How Canada won 1987 Canada Cup.

Injektilo

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Feb 3, 2005
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this needs a pre-emptory closing.


but before that, i'll point out there's a goal the Soviets scored in one of the games (i haven't watched the series in a while) where one of them chases Bourque into his own zone, hooks him down, steals the puck and scores. It's as blatant a hook/trip as they get.
 

Snap Wilson

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Sep 14, 2003
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I remember watching it at the time and thinking the Soviets were getting jobbed, and I have the DVD set but I've never paid that much attention to it. Really, what we see there goes beyond mere incompetence. The fix was in.

Canada fans may disagree, but it does take the luster off of the accomplishment. It's a shame that politics got in the way of seeing an even contest.
 

Blades of Glory

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Feb 12, 2006
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There were some ridiculous dives in that game, one by a Russian, and one by Mario Lemieux. Canada literally got away with everything, and the Russians were called for marginal players.

It's history now, but it was absolutely ridiculous.
 

RUSqueelin*

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Nov 2, 2005
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Are people going to actually reply and take this topic seriously:help:

Anybody can make up a video and present a biased point of view. I could make up a video showing how the Leafs got jobbed out of a Stanley Cup not only this year but the last 40 as well.
 

FissionFire

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Dec 22, 2006
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Anyone watching the '87 Canada Cup with any amount of impartiality can't argue that the Soviets played against the refs as well. Seeing Koharski on the clip was just classic. Really, everyone wants to see a hockey game, not a one-sided fix. That's the real tragedy.....never got to see both teams play on an even keel. But then again, the Soviet/Canada rivalry can trace back to the Summit series, where some will argue that the Canadians resorted to intentional thuggery to take out Kharlamov to give them a chance to win.

Anybody can make up a video and present a biased point of view. I could make up a video showing how the Leafs got jobbed out of a Stanley Cup not only this year but the last 40 as well.

Oh? Going to post a video montage of press conferences announcing Leafs draft picks, free agent signings, coaching moves, and trades? :sarcasm:
 

Frightened Inmate #2

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Little 5 minute videos using slow motion show absolutely nothing of value.

0:40 - The call was a crosscheck to the back of the Canada player in front of the net, that is a penalty. It wasn't the slight hook (and subsiquent dive) against Gretzky.

1:05 - Bykov stuck his foot out and tripped up Lemieux, it obviously wasn't a dive considering the manner in which momemtum works, Lemieux having his feet cut out from under him while traveling forwards = Lemieux falling down = penalty call.

1:30 - That was a punch to the face yes cut it was a complete embellishment on the part of the Russian player. It wasn't a cross-check as if you look at the replay only one hand is on the stick. A penalty yes but it wasn't anything more serious than that.

1:41 - Horrible dive by the Russian on the Messier tug, if a Canadian went down like that there would be three replays in slow motion.

2:00 - A cross-check but nothing that would get called, just someone clearing out the front of the net, hell that still often isn't called in NHL games, it is just part of the game. You don't let someone stand around in front of the net and take swipe after swipe at the puck.

2:25 - A tripping call along the same lines as the Lemieux call earlier. Should have been called I agree.

2:45 - My favorite clip in the video - the mother of all dives the rare 360 prior to hitting the ice... a classic.

this is half way through and the next half doesn't change much. You can't cut up a hockey game and claim bias because you can do that for every single game you watch no matter which side you cheer for. I mean it having reffed in the past it is the most thankless job because everyone else is an expert and there are always a pair of eyes everywhere else on the ice and you only have 1... and you can't call what you don't see.
 

Zine

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Feb 28, 2002
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Any objective fan knows Koharski gave Canada every opportunity to win that series. The Soviets really got the shaft........hard enough to beat Canada when you have to beat the refs as well.

Not that it's justified, but (considering the political climate at the time) favouritism for the home team was the norm back then. Canada got it for every Canada Cup, the Soviets for their home games in the Summit Series, etc., etc.
 

Big Phil

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Nov 2, 2003
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I will say that the only thing that I dont like about the '87 Canada Cup is the diving. I mean from both teams. These are grown men diving as if they cant stand up on skates in the first place. The Russians did it and Canada did it just as bad. This was near the beginning of Lemieux's career when he dove and eventually the refs caught on and that is IMO how the little cheap shots against him went unoticed later in his career. I think that's why someday Crosby will have everything come back and bite him for crying wolf the way he does nowadays. The refs get sick of it and whether it's Kovalev or Barber they wont call ANYTHING on you eventually.

But back to the topic. Both teams were great. Yes Hawercuk did a little hook on the Russian on the Lemieux goal but a few things come to mind. One, would the Russian have caught Lemieux anyways? Two, even if he did #99 and Murphy are on a two on one still. And three did he embellish the hook?

Plus in the first period of the same game Bourque was hooked badly in his own zone. He trips and falls gets the puck stolen and the Russians score making it 4-2. That's a bigger missed call than anything. IMO it evened out pretty well. Both teams had at least borderline penaltied not called on plays that resulted in goals against, the Russians dove, the Canadians dove as well. I think Canada won because Fuhr was clearly better than Mylnikov flat out. Other than Tretiak the Russians have never had a star goalie and that was their downfall since offensively and defensively they were very even with Canada.
 

RUSqueelin*

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Nov 2, 2005
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Anyone watching the '87 Canada Cup with any amount of impartiality can't argue that the Soviets played against the refs as well. Seeing Koharski on the clip was just classic. Really, everyone wants to see a hockey game, not a one-sided fix. That's the real tragedy.....never got to see both teams play on an even keel. But then again, the Soviet/Canada rivalry can trace back to the Summit series, where some will argue that the Canadians resorted to intentional thuggery to take out Kharlamov to give them a chance to win.

You were trying to make a decent point so I thought you'd say - how Canada got hosed their whole time there with the refs etc.


Oh? Going to post a video montage of press conferences announcing Leafs draft picks, free agent signings, coaching moves, and trades? :sarcasm:


:handclap:
 

Psycho Papa Joe

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Feb 27, 2002
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Any objective fan knows Koharski gave Canada every opportunity to win that series. The Soviets really got the shaft........hard enough to beat Canada when you have to beat the refs as well.

Not that it's justified, but (considering the political climate at the time) favouritism for the home team was the norm back then. Canada got it for every Canada Cup, the Soviets for their home games in the Summit Series, etc., etc.

Unfortunately, the Russians are the ones who asked to have Koharski ref that game. Why, I haven't the foggiest. He wasn't exactly the guy I'd want reffing a big game. Any bad calls were due to Koharski not exactly being one of the better NHL refs, not his nationality.
 

member 51464

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Unfortunately, the Russians are the ones who asked to have Koharski ref that game. Why, I haven't the foggiest. He wasn't exactly the guy I'd want reffing a big game. Any bad calls were due to Koharski not exactly being one of the better NHL refs, not his nationality.

that is random. did the "road" team pick the refs?
 

russianrocket24

Registered User
Oh guys, can't we just agree that the three games and also the tie in the pre round were some of the best hockey games ever played? It's always the same, boring discussion. It's nearly 20 years since the games have been played.
Let's leave it with:

"A few months after that tournament, the Canada Cup was held. After a 3-3 tie in the pre-round, long-time rivals USSR and Canada played against each other in the finals. Neither the players nor the spectators will ever forget what they saw in September 1987 in the Montreal Forum and in the Copps Coliseum in Hamilton. 215 minutes, 33 goals, dramatic moments, high-class stickhandling and beautiful passes. It was hockey in perfection. On the one side the Soviets with their superstars of the “Green Unit†and players like Bykov, Khomutov and Kamensky. On the other side the NHL stars Gretzky, Lemieux, Messier, Bourque and many others. All three games ended 6-5. The Soviets won the first game, Team Canada the other two and also the tournament with an overtime goal by Super-Mario Lemieux in game three.

Top hockey journalist George Gross from Toronto, who has seen everything in hockey in the last 30 years said shortly after game three: “Just imagine! We were there and had the privilege of seeing ice hockey being played at a level you are never going to witness again. That’s something to tell our grandchildren.â€
www.russianrocket.de

Just my two cents
 

Pica

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Jan 4, 2006
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Pretty ugly. There aint one hockeyfan anywhere that liked officiating in that game.
 

Psycho Papa Joe

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I believe the Soviets were given the choice between Koharski and some American ref (don't know who). In their ultimate wisdom they chose Honest Don........go figure.:help:

Maybe they saw his last name and thought he was East European, possibly from one of the Soviet Republics;)

From what I understand, they apparantly liked Koharski's work in Game 1 and weren't impressed with the American's work in game 2.
 

Psycho Papa Joe

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The Soviets won the first game, Team Canada the other two and also the tournament with an overtime goal by Super-Mario Lemieux in game three.

I don't think game 3 ended in OT. I believe it was a late 3rd period goal.

But I agree, it was great hockey. They should have just skipped the whole tournament and had another 8 game Summit series between Canada and the USSR. 8 Games between those two teams would have put the 72 series to shame.
 

Ola

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Apr 10, 2004
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Are people going to actually reply and take this topic seriously:help:

Anybody can make up a video and present a biased point of view. I could make up a video showing how the Leafs got jobbed out of a Stanley Cup not only this year but the last 40 as well.

A friend of mine got it on tape. I was really pissed when I first watched with a bunch of friends.

We were hyped to watch Gretz, Mess, Coffey and Mario in their prime, to get to watch the KLM line in their prime.

But game 3 was nothing but a joke. The Soviets took a 3-0 lead, then Canada could do whatever they wanted while the Soviets was called for everything. The Soviets weren't better, they just had played together for years while Canada had a all-star roster.

We hardly like the Soviets or got any sympathy with them, but that game is shame.

Very few have actually seen the game, not strange, I doubt anyone can watch it today without shaking their heads. Hardly something you rerun...
 

GNick42

Guest
You could make just as many non-calls going the other way though. Refereeing back then was not like it is today. However, it all balanced out:handclap:
 

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