3) Canadian Football: Saskatchewan vs Montreal, 2009 Grey Cup
The “best sports ending” label might not apply here if you are a Saskatchewan Roughriders fan. But, like it or not, the final scenes of the 2009 Grey Cup will go down in infamy as one of the most ridiculous endings to any event, ever.
The Riders dominated the Alouettes throughout the game, and with 10 minutes left led 27–11. Montreal got two quick touchdowns to make it 27–25, and had chance to win with a last second field goal. Damon Duval missed, and Rider nation cheered as they thought they had won the Grey Cup. Except they hadn’t.
The referees announced that Saskatchewan had too many men on the field, and everyone in the prairies collectively cursed the sports gods. Duval was given a second chance, and he sunk it, giving Montreal a 28–27 victory.
2) Soccer: Manchester City vs QPR, 2011–2012 EPL Season
The 2011-2012 EPL season was one of the tightest on record, with rivals Manchester City and Manchester United duking it out for the league title. Going into the last game, City and United were tied on points, but City were ahead in the tiebreaker. Manchester United won their final game, meaning that City had to beat QPR to win the title.
City were the odds-on favourites to win the game; however, QPR were determined to play spoilers. After City took the lead, QPR stormed ahead 2–1, and it appeared that United would win the title. In the 90th minute, Edin Dzeko tied the game off a corner, and then history was made when Sergio Aguero dribbled past a QPR defender and scored in the 94th minute to give Manchester City their first title since 1968.
1) Hockey: Canada vs USA, 2010 Olympics
It was February 28, 2010. Canada Hockey Place was the location. The teams were Canada and USA. And the prize on the line was Olympic Gold. The stakes couldn’t be higher.
USA had established themselves as the best team in the tournament, beating Canada in the round robin and embarrassing Finland in the semifinals 6–1. Canada had learned from their first American incursion, though, and started the game guns blazing. Toews scored in the first, and Perry in the second to make it 2–0 for Canada.
The Americans, channeling the spirit of Rocky Balboa, fought back and made it 2–1 going into the third. Then the unthinkable happened: with 25 seconds left, Zach Parise tied it up, sending Americans into hysterics and the game into OT.
All of Canada held its collective breath as the puck dropped to start the extra frame, and both teams fought like gladiators to try and gain the gold. The deadlock was finally broken when Iginla threaded the puck to Sidney Crosby, who shot it five hole past Ryan Miller, giving Canada their greatest win in Olympic history.