2010 OLYMPICS - CANADA MEN'S TEAM WIN THRILLER OVER SWITZERLAND IN A SHOOT OUT

Canada took a 2-0 lead only to see Switzerland come back and tie the game at 2-2 and force overtime. It finally went to a shoot out, in the first round no one was able to score. It was Crosby his second chance, this time in stead of try to deak, came straight down the centre and shot near the blue line for the win. (Photo: Sidney Crosby - Canada Press)

VANCOUVER, British Columba - TSN.ca -

For all those years growing up in Cole Harbour, N.S., Sidney Crosby dreamed of a moment just like this one - scoring a goal, in the shootout, to win a game for Canada at the Olympics.

But in the dream, said Crosby, "I scored on the first shot."

No matter. The script reads better this way.

In a wildly entertaining game played in front of a full house at Canada Hockey Place that came down to the fourth round of shooters - and permitted coach Mike Babcock to use Crosby a second time - Canada escaped with a narrow 3-2 victory over the Swiss, setting up a game on Sunday against the Americans, with top spot in Group A up for grabs.

The Canadian Press - CTV - Olympics.ca

By Jamie Bell, CTV - Olympics.ca

Thursday, February 18, 2010 9:55 PM ET

For the second straight Olympics Switzerland has given Canada all that they can handle as they are heading to a shootout tied at two at in their Group ‘A' encounter.

The San Jose Sharks' dynamic duo opened the scoring as Patrick Marleau found his Sharks' running mate Dany Heatley who made no mistake, beating Jonas Hiller for his third of the tournament.

The Swiss' undisciplined play has cost them early in the second as Yannick Weber was called for hooking seconds into the second stanza. Canada made him pay immediately as Shea Webber's point shot deflected off Heatley to Marleau who banged it home.

Although Canada continued to attack, it was the Swiss who struck against the run of play as Rutheman's blast beat Martin Brodeur high-glove side to pull within one.

Canada's offence took a major hit in the second period when Raffaele Sannitz drilled Jarome Iginla with what appeared to be a hit to the head. Iginla left the ice dazed and did not take another shift in the game.

The Swiss continued to buzz around the Canadian net and they were eventually rewarded. With a penalty on the way to Chris Pronger, Patrick Von Guten's centering pass deflected off Marleau into the empty net to silence the fans at Canada Hockey Place.

There was plenty of anxious moments in the third but none more so than when Sidney Crosby hit the deck after taking a stick to the face by Andres Ambuhl. He left the ice bloodied but did return.

Whenever Canada pressed, Jonas Hiller was equal to the task, robbing Anaheim Ducks' teammates Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf on back-to-back scoring chances.

Hiller was certainly the difference in the frame as Canada continued to pepper him with shots as he came up with big saves on Heatley and Eric Staal to keep the sides level.

Team Canada's power play went back to work as Thierry Paterlini was called for a hook on Crosby, but Hiller and the Swiss penalty killers did a masterful job at keeping the Canadians at bay and sending this one to overtime.

Despite being outshot 18-3 in the period, the Swiss went to their dressing room excited about what transpired in the frame.

Very little was achieved in the extra frame so for the first time in the tournament there was a shootout to decide the result.