Police are getting ready for never-before-seen crowds in downtown Vancouver tonight as Team Canada takes on the U.S. in men's hockey.
Up to 150,000 people a night have been congregating to enjoy the Games in the city centre, where events are being broadcast in stores and restaurants and even on a giant screen on the side of a building.
Police are looking to have liquor stores shut down at 7 p.m. - four hours early - as they did on Saturday night, in order to curb public drinking.
"The crowd was exceptionally well-behaved, people were having a great time. It's always great to see people wearing red and white and singing 'O Canada' and waving the flags," said Const. Lindsey Houghton, spokesman for the Vancouver Police Department.
"People are having an excellent time and the Olympic spirit has sure caught on around here."
He said there was a lot less open drinking on the streets Saturday night and fewer incidents.
"We think the liquor stores closing early had a large part to do with that."
Houghton says police hope it stays that way tonight, but they have increased their presence on the streets because of the massive crowds.
"Any time you have exceptionally large crowds, some of whom are drinking alcohol, and some of those people to excess, you always have the potential for alcohol-fuelled violence," Houghton said. "We want this to be a family event. We want this to be fun. We want people to come down and party but do it responsibly, and by reducing the amount of open liquor, we think we're facilitating that."
Vancouver is still haunted by the aftermath of the city's 1994 Stanley Cup loss, when thousands of drunken fans poured out of the stadium and rioted in the same area where Olympic celebrations are taking place today.
"We think people have matured a bit since then. People recognize that the Olympics... is something to be proud about.
"We're positive it's not going to (happen again)."
By Sunday morning, fans wearing Canadian flags for capes and with their faces painted with maple leafs were streaming about the streets. One woman carried a sign: "Je t'aime Sidney." (I love you, Sidney)
Stragglers from the night before mixed with fresh-faced moms and dads with kids in tow, ambling by the Olympic cauldron on the city's waterfront before heading to the downtown core to scope out a spot for the game.
"Really excited," said Jackie Webbe, who was downtown early with her husband, David. "I think it's going to be a great game and we're hoping the next game will be the gold medal."
The Webbes live in North Vancouver.
Rob King, of Penticton, B.C., said he was feeling good about the game.
"I think Canada is going to kick some butt and let's go! Canada take it to 'em."
Olympic officials have repeatedly commented on the somewhat unexpected outpouring of Canadian national pride, as night after night, the stands at Olympic events and the streets of the city have filled with maple-leaf sporting, O Canada-singing Canucks.
Houghton says there were between 120,000 and 150,000 people downtown on Friday night. They expect even bigger numbers on "Super Sunday."
The force has increased its presence on the streets and is getting some help from the Integrated Security Unit responsible for venues, but Houghton said they don't expect any trouble.
"We've shown that 'we', as a collective `we,' can have fun and welcome the world, and hopefully people who are visiting can take home that lasting, positive impression of Vancouver," he said.
