Sidney Crosby Loses Some Hometown Love, Also His Gear

Last night, in the first game back with the Penguins following his gold medal clinching overtime goal for Canada in the Olympics, Sidney Crosby's reception from the Pittsburgh crowd was eclipsed by that for the Sabres' Ryan Miller, who served as goalie for Team USA in Vancouver. Worse still, the reaction to replays of Crosby's goal from Sunday was flecked with more than a few boos in Mellon Arena.

No doubt that was a temporary thing and Sid will soon get back the unquestioning allegiance of Penguins fans, but one thing he may struggle to regain is some of the gear he was using during Sunday's gold medal game, which appears to have gone missing.

The stick Sidney Crosby used to score the gold-medal winning goal in overtime against the United States on Sunday in the men's hockey final and the gloves he was wearing cannot be found and Hockey Canada is investigating the matter.

The equipment went missing after the Canadian players shed their gear to celebrate on the ice at Canada HockeyPlace.

"There was quite a jubilation celebration going on on the ice," HockeyCanada's executive vice-president of hockey operations Johnny Misley said in a telephone interview. "The equipment was all collected from all those athletes and that one player's [equipment] just wasn't among them."

Sid has, however, retained his mouthguard from the game. That may not be as important for posterity as the stick and gloves, methinks.

Back in 2005, the jersey Crosby wore in the gold medal victory of the International Ice Hockey Federation world junior championships against Russia was taken from his hockey bag by an Air Canada baggage handler. The jersey was eventually recovered and sold off at a charity auction. More likely if the Olympics stick and gloves are recovered, one or both is headed for the Hockey Hall of Fame.

(H/T to Puck Daddy)

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