The USA pulled off a stunning 5-3 win over gold medal favourites Canada in an eagerly awaited Olympic ice hockey clash.
Canadians crave an ice hockey gold medal at their Games more than anything else and, although this was only a preliminary round meeting, losing to its southern neighbours was not in the script.
Both teams had already qualified from their group but a youthful American side has now put down an important marker with the knockout stages to come.
Home fans in the 19,300-capacity Canada Hockey Place were hoping 22-year-old wonderkid Sidney Crosby would step up for his country having led his club side the Pittsburgh Penguins to Stanley Cup glory last season.
But the Americans were quickly out of the traps, Brian Rafalski firing home past veteran goalkeeper Martin Brodeur after just 41 seconds.
Eric Staal levelled after eight minutes and 53 seconds but the US hit right back, Rafalski sweeping up the ice alone to shoot across Brodeur into the top corner just 22 seconds later.
The Canadians went into the break 2-1 down US keeper Ryan Miller having pulled off 18 saves.
Dany Heatley levelled with a third of the second period gone but the USA forged ahead again through Chris Drury of the New York Rangers who scored from close range after 36:46.
The USA built a two-goal cushion through Jamie Langenbrunner's goal at 47:09 but when Drury was sent to the penalty box for tripping the US defence could not hold firm as Rick Nash centred for Crosby to score Canada's third from short range.
That set up a frantic final three minutes and the Canadians pulled their keeper to throw six men onto the open ice but, with 45 seconds remaining, they lost possession and Ryan Kesler broke away to score into an open net.
Afterwards Crosby was philosophical about the defeat, saying: "It is one game and you run into a hot goalie (Miller) now and then. We were pressing to tie the game and he made some big saves."
Earlier Russia had beaten the Czech Republic 4-2 in their preliminary round clash.
Up on Whistler Mountain Bode Miller's long wait for Olympic gold finally came to an end as he produced a storming slalom run to take the super-combined title.
Miller failed to live up to expectations four years ago in Turin when he led after the downhill section of the super-combined but was disqualified in the slalom and ended the Games with no medals.
But 32-year-old Miller, seventh after the downhill run, exorcised those demons by producing the fastest slalom leg for a gold medal-winning combined time of two minutes, 44.92 seconds.
"It's just awesome," said Miller. "The way I executed, the way I skied, is something I'll be proud of the rest of my life."
"I skied with 100 percent heart. I didn't hold anything back."
Miller, went into the event with a silver and bronze medal in the bag from the super-G and downhill and admitted he had tired badly in the latter stages of the slalom.
"My legs started feeling really wobbly," he said. "I didn't even feel like I was looking at the gate anymore."
Croatian Ivica Kostelic claimed the silver medal, 0.33 seconds behind, while Swiss Silvan Zurbriggen took the bronze 0.40 seconds adrift.
Norwegian Aksel Lund Svindal, who led after the downhill section posting 1:53.15, failed to finish the slalom section.
Svindal won the super-G