Winter Olympics: Canada hopes The Next One nets the big one

As the Vancouver Games enter their closing hours, most forms of criticism have been replaced by gushing patriotism.

The host nation's medal haul is receiving inversely proportionate coverage to those 'pesky' issues that initially clouded the event.

The awkwardness surrounding the unseasonably mild weather, the cancelled tickets, the dysfunctional Olympic cauldron and the rationale behind fixing what was still described as a 'safe' luge track, even though it cost Georgian Nodar Kumaritashvili his life, has largely faded into the ether.

Still, you can't deny Canadians a chance to literally bask in what has been plenty of rare February sun. They're unlikely to "Own The Podium" with the most medals, as has been the celebrated catchphrase.

However, they're having a decent crack at getting the most golds, which is surely the Olympic point anyway.

One gold medal will weigh more than others. The nation which prides itself on inventing ice hockey - or hockey as it is known in these parts - has a point to prove. Canada won the women's competition, now attention turns to the men's.

All other gongs will lose a little lustre should Canada win that final tomorrow (NZT). What would make victory sweeter is that it would be over their fiercest rivals the United States, who beat them 5-3 earlier in the tournament.

It is hard to see even New Zealand rugby fanaticism ever rivalling the passion Canadians have for their sport, even though Canada's lack of success at the Olympics rivals New Zealand's at World Cups (they last won in 2002, the first time for 50 years).

A privileged seat rinkside at Hockey Place during Canada's 8-2 win over Germany proved that point. Perhaps it's the sound of 18,000 fans' cheers reverberating off the roof but it's a far greater cacophony than any footy ground.

Then there's the kaleidoscope of red-and-white jerseys adorned with names of national sporting heroes like the Vancouver Canucks captain and latest starting goaltender Roberto Luongo or 22-year-old centre Sidney Crosby, who holds the daunting tag of "The Next One" in reference to "The Great One", Wayne Gretzky.

A Canadian win means negotiating seething streets and bustling buses containing people who spontaneously break into chants of "Can-ah-dah, Can-ah-dah".

There's clearly not a great deal else to do in the Canadian winter. To be fair, the win over Russia was the first at an Olympic campaign since 1960.

The key question - and it's something for New Zealand to ponder as the Rugby World Cup looms - is "was it worth it?"

C$66 million [$90 million] of taxpayer money has been invested in athletes at these Games. A return is understandably expected.

The overriding feeling is they have been a success; any event which has people selflessly banding together under a banner of goodwill can be justified as such.

But that will be a much easier sentence to get out if Canada's hockey juggernaut can triumph one last time.