Canada vs. Russia 1998 Gold Medal game: Who wins?
- Thread starter Big Phil
- Start date
Russia wins I think.
Clarke was uneducated and built a team more suitable for NHL ice. At least on paper Canada's forwards look like they'd have a very difficult time with Russia's speed; especially with Kariya and Sakic injured. Then again, Russia was missing a ton of great players also.
Clarke was uneducated and built a team more suitable for NHL ice. At least on paper Canada's forwards look like they'd have a very difficult time with Russia's speed; especially with Kariya and Sakic injured. Then again, Russia was missing a ton of great players also.
JackSlater
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- Apr 27, 2010
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Canada had more talent, but they were not especially well suited to or experienced with international sized ice. Russia is also practically guaranteed to win if it goes to a shootout. Russia probably looked a little better in the tournament. I would guess Russia wins mainly due to the possibility of a shootout, but in a one game situation I think the odds would be very close to 50/50.
tony d
Registered User
I think Russia would win there as well, Canada seemed to run out of gas as that tournament wound down.
LeBlondeDemon10
Registered User
Russia. I didn't like that Canadian team. I also thought they were poorly coached by Crawford. Russia was also riding Bure's hot streak.
Rob
Registered User
Russia. With the loss of Kariya and then Sakic I can't see how Caanda would have produced much offence. Forget the Hasek excuse. An average NHL goalie would have won that game for the Czechs (with the exception of the shootout).
seventieslord
Student Of The Game
Buck Aki Berg
Done with this place
sure, sure, just keep pouring salt on the wound...
Oh come on, we've won two since - and didn't have to stay up until all hours of the night to watch them
Reds4Life
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- Dec 24, 2007
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Russia would win IMHO.
Canada was very lucky to make it to SO against the Czechs, Russians were a tougher opponent in the gold medal game.
In addition, even Finland beat Canada, and Russia easily steamrolled over Finland. All in all, Canada was no better than 4th best team in 1998 after Czechs, Russians and Finns. It can be argued US had better team too.
Canada was very lucky to make it to SO against the Czechs, Russians were a tougher opponent in the gold medal game.
In addition, even Finland beat Canada, and Russia easily steamrolled over Finland. All in all, Canada was no better than 4th best team in 1998 after Czechs, Russians and Finns. It can be argued US had better team too.
livewell68
Registered User
- Jul 20, 2007
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In a best on best tournament, any good team can lose.
Canada on paper was the second best team in the tournament.
The Czechs won because they played a very sound, team oriented defense and had Hasek stand on his head.
Canada- Czech could have gone either way. Remember even Jagr who was the best offensive player in the world at the time, missed on the shootout.
quoipourquoi
Goaltender
sure, sure, just keep pouring salt on the wound...
As an American, I always found it funny that if contested under the same tournament structure as the 1980 Olympics, Canada-Russia would have happened, and if Canada won in regulation, they would have won the Gold Medal.
Final Round
Canada: 1-0-1, 3 points
Russia: 1-0-0, 2 points
Czech Republic: 0-1-1, 1 point
Sweden: 0-1-0, 0 points
Carry-over Games
Canada 3, Sweden 2
Russia 2, Czech Republic 1
Canada 1, Czech Republic 1*
To Be Played
Sweden vs. Russia
Sweden vs. Czech Republic
Russia vs. Canada
Out of Gold Medal Contention
Czech Republic
This post is made strictly out of revenge for 2002.
King Woodballs
Captain Awesome
Russia wins
I have watched many many team canada teams at various tournaments....
this was one of the worst by far
they
were
AWFUL
terrible players and even worse coaching
I have watched many many team canada teams at various tournaments....
this was one of the worst by far
they
were
AWFUL
terrible players and even worse coaching
livewell68
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What players were terrible?
They had some of the best talent from the 90's on that team.
I think many people make assumptions or claims without really having watched the games or realized who was on that Canadian team.
They go by the simple fact that they lost so therefore they are terrible?
http://www.hockeynut.com/olympics/canros.html
A team with Scott Stevens, Al MacInnis, Rob Blake, Chris Pronger, Ray Bourque, Eric Desjardins and Adam Foote on defense is a pretty darn good team.
They all also had Roy, Brodeur and Cujo (2nd, 3rd and 4th best goalies in the league, the best being Hasek).
They had Shanahan, Lindros, Gretzky, Yzerman, Karyia... just to name a few of their forwards. This was a powerhouse team.
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quoipourquoi
Goaltender
JackSlater
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I would love to see how it could be argued that the US had a better team, given that Canada had the clear edge in talent, played better in the tournament and beat them soundly in the tournament. Regarding Finland, I don't see how each team played against them would matter considering the Russians played Finland in a game that mattered and Canada did not. I find that people fail to realize how random a one game elimination tournament can be. The odds are very strongly against the actual best teams finishing in the proper order. These tournaments are fun to watch but they hardly prove anything definitive about who the best team is.
For as good as Hasek was, the play of Czech defense has been criminally underrated.
The Czechs limited Canada to 20 shots through regulation, 5 in overtime. Limited Russia to 20 shots in the gold medal game.
I was too young at the time to analyze the game. However, about five years ago I watched this game in full. I remember hearing how it was all Hasek so I assumed Canada dominated the Czechs. It was a fairly even game I thought and the Czechs played great defense as a team. Canadian sport culture seems to have changed things around from reality.
As for the question Canada would likely lose against Russia. The team wasn't built for big ice.
livewell68
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Canada choked and the only way to excuse this is to say Hasek played like a god. Yes Hasek was amazing but he wasn't anything more impressive than he was during those regular seasons back in the late 90's.
The North American media is not going to admit that the Czechs matched them so they say Hasek stole the game.
I call this revesionist history.
You know the Czech feel differently about Nagano.
They do admit that Hasek was the most important for that team but they say it was a team effort and players like Jagr, Straka, Dopita that were almost as integral to this Gold win.
My major is in history, and when you get to study certain aspects of history, you notice certain groups view specific events differently or change these events to suit thier goals/views. I took this and brought it to Canadian hockey history and there is a lot of revesionist history. It is really fascinating. It probably happens in other countries with certain sports too.
Hasek and Roy were pretty much even in the game. So no team really had an advantage in goal. If I remember correctly the Czechs played much better than Canada in OT. Losing in a shootout also gets used as an excuse for the loss.
King Woodballs
Captain Awesome
so you are ASSUMING I didnt watch any of those games?
your assumption is wrong
i watched all the games
and many MANY other canadian international games
and I stand by my previous statement
really any of the top 4 finishing teams could have won...
If team Canada had Paul Kariya and Mario Lemieux in the lineup, we probably score a goal in the shootout. (definitely not a guaranteed win though)
I'm glad the Czech's won (the gold medal game that is), that was the best team they will probably ever send to the Olympics in a long time (based on Jagr and Hasek being at their absolute primes)
A Canada- Russia final at Nagano would have been so freaking epic. I'm pretty sure Gretzky would have summoned some crazy sort of energy in that final... He played in More Canada cup tournaments than any other players on that team, and playing the Russians would have been just like playing the Soviets for him I think... for other players on the team I don't think you could compare it at all, maybe some of the guys who were around in the NHL in the late 80's since they grey up watching the Summit Series and Canada cups on TV, and some even played in the last Canada Cups.
Gretzky just sitting on the bench after the game against the Czech's look defeated looking as **** is pretty much the best way to summarize Canada's first best on best Olympics. Wayne Gretzky is the only guy on that team that lost in a Canada Cup to the Soviets or I guess Bourque too... either way Borque never turned the dial up for the INTL games like other players did.
Wayne also should have been wearing the C, that was just outrageous. Lindros was the better player at the moment, but I think we've learned from that lesson since. I was too young to remember anything significant about the coaching, and selection of the team. But I still remember me and my Dad just at a loss for Gretzky not taking a shot in that shootout, don't care how old the guy is, or what you think about him in the shootout, if there was one guy on that bench would have scored it was likely Wayne.
If everyone else on team Canada took that competition as seriously as Wayne, we probably would have won. If Mario had another chance to be on a line with Gretzky, + PK on that line too. they would have had a hard time stopping us, just like we would have had a hard time stopping the Soviets with Kharlamov in the last 2 games.
If we don't get a Canada/ Russia final at Sochi, or the World Cup this year I'm going to be seriously disappointed. I find it so weird that many people prefer a Canada/ USA final. Canada vs Russia/CCCP games were literally the best hockey games in the history of the game. Canada/ USA games are great because we are neighbors, but our rivalry with the Soviets/Russian's is just so much more epic.
we really need to bring back the summit series, because we are missing out on some incredible hockey games. and anyone who says we need the Cold War to makes those games meaningful and exciting... you're just plain wrong.
If team Canada had Paul Kariya and Mario Lemieux in the lineup, we probably score a goal in the shootout. (definitely not a guaranteed win though)
I'm glad the Czech's won (the gold medal game that is), that was the best team they will probably ever send to the Olympics in a long time (based on Jagr and Hasek being at their absolute primes)
A Canada- Russia final at Nagano would have been so freaking epic. I'm pretty sure Gretzky would have summoned some crazy sort of energy in that final... He played in More Canada cup tournaments than any other players on that team, and playing the Russians would have been just like playing the Soviets for him I think... for other players on the team I don't think you could compare it at all, maybe some of the guys who were around in the NHL in the late 80's since they grey up watching the Summit Series and Canada cups on TV, and some even played in the last Canada Cups.
Gretzky just sitting on the bench after the game against the Czech's look defeated looking as **** is pretty much the best way to summarize Canada's first best on best Olympics. Wayne Gretzky is the only guy on that team that lost in a Canada Cup to the Soviets or I guess Bourque too... either way Borque never turned the dial up for the INTL games like other players did.
Wayne also should have been wearing the C, that was just outrageous. Lindros was the better player at the moment, but I think we've learned from that lesson since. I was too young to remember anything significant about the coaching, and selection of the team. But I still remember me and my Dad just at a loss for Gretzky not taking a shot in that shootout, don't care how old the guy is, or what you think about him in the shootout, if there was one guy on that bench would have scored it was likely Wayne.
If everyone else on team Canada took that competition as seriously as Wayne, we probably would have won. If Mario had another chance to be on a line with Gretzky, + PK on that line too. they would have had a hard time stopping us, just like we would have had a hard time stopping the Soviets with Kharlamov in the last 2 games.
If we don't get a Canada/ Russia final at Sochi, or the World Cup this year I'm going to be seriously disappointed. I find it so weird that many people prefer a Canada/ USA final. Canada vs Russia/CCCP games were literally the best hockey games in the history of the game. Canada/ USA games are great because we are neighbors, but our rivalry with the Soviets/Russian's is just so much more epic.
we really need to bring back the summit series, because we are missing out on some incredible hockey games. and anyone who says we need the Cold War to makes those games meaningful and exciting... you're just plain wrong.
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Theokritos
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- Apr 6, 2010
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The Fins too? I don't think so. The Czechs and the Russians defeated them in the round robin games, the Russians defeated them again in the Semi final.
I hear this over and over again, but I haven't heard any serious argument for it yet (except for "it's Wayne ********* Gretzky", which isn't an argument at all). If you consider how intimidated Gretzky was (according to Joe Nieuwendyk, Gretzky was so nervous that he literally wasn't able to speak/respond to questions of his teammates), there's no reason to assume that he would have done better than any of the Canadian shooters. (Meanwhile, a healthy Joe Sakic would have been a very promising weapon without any doubt.)
The Canadians suffered from a lack of effort? In a best on best tournament? Two years after the bitter defeat in the World Cup? Hard to believe. Who particularly is to blame among the Canadians in this regard in your eyes?
