MILAN, Italy — WPTV Anchors Mike Trim and Meghan McRoberts immediately connected with U.S. and Canadian hockey fans in Milan, Italy, after the thrilling overtime finish to the gold medal game.
“I got one thing to say, we’re here for Canadian tears,” American fan Charlie Bruns told Trim.
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“The whole experience was amazing. You know what I mean? We’re surrounded by Canadians, we were in a sea of red, but we still came out on top and that’s what’s important,” Bruns said.
Trim and McRoberts have reported from Milan for two weeks for WPTV’s Panthers in Milan coverage.
They watched the game in the busy Nivigli district near Milan, Italy, where fans of Team Canada far outnumbered USA hockey fans.
After Team USA scored the overtime winner, American hockey fan Mark Evenson of from Minnesota told McRoberts, “Just cinema that it was another Hughes brother, Jack Hughes. Put it away for America. Couldn’t be more proud. USA Canada, I mean the biggest rivalry in hockey since the miracle on ice against Russia in the 1980’s.”
Chantel Zanuttini/ of Ontario, Canada, told McRoberts, “Oh my gosh, we were shocked. We were shocked. We were mostly, like 90% Canadians in there and it was like a huge let down.”
David Bow of Quebec, Canada, was with his family when he told Trim, “I think we need to improve. As a father of a hockey player, I think Canada’s got to look at their hockey program and improve it a little bit, right? It’s our national sport, it’s what we care about more than anything else.”
McRoberts spoke to a boyfriend and girlfriend from California.
The girlfriend was a fan of Team USA and McRoberts asked, “She’s got a much better trip home than you after tonight?”
The boyfriend, with a Team Canada shirt on, replied, “She does, I don’t know if she’s going to rub it in or not, but yea she won this time. We’ll take it back 4 years later.”
Elise Bourbeau and Mary Loubier traveled to Milan from Quebec City, Canada.
Bourbeau told McRoberts, “I think we played good, but we were not lucky.”
Seven Florida Panthers players will return to the Sunshine State with Olympic medals.
Matthew Tkachuk won the gold medal with Team USA.
Sam Reinhart, Brad Marchand and Sam Bennett from Team Canada won silver.
Eetu Loustarinan, Niko Mikkola and Anton Lundell of Finland won the bronze medal game.
Three Panthers staff members are medal winners as well.
Panthers General Manager Bill Zito was the Assistant General Manager for Team USA.
Teddy Richards was an equipment manager for Team USA.
Assistant Coach Tuomo Ruutu served in the same role for Team Finland.
