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Кубок Мира по хоккею 1996 года

 

The Best of Canada vs. Russia

By MARK MILLER -- Calgary Sun
At times, it's been bloody.
Other nights have produced pure artistry on ice.
For almost 25 years, there has been nothing like it to unite Canada in a common purpose. Canada vs. Russia. Their best vs. ours.
It began with Kharmalov, Yakushev, Mikhailov and Tretiak vs. Esposito, Orr, Henderson and Dryden in 1972.
It peaked in 1987 with Makarov, Krutov, Larionov vs. Gretzky, Lemieux and Coffey.
Tonight's game resurrects the rivalry that has produced some of the best and worst moments in international hockey.
The intensity of the rivalry has erupted in violence at times -- the 1987 World Junior brawl, the 1975 Red Army-Philadelphia battle.
In 1972, Bobby Clarke felled Soviet star Valery Kharmalov with a vicious slash. Boris Mikhailov replied by kicking holes in Canuck defenceman Gary Bergman's shin pads.
But above all the rivalry has taken the game of hockey to a new level -- both styles have adapted the strengths of each other's to produce a highly skilled, physical style of play.
"I remember at my first Canada Cup I was in awe of them and whenever they practised I made sure I went and watched," said defenceman Paul Coffey. "They never really had our work ethic but their skating was impressive to watch.
"I used to try and learn something. I'd watch everything (Viacheslav) Fetisov did. I think everybody has learned from them but now it's not unlike any other big international game.
"You've got all these guys playing in the league now so there aren't any surprises anymore."
For the Russians, there is extra motivation.
The political environment that produced the powerful Soviet hockey team has crumbled and with it the ability to keep its best players in a national program.This will be the last international competition which will feature players produced from that system.
After years as playing as the Soviet Union, CCCP and CIS it is finally a true Russian team that will compete.
"Back home, people are calling us the Dream Team, and there are a lot of expectations on us," said Fetisov. "We want to make the Russian people proud of us, because this is the first time we have played for Russia instead of the Soviet Union."
Here's a snapshot into that magic of Canada vs. Russia.

1954: WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
CCCP 7, EAST YORK LYNDHURSTS 2
This was the international debut of the Russian hockey team created by the creative hockey genius of Anatoli Tarasov.
Canada sent its customary amateur team, this time a good Senior B team that until then had been good enough to win the world championships.
It was a game played outdoors on a warm afternoon in Stockholm but the bad ice didn't slow the high-flying Russians who used superior speed and passing to win convincingly.
Back in Canada, news of the loss came as a shock, called by some a catastrophe. In the Soviet Union, little if no mention was made of the fact this was not the best Canadian team.

1972:THE SUMMIT SERIES
Game One -- Soviet Union 7 Canada 3
In what may have been the single worst scouting report in hockey history, the NHL stars were told the Russian goaltending was bad.
For an already-confident group of the premier NHL players it was just another reason to believe they would dispatch of the Russians easily. Even though they did not have the services of four WHA stars including Bobby Hull and J.C. Tremblay, it was the most impressive team ever assembled by Canada.
"I wouldn't say we were overconfident but I had played in Europe a few years before and wasn't impressed by what I saw," said Canadian defenceman Guy Lapointe.
"Before the game we were loose and joking around and then we scored the first two goal early in the first period and we were pretty happy."
Then the Russian Bear growled.
Perhaps intimidated by their first game in the venerable Montreal Forum the Russians quickly utilized their high flying skating and circling offence to strike back -- tying the score at 2-2 before the end of the first period before routing Canada's best 7-3.
Shock and anger set in.
The Russian goalie Vladislav Tretiak was as good as anyone in the NHL. Team Russia had served notice hockey was no longer the sole domain of Canada.
"You don't like to get beat and that builds hate but you also had to respect them as hockey players,' said Lapointe.

1972: SUMMIT SERIES
Game 8 -- Canada 5 Soviet Union 4
After seven games, the series was tied at three wins and a tie -- only a fierce Canadian rally in the final four games on the bigger ice surface in Russia allowed them a final opportunity to save face.
It was a series that jolted the entire nation awake to the real, burgeoning talent of the Russians.
In Game 7, Paul Henderson scored a late goal for a 4-3 Canadian win, setting the stage for the drama of Game 8.
"I remember before the last game I could barely breathe before the first faceoff,' said Lapointe, now a Flames assistant coach.
"We all realized how important the game was and if we lost what kind of affect it would have on everyone back in Canada."
Trailing 5-3, entering the third period Canada scored in the first three minutes to make it a one goal game.
Speedy Yvan Cournoyer tied it with seven minutes left and Canada continued to swarm the Russian net.
In the most famous moment in Canadian hockey, Henderson slammed a rebound past Tretiak for the game and series winner with just 34 seconds remaining in the game.
Canada won the series.
But hockey would never be the same.
For Canadians in their 30s and 40s, it was one of those defining moments in your life where you always remember where you were ... the day President Kennedy was shot, the day Neil Armstrong took one giant step for mankind ... and the day Paul Henderson beat the Soviets and a nation breathed a collective sigh of relief.

1975: THE SUPER SERIES

Montreal CANADIENS 3, Red Army 3
This game is regarded by many hockey observers as the best ever played.
Surprisingly though, many of those players who participated don't.
"It was a good game but nothing like the 1972 series," said Canadiens defenceman guy Lapointe.
"The thing I remember about that game is that we outplayed and outshot them and they were lucky to get the tie."
Luck came in the form once again of goalie Vladislav Tretiak, who stopped 35 of 38 shots while his team only managed 13 on Ken Dryden in the Canadiens net.
It was a fast-paced game that didn't feature a lot of the goon tactics that some Canadian teams had employed in the past to upset the Russians.

1987: THE CANADA CUP
Finals
Game 1: Soviet Union 6 Canada 5
Game 2: Canada 6 Soviet Union 5
Game 3: Canada 6 Soviet Union 5
Simply, the best international hockey ever played.
It can't compare to the historical importance of 1972 but the hockey is unsurpassed.
Game 1 went to the Soviets on Alexandre Semak's overtime goal, forcing Canada into a must-win situation in the remaining two games of the best of three format.
In Game 2 again it went to overtime and wasn't until the 31st minute that Mario Lemieux scored the winner,.
The Soviets took a commanding three-goal lead in Game 3 but Canada stormed back led by Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky.
Tied going into the final minutes Gretzky set up Lemieux on a three-on- one break and the Penguins star buried it high over the Soviet goalie for the winner with 1:26 left.

1987: WORLD JUNIORS
Canada 2 Soviets 0
when game canceled because of bench clearing brawl.
It was dubbed the Punchout at Piestany.
Two Canadians on the ice at the time are current Flames, Theo Fleury and defenceman Steve Chiasson
"The Russians were out of the tournament and had nothing to lose and I don't know if it was premeditated," recalled Fleury. "It was crazy -- I'd never been involved in a game like that. It was nice redemption to go into Moscow and beat them the next year."
Chiasson said the brawl started after a scuffle involving Everett Sanipass, Fleury and Mike Keane with the Russians.
"Before I knew it everyone had squared off and the Russians were coming off the bench -- it was wild," said Chiasson.
"You were just trying to grab a guy with one hand to rip off his helmet and throwing as fast as you could with the other.
"The Russians weren't great fighters, they were scratching and kicking -- the guy beside me got kicked right in the jewels."
20.Monday, August 26, 1996

Источник - "Calgary Sun"

 

 

 

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