VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- This was best possible way to end the Olympics for Canada.

Sidney Crosby, shut down most of the tournament, wristed a shot past Ryan Miller 7:40 into overtime after the United States tied it with 24.4 seconds left in regulation, and Canada survived a tense, taut game to beat the Americans 3-2 in the men's hockey final Sunday.

The win capped Canada's record gold rush in the Vancouver Games and set off a national celebration.

In one of the greatest games in Olympic history, Canada's collection of all-stars held off a young, desperate U.S. team that had beaten them the previous Sunday and, after staging a furious comeback after falling behind 2-0, almost beat them again.

With Canada less than a minute away from celebrating the gold medal that its hockey-crazed nation expected, Zach Parise tied it with Miller off the ice for an extra attacker.

The moment he scored, the sighs of disappointed fans probably could be heard from Vancouver to the Maritimes. Crosby, scoreless the previous two games, brought back the cheers with his second post-regulation game-winner of the tournament by scoring from the left circle. He also beat Switzerland in a shootout during the round robin.