Punch-Up at Piestany 20-year Anniversary.

God Bless Canada

Registered User
Jul 11, 2004
11,793
17
Bentley reunion
We experienced a terrific game today between Canada and the U.S. And we have a gold medal game between Canada and Russia on Friday. Perhaps it's ironic that Thursday is the 20-year anniversary of the infamous Punch-Up at Piestany between Canada and the USSR at the 1987 WJC.

I know that this is an emotional issue for some. Canada likely wins gold in that tournament if not for the incident. Let's try to keep this civil, and share memories of The Punch-Up, and its impact on the WJC.
 
Nov 29, 2003
51,894
35,904
Screw You Blaster
Visit site
We experienced a terrific game today between Canada and the U.S. And we have a gold medal game between Canada and Russia on Friday. Perhaps it's ironic that Thursday is the 20-year anniversary of the infamous Punch-Up at Piestany between Canada and the USSR at the 1987 WJC.

I know that this is an emotional issue for some. Canada likely wins gold in that tournament if not for the incident. Let's try to keep this civil, and share memories of The Punch-Up, and its impact on the WJC.

Actually if I remember correctly Canada would still have needed to score 3 more goals to have a chance at winning gold. Had the USSR just gone crazy and gotten themselves disqualified Canada would not have won.

Regardless, probably one of the craziest fights I've ever seen. What made it amusing was the tactic the stadium people tried to use, turning the lights on and off, reminded me of what they did in my elementary.
 

God Bless Canada

Registered User
Jul 11, 2004
11,793
17
Bentley reunion
I know that this is a controversial moment in hockey history. And I know that a lot of people view it as a black eye for the game.

But I think this is the single-most important moment in tournament history, at least from a Canadian perspective. I think it brought a lot of attention and prominence to this tournament. I know that my first memory of this tournament is walking in on this and the carnage on the ice, and then the lights going out.

When you look at the incredible popularity of this tournament in Canada, I think the launching point was the Punch-Up. People were talking about the WJC for the first time ever. Which is too bad, to a certain extent, because Canada had enjoyed some great moments, and been involved in some great games to that point.

While other events have contributed, and TSN's contributions can't be underestimated, the Punch-up got people talking about the tournament in a way that nobody had talked before. 20 years later, Canada is probably the only hockey country in the world where the WJC is the international hockey king.
 

Westcoasthabsfan

Registered User
Aug 22, 2004
7,419
2
In Pandoras Box
Actually if I remember correctly Canada would still have needed to score 3 more goals to have a chance at winning gold. Had the USSR just gone crazy and gotten themselves disqualified Canada would not have won.


Wrong, Canada had at least a silver medal and it was the Rukkies who didnt have anything to lose and Canada was leading that game as well 4-2 I believe
 

MMX

Registered User
Aug 3, 2005
356
0
Minsk
Actually if I remember correctly Canada would still have needed to score 3 more goals to have a chance at winning gold. Had the USSR just gone crazy and gotten themselves disqualified Canada would not have won.

Wrong, Canada had at least a silver medal and it was the Rukkies who didnt have anything to lose and Canada was leading that game as well 4-2 I believe

Hmm, you decided to quote Agent of the Cleric and even claimed that he was wrong, but did you actually read what he said?

To get gold, Canada had to beat USSR by at least 5 goal margin. They were leading 4-2 but still had to score 3 more goals and not surrender one.
 

espo*

Guest
2 goals,5 goals.Makes no difference as they were'nt given the chance to do it.

They were on their way to doing it though.
 

MMX

Registered User
Aug 3, 2005
356
0
Minsk
2 goals,5 goals.Makes no difference as they were'nt given the chance to do it.

They were on their way to doing it though.

Sure, no difference at all. Absolutely on their way. Not going to argue with this.

Still had to score at least 3 more goals, which was the original point of Agent of the Cleric.
 

The Viking Fury

Registered User
Nov 28, 2005
12,650
0
Was that the beginning of an illustrious carreer for Theo Fleury. I saw a clip of this for the firsttime yeasterday, until then it was just hockey lore to me. I think its pretty cool, one of the more historic moments of the Canada/Russia (USSR) Rivalry.
 

espo*

Guest
Sure, no difference at all. Absolutely on their way. Not going to argue with this.

Still had to score at least 3 more goals, which was the original point of Agent of the Cleric.

if you don't get the chance you don't get to see whether you can.Like you said,we were on our way with all the momentum.

That's certainly true.
 

emb24*

Guest
Hmm, you decided to quote Agent of the Cleric and even claimed that he was wrong, but did you actually read what he said?

To get gold, Canada had to beat USSR by at least 5 goal margin. They were leading 4-2 but still had to score 3 more goals and not surrender one.

who freakin' cares? bottom line canada had a medal waiting and russia didn't.
 

Macman

Registered User
May 15, 2004
3,447
408
Canada was dominating the game and at least another three goals for them was very achievable.
 

BruinsBtn

Registered User
Dec 24, 2006
22,080
13,546
I never understand why people still think that it matters if we had won the medal. What those guys did was way better than winning a medal -- they set a precedent. Canada may or may not have won the gold, but the Russians were out there running around trying to hurt people. They had nothing to lose and decided to make a mokery of the game. A fight broke out and some Russians came off the bench so what choice did Canada have? You cannot leave six guys out there to get beat down and then take the PPs and probably the gold medal. You have to stand up to them. So Canada went out there and beat the piss out of every Russian there. And for that reason you arent going to see teams running around trying to hurt Canada at the end of the tournament.
 

shakes

Pep City
Aug 20, 2003
8,632
239
Visit site
Yeh screw the medal. I remember that game and was glad when the Canadians beat the crap out of them literally.
 

PecaFan

Registered User
Nov 16, 2002
9,243
520
Ottawa (Go 'Nucks)
You cannot leave six guys out there to get beat down

Funny, that's why the Russians came off the bench, *they* were the ones being beat down. You make it sound like we were the ones in danger.

Totally stupid behaviour on our part. And no surprise that useless thugs like Everett Sanipass were the instigators.
 

therealdeal

Registered User
Apr 22, 2005
4,605
222
Funny, that's why the Russians came off the bench, *they* were the ones being beat down. You make it sound like we were the ones in danger.

Totally stupid behaviour on our part. And no surprise that useless thugs like Everett Sanipass were the instigators.

Ummm... They were the ones that came off the bench, and they also were head butting and kicking in the fights, and we had the stupid behavior?
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->