Canada's favourite son Sidney Crosby enabled the ice hockey team to put the crowning finish on the host nation's Winter Olympic campaign with the sudden death overtime winning goal that secured a 3-2 victory over the USA.
After a final weekend of action in Vancouver and Whistler had brought gold in the men's curling, three in short track speed skating and another in snowboarding, Canada also got to salute the one victory that meant most to the hockey-mad hosts and fittingly the winner came from Crosby.
Just a few hours before the closing ceremony at nearby BC Place, Canada Hockey Place had erupted into noisy celebration as goals from Jonathan Toews in the first period and Corey Perry in the second put the home side in front in a tight encounter against the American underdogs.
Then came the fightback as USA's Ryan Kesler scored late in the second to bring the score to 2-1 and set up a nailbiting third and final period that saw Canada forced to defend for long spells as the Americans went in search of an equaliser.
They got it with 24 seconds left, through Zach Parise to send the game into sudden-death overtime, only for Crosby to grab the glory 7:40 in.
The USA had been chasing its first men's ice hockey gold medal since the 'Miracle' team of 1980 defeated the Soviet Union en route to a gold-medal victory over Finland at Lake Placid, while the Canadians were looking to repeat their victory over USA in the 2002 final in Salt Lake City.
In their preliminary round encounter, Canada had been put on the back foot early by an American goal after just 40 seconds but the first clear-cut shot of the game came into the fifth minute, Canadian forward Jonathan Toews flashing the puck across the USA goal.
Canada goalkeeper Roberto Luongo was next to come under pressure as Ryan Malone had a chance blocked at the other end but the first goal came at the other end after 12 minutes and 50 seconds when USA keeper Ryan Miller blocked a shot from Mike Richards only for the puck to fall in front of Toews who blasted home from the rebound.
Some US frustration surfaced quickly as Bobby Ryan was sent to the penalty box for two minutes for tripping after up-ending Dany Heatley but the Canadians could not take advantage of the power play and the Americans went in at the end of the first period trailing 1-0.
There was some desperate US defending at start of second after Malone went to the penalty box for high sticking but again Miller and his defencemen held firm during the power play.
Eric Staal was the first Canadian to go in soon after, for interference, and this time the Americans could not make their numerical advantage tell. Canada went back to full strength to huge cheers and the home side went straight onto the offensive, Ryan Getzlaf going close.
The momentum stayed with Canada and Getzlaf forced the issue, cutting back from the left for Corey Perry to shoot high into the net past Miller for a 2-0 lead seven minutes into the period.
The stadium scoreboard asked the fans inside Canada Hockey Place to 'Make Some Noise' but there was really no need as they celebrated Perry's fourth goal of the tournament.
Canada continued to pressure