VANCOUVER, British Columbia--A pair of former Fighting Sioux All-Americans took center stage today in the men's hockey gold medal game today at the Winter Olympics and neither disappointed.
Jonathan Toews (2005-07) scored the game's first goal -- his team-leading eighth point of the Olympics -- to lift Canada to a 3-2 overtime victory over the United States this afternoon.
The game was sent to overtime when another former Sioux great, Zach Parise (2002-04), scored the tying goal with just 24.4 seconds remaining in regulation and Team USA goalie Ryan Miller on the bench for an extra attacker.
Both Toews and Parise were in the starting lineup for their respective teams and both were on the ice in the final minute of regulation with one, Toews, trying to protect a lead and the other, Parise, trying to find the equalizer. Toews finished the tournament as Canada's top faceoff man, winning just under 65 percent of his draws.
Toews also tied for the Olympic lead in assists (seven) and plus/minus (+9) while becoming the third former Fighting Sioux to win Olympic gold in men's hockey. David Christian (1977-79) won gold for the United States in 1980 in Lake Placid, N.Y., as part of the famed "Miracle on Ice" team, while goalie Ed Belfour was a part of Canada's gold medal-winning team in 2002 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Parise tied for the team lead in both goals and points and was the subject of a Sports Illustrated feature article during the Games.
Following the gold medal game, Toews received the Tournament Directorate Award for Best Forward and was joined on the tournament all-star team by Parise.
Additionally, former Sioux defenseman Brad Pascall (1988-92) serves as the Senior Director of National Men's Teams for Hockey Canada. While at UND, Pascall was a teammate of current Sioux head coach Dave Hakstol.
Earlier in the Olympics, UND's Monique and Jocelyne Lamoureux helped lead the United States to a silver medal in women's hockey.
Fighting Sioux athletics would like to congratulate Jonathan, Zach, Brad, Monique and Jocelyne for making the University of North Dakota proud on the sporting world's grandest stage!
~Go Sioux~
