Vancouver (AFP) - Sidney Crosby scored the winner in overtime as Canada won the Olympic title Sunday, beating the United States 3-2 to become the first host nation to capture men's hockey gold in 30 years.


Crosby got the winning goal 7:40 into the overtime period, taking a pass from Jarome Iginla and sliding a shot under the pads of US goaltender Ryan Miller.

"It doesn't even feel real. It feels like a dream," said Crosby as Canada clinched a record eighth Olympic men's hockey gold.

"Our team worked really hard in regulation time and they got that one by us in the end. But we came out in overtime and this is just an unbelievable feeling."

Canadian forward Patrick Marleau added: "It is unbelievable. I have never felt something like this before. As far as hockey goes it is the best moment I have ever had."

Crosby was held off the scoresheet for most of the tournament but he has a knack for scoring dramatic goals. Earlier in the tournament he scored the game winner in a shootout as Canada beat Switzerland 3-2 in the preliminary round.

Jonathan Toews and Corey Perry had earlier given Canada a 2-0 lead before the US fought back, equalising with just 24 seconds left in regulation time.

Roberto Luongo was superb in goal, making 34 stops for Canada who became the first host to win an Olympic final since the US triumphed at Lake Placid in 1980.

Ryan Kesler and Zac Parise scored for the US who suffered their first loss of the tournament after five straight wins.

"It is devastating," said US defenceman Jack Johnson. "We were one goal shy of a gold medal. It is the biggest game any of us have ever played in. Nothing we did before compares to this. You lose the silver you don't win it."

Canada had a 2-1 lead in the third and looked headed for victory but the US clawed back with Parise scoring his dramatic late leveller to send the final into sudden-death overtime.

Over 10 million Canadians were expected to watch the game on TV while, inside the arena, Prime Minister Stephen Harper was joined by Hollywood actors Vince Vaughn, Michael J. Fox and William Shatner as well as singers Michael Buble and Neil Young.

Crowds began forming outside the Canada Hockey Place arena four hours before the highly-anticiplated showdown between the two best teams in the tournament.

The game lived up to its billing as the teams traded chances throughout, and both goalies Luongo and Miller had to be at the top of their games.

It was a battle between Canada's potent scoring attack and the American defence anchored by Miller.

Forward Toews opened the scoring with just over seven minutes left in the first period beating Miller after picking up a rebound.

Mike Richards stole the puck from defenceman Brian Rafalski at the side of the US goal and took the first shot but it bounced right to Toews. It was the first goal of the tournament for Toews to go with seven assists.

Forward Perry picked up a loose puck and wristed it past Miller in the second period to make it 2-0 for Canada.

Ryan Getzlaf started the play by carrying the puck into the US zone. He tried to backhand a pass to Patrick Marleau but it hit a skate and Perry picked it up and easily beat Miller.

Kessler scored on a tip in just over four minutes later to cut the Canadians lead to one goal. Luongo got a piece of it but not enough as it trickled in to make it 2-1, setting the stage for Parise's game tieing goal.

Finland beat Slovakia for the bronze on Saturday.

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Gold for Canada, what a game. Congrats to USA players they played great the whole tournament but there is no way they were gonna take the gold from us on our ice. Maybe in Russia in 2014 but not in Vancouver. GO CANADA GO

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The most nerve racking game I've seen in a long time, way to go Canada, it's a celebration bitches! GO CANADA GO!