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The most famous hockey puck in Canadian history has been found after a global search and will now make its permanent home at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, it was announced Tuesday in Vancouver.

The puck used for the winning goal scored by Sidney Crosby in overtime to give the Canadian men the ice hockey gold medal in a 3-2 win over the USA. was located in a shipment sent accidently to the IIHF headquarter in Zurich, Switzerland.

Its discovery was announced in a joint statement by John Furlong, CEO of the Vancouver Winter Olympics organizer Vanoc, and Rene Fasel, president of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF).

The announcement concludes a mystery that has gripped hockey-mad Canada where the country's men's and women's team each won the gold medal at last month's Winter Olympics, both via victories over the arch-rival Americans.

In the aftermath of the celebration that ensued when Crosby scored the overtime winner, the stick and one of the gloves used by the Pittsburgh Penguins star disappeared, as well as the puck.

The missing stick, which Reebok was offering a 10,000 dollar reward for its return, was located in Toronto in a shipment heading to a private hockey museum of Russian collector Sergei Afanassiev.

The glove was found in the equipment bag of Crosby's Team Canada teammate Patrice Bergeron where it had been mistakenly placed.

"It is important for us that the puck will have a place where the country gets to enjoy and celebrate this on an ongoing basis," said Furlong who has become a local celebrity in the wake of success of the Winter Olympics where Canada won a record 14 gold medals.

"It will stay there (in Toronto) on the condition that it can be moved from time to time to different locations in the country where it can be celebrated and viewed in different parts of the country for the public to relive and enjoy what took place in Vancouver," said the Irishman.

"This is the most significant goal that has ever been scored by any Canadian team ever in our history and it's important we share it."

Bob Nicholson, president of Hockey Canada, called it a "puck that will live forever".

"It's something that will hopefully be delivered coast-to-coast in this country and will inspire young boys and girls to play the game of hockey.

"Hockey Canada and the International Ice Hockey Federation want to share it with everyone who loves the game around the world, but especially the Canadians."

AFP