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Paul Henderson never saw the puck go in.
While Sidney Crosby was turning an entire nation into a frenzy with The Goal Heard ’Round Canada on Sunday, Henderson was speaking to 120 couples who had gathered at the swank Crystal Ballroom at Victoria’s historic Empress Hotel for a marriage conference.
Having booked this ill-timed speaking engagement more than a year earlier, Henderson had managed to see part of the second period of the Olympic gold medal game. Now he was in the midst of giving his final lecture of the day. While overtime was going on, no less.
Thankfully, several members of the audience were wearing iPods. Sure enough, as Sid The Kid’s shot squeezed through the five-hole of US goalie Ryan Miller, screams of “Crosby has scored” echoed throughout the room.
Henderson stopped in mid-sentence. This was a landmark event, even for a man who had produced one of his own back in 1972.
So Paul Henderson did what came naturally for Paul Henderson at this particular moment in time.
He burst into song.
Thirty-eight years earlier, his amazing goal in the memorable Summit Series had caused an entire country to sing the national anthem.
Now, almost four decades later, it was a Crosby goal that caused Henderson himself to sing it.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve been that excited,” Henderson said Monday evening. “And it’s the first time I’ve ever led a chorus of O Canada.
“We had a handful of American couples in the room. And, as my wife pointed out, they stood up when we were singing our anthem. That’s class.
“When you instinctively start singing O Canada, well, it’s something we’ll never forget.”
Just like those of us who were around in ’72 will never forget Henderson’s own claim to fame.
And there’s the rub.
In the euphoric aftermath of a country-wide celebration that may have left Canada with the biggest collective hangover it has ever seen, there has been an outbreak of analysis and opinion as to where Crosby’s goal should be slotted in terms of this country’s all-time sporting moments.
Was it bigger than Henderson’s series-winner with 34 seconds left in Game 8 back in ’72?
Does it mean more than Mario Lemieux’s spectacular last-minute goal against the Russians that won Canada the Canada Cup at Hamilton’s Copps Coliseum in 1987?
It’s a fun debate, to be sure.
Yet, in many ways, an irrelevant one.
Why do we have to rank these events in order of importance? We shouldn’t. Each one, after all, left its unique footprint on our cultural fabric at the time.
There is no doubt that Henderson’s tally is the most historic goal in the history of Canada, if not the most historic sporting moment. In 1972, the Soviet Union was a mysterious place behind the Iron Curtain. They were still considered the enemy. The political ramifications cut much deeper than those surrounding the 2010 gold medal game, which left U.S. President Barack Obama owing Stephen Harper a case of beer.
The 5% Canadian variety, not that watered-down American grog.
Of course, most historic is one thing: Most important is quite another.
For an entire generation of Canadians 30 and under, it doesn’t get any more significant than Sunday’s Crosby Show. Those who were born when Magnificent Mario scored in ’87 were still young kids. And they certainly were not on this earth when Henderson weaved his magic in ’72.
“You hit the nail on the head,” Henderson said. “That’s why you can’t rank these things. It’s just so subjective. For this generation, it doesn’t get better than this. And it’s great that it came from Sidney Crosby, our best. I couldn’t be happier for him. It couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.
“Listen, Ron Ellis and I were in Hamilton in 1987 when Mario scored. We almost jumped out of the box, we were so excited.”
Henderson was excited this time too.
He even bought himself a 2010 official Team Canada jersey, customized with the name “HENDERSON” and the No. 19 stitched neatly on the back. He was going to wear it Sunday. Only he forgot it.
“Frustrating,” he said.
No matter. Upon walking outside after his speaking commitment was over, he was blown away by all the red-and-white out in the streets.
“Even in Victoria, people were waving flags, honking horns, it was amazing,” Henderson said. “I’ll never forget it.”
Nor will this country ever forget what Paul Henderson did in 1972, Sidney Crosby or no Sidney Crosby.
mike.zeisberger@sunmedia.ca