(Photo credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images)

MILAN -- For a nation that measures itself in hockey gold, Sunday's heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to the United States in overtime was more than a lost final. It was a symbolic shift in a rivalry Canada has long considered its own to win.

Canada, owners of nine Olympic men's hockey titles to the Americans' three, is a country whose national identity is intertwined with the sport.

This one will sting.

'Losing hurts, doesn't matter who it's to,' Canada's coach Jon Cooper said. 'I look at this game, I'm so proud of what went on. I'm proud of our country. I'm proud of our players and proud of our team.

'At the end, you're going to read in a book that in 2026 USA won the gold in Olympic hockey and Canada won the silver. I think in the grand scheme, the big winner of this tournament was ice hockey.'

SHADOW OF CROSBY'S ABSENCE

Back home, bleary-eyed Canadians had nursed beers before breakfast, bars opening as early as 5 a.m. on the West Coast as a nation gathered in hope.

Instead, they watched the U.S. celebrating, and Canada left to swallow a rare heartbreak on hockey's biggest stage, and on the heels of Canada's women's team losing gold to the U.S. in overtime.

The absence of captain Sidney Crosby -- the national hero responsible for so many defining Olympic moments including the golden goal in Canada's victory over the U.S. at the 2010 Olympics -- also cast a long shadow.

'You want to be out here and you want to find any way possible, but not at the expense of what needs to be done,' said the longtime Pittsburgh Penguins player, who sustained an injury in the quarterfinal against the Czechs. 'And watching the way we played today, guys played incredible.

Asked about being his last chance at a third Olympic gold, the 38-year-old known affectionately as 'Sid the Kid' admitted: 'It might have crossed my mind a little bit. But ultimately it was about what's best for our group.'

Teammates felt the weight of letting him down.

'He's been everything for this country,' said Macklin Celebrini, a 19-year-old forward for the San Jose Sharks. 'We wanted to get that for him and make him proud.'

Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand echoed his sentiments.

'You feel bad letting a guy like that down,' said Marchand. 'One of the best ever to play. Wish we could have got it done for him.'

HISTORY GUARANTEES NOTHING

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid wore the 'C' in Crosby's place, a moment many viewed as a symbolic passing of the torch. Crosby refused to frame it that way.

'I was just so grateful to be part of this group, the way we played, the way we got better with every game, that was so important. You could feel it,' Crosby said.

'I was thinking more about that, and just being grateful and thankful to be part of this group more than I was thinking about passing the torch or anything like that.

'(McDavid) was incredible. And as his teammate, it was fun to watch.'

Sunday was a painful reminder that history guarantees nothing. Canada had won the last three winner take all clashes with the Americans -- 2002, 2010 and last year's 4 Nations tournament.

They also escaped elimination with come-from-behind victories in both the quarterfinal and semifinal in Milan.

This time, despite dominating for long stretches, the magic ran out.

--Reuters, special to Field Level Media