team are playing in a tournament and the euphoria that gripped players and parents alike when Canada took the championship with a 3-2 win against the United States in an overtime thriller. Nathan MacKinnon, who played in Cole Harbour as well, was the MVP of the tournament and had the opening goal at TD Garden on Thursday. Crosby finished the tournament with five points (one goal, four assists), one point behind United States defenseman Zach Werenski.

The Quebec International Pee-Wee Tournament is a busy week with games and events scheduled throughout. A watch party was a definite must for the championship game of the 4 Nations Face-Off. The conference room at our hotel was secured on a first-come, first-served basis.

As such, parents and coaches on our team stationed themselves in the conference room 4-1/2 hours before game time. The room filled up with our parents and players.

Before long, other teams and their families, staying in the same hotel, asked if they could join us. Of course, we obliged and we got a few more chairs. Players were sprawled out on the floor. There were two teams and families from Gatineau enjoying the festivities along with our families and even a few others.

When the pregame show was getting closer to game time the energy in the room was obvious. Kids were cheering for every image of a Canadian player who appeared on the TV and booing at every image of an American player. The kids and adults proudly joined in for the singing of O’ Canada.

Throughout the game, the Cole Harbour kids led a variety of chants as the game unfolded. The most common chant was “Let’s go Crosby” but they chimed in with others such as, “You can’t do that,” when the USA took a penalty.

I thoroughly enjoyed the uncomfortable feeling in my stomach as the tight contest unfolded. My phone was buzzing from people I knew who were at their own watch parties. I received texts and pictures from many. People in Cole Harbour sent messages from two of the watch parties scheduled at our local arena, where Crosby and MacKinnon played, as well as a local watering hole.

A group of golfers from Nova Scotia who were in the Dominican Republic reached out. Friends on vacation in Mexico at a large, mostly Canadian, watch party sent messages. Several former Cole Harbour natives living abroad in Boston, Calgary, Newfoundland, as well as those at home, were proudly wearing their Canadian attire.

When Nathan opened the scoring the room exploded as it likely did in homes and venues across our country. What a feeling. The kids were jumping up and down, cheering enthusiastically.

Nova Scotia 1 USA 0.

The mood quickly changed when the USA tied the game and then it sank a little lower when defenseman Jake Sanderson scored the go-ahead goal. You could feel the increased tension in the room, which quickly turned to joy when Sam Bennett roofed a beauty to tie the game 2-2.

For the third period and the overtime the tension was only interrupted by the “Go Canada Go” cheers. Everyone was on the edge of their seats every time a player entered into the offensive zone.

There were several times in OT, when people would flail their arms and gasp, particularly when Jordan Binnington made some spectacular saves.

When Mitch Marner made the pass to Connor McDavid in the slot, you knew this was a great scoring chance. The place went nuts when McDavid ripped the puck in the top corner.

The Canadian win had secured their place at the top of the hockey charts. Our local boys, Crosby, MacKinnon and Brad Marchand had galvanized our Nova Scotia and the team, well as all of Canada.

No matter whether you are political or not, this game carried some meaning if you are a fan of hockey.

I doubt the kids from our team really know the significance of the game (Canada vs USA) in these political times. I would’ve had the same lack of understanding watching the Summit Series in 1972 when I was a young boy. Either way it was the stepping stone of the many Canada, best-on-best, hockey clashes the young players will experience. This one will be special because their hometown heroes were actually playing.

I’m sure they can hardly wait for the Olympics. I know I can’t!