Olympic Hockey: United States Loses To Canada, Wins Justin Bieber

There’s a bet that shouldn’t have been made.

Those watching yesterday’s semi-final Olympic hockey game between the United States and Canada were greeted with an interesting wager put up by Command Sign, which is apparently the electronic billboard hanging on the side of the Command Transportation building in Skokie, Illinois. While its usual game is making goofy signs with the aim of going viral, this particular gem has been one of their most successful outings to date.

Given the immense popularity of the recent petition to deport Bieber back to Canada, it should come as no surprise that such a sign has gone viral.

Unfortunately for Team USA, a hockey victory wasn’t in the cards, as the United States fell to Canada 1-0. According to the stipulations set forth by the billboard, because electronic billboard bets are always legitimate, the USA has won the rights to continue to harbor Justin Bieber.

All Bieber jokes aside, by virtue of this victory, Canada has advanced to tomorrow’s gold medal hockey match against Sweden, who defeated Finland 2-1 in an earlier semi-final match at Bolshoy Ice Dome. A win tomorrow would give Canada their third gold medal in four Olympic games and win, lose, or draw, they are guaranteed their first medal outside of North America in two decades.

In light of their first Sochi defeat, the United States set forth to face Finland earlier this morning for the bronze medal, though the team could not rebound from their initial loss and was swept by Finland 5-0.

Team Canada has not even trailed during the 2014 Sochi Olympics and defeated the United States for the fourth time in five Winter Games that have taken place since 1988. While both teams entered the hockey rink undefeated during the Sochi tournament, the expected dramatic offensive showdown didn’t happen, with Canada’s steely defense effectively shutting down Team USA’s gold medal hockey aspirations.

America entered the match-up hoping for redemption from 2010’s brutal defeat but were ultimately reminded of the clout that Canada carries into Olympic hockey.

Both teams also entered the game down one man, with Canada missing forward John Tavares, who suffered a leg injury versus Latvia and the United States losing defenseman Paul Martin, who appeared at Friday’s morning skate with a cast on his hand.

Many hockey fans were expecting a game reminiscent of the wild barn-burner put on in the gold medal match between the United States and Canada’s women’s hockey teams but were instead witnesses to a ruthless performance with only one lone score which sent Canada to a gold medal match.

As for the US, Justin Bieber’s face will now be an unintentional reminder of the loss and the sting it brought for the four years leading up to the next Winter Games.