‘We have to obviously drink our way out of this’: Vancouver bar takes in Olympic hockey loss

Vancouver fans in the Shark Club react to the moment Jack Hughes scored the Olympic gold-winning goal for the U.S. on Sunday, Feb. 22.

Dedicated fans were up before the sun rose in Vancouver to cheer on Team Canada as it battled the U.S. for Olympic gold in men’s hockey Sunday.

Local bars, which received permission from the province and city to open extra early for the big game, were packed for the puck drop at 5:10 a.m. PT.

Early morning beers in hand, the Shark Club Sports Bar on Georgia Street erupted in cheer when defenceman Cale Makar scored to tie the game at 1-1. Spectators were on the edge of their seats as the Canadians couldn’t score on several good chances toward the end.

The vibes were good, until they weren’t.

The bar sat in stunned silence for several minutes when Jack Hughes scored the golden goal in overtime for the U.S.

“It went completely silent, and then there was some cheering because we did play hard, but man, you could feel the entire nation went quiet when that goal hit,” one fan told CTV News.

“We have to obviously drink our way out of this, which is nothing new to Canadians,” said another, suggesting a solution for the country’s heartbreak.

“We had them where we wanted them. We outshot them. We did everything we could, but it’s just how the cookie crumbles,” the disappointed spectator continued. “My girl left me, and now this. So it’s been a brutal day.”

Both the Canadian men’s and women’s hockey teams are returning home from Italy with silver medals, and as one Shark Club patron pointed out, “the best thing is, we get another chance in four years.”

With files from CTV News Vancouver’s Ben Miljure