Big Phil
Registered User
- Nov 2, 2003
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Here is my unofficial list of the greatest moments between these two teams. Which other countries boast this rivalry? Do you remember where you were, and which one is your favourite?
1972 - Paul Henderson and his heroics in Game 8 how can you forget it? That third period gives me chills when I watch it. Rod Gilbert's fight, Alan Eagleson's protest and Henderson's dramatic winner. Watch the tape and you'll see that Gary Bergman nearly scored with three minutes left in the game on a three on two. Henderson saved our bacon anyways.
1987 - The Canada Cup game 2, the most entertaining game you'll ever watch bar none. Krutov had brilliant chances to win it in OT nonetheless. Then Wayne and Mario come to the rescue.
1987 - Game 3 Canada Cup, Lemieux to Gretzky and the rest is history. The unsung heroes on that play are Hawerchuk and Murphy. For whatever reason Larry Murphy jumped into the play. Its funny every player on the ice for Canada is a HOFer (others are Bourque and Fuhr).
1981 - An embarrassment for sure. Mike Liut played like sin. But so did the rest of the team. Even Gretzky in that game. 8-1 thrashing sent us back to reality. There was no Orr or Espo to save us now. Let's face it that generation of Russians was due to break out eventually.
1987 - The WJC. The Piestany punch out! A classic bench clearing brawl for sure. Possible started on the ice by Theo Fleury, something he's never denied. But the Russians emptied their bench first and the rest is history.
1979 - Another embarrassment. In the third game of the Challenge Cup of Rusian star vs. NHL stars the Soviets thrash us 6-0. It was a very good NHL team as well, no slouches. I just can't picture why Cheevers was in net for the third game and not Dryden or even Tony Espo. Oh well.
1999 - WJC. I remember this one. This was supposed to be Canada's coming out party for us after the '98 disaster. We played a terrible game even in this gold medal game but then got to overtime before Chubarov ended it 3-2. Luongo despite losing put on a goaltending clinic.
1976 - Russia vs. Flyers. No other team had beaten the Russians in this trip they were taking across the NHL. Philly who had won the Cup twice before now used their typical intimidation to beat them 4-1.
1975 - New year's Eve. Some say the best game ever in a 3-3 draw between the Habs and the Soviets. Outshot 38-13 were the Russians, and funny thing is it was even worse in the Philly game.
1972 - Game 7. Its a 3-3 draw and a brawl breaks out behind the net. Bergman, Cournoyer and Espo are all in on it. Bergman got his leg kicked by Mikhailov and got his leg bloodied. After the dust had settled Henderson does an end to ender with two minutes left to ensure there is going to be the drama of an eighth game.
2002 - WJC. This one still irritates me. Canada had its best team at that time since '95. Spezza, Weiss, Nash, Bouwmeester etc. They had two two-goal leads and then blew it in the second. Medvedev of the Russians actually got pulled. What I hate about this game is that when it was 5-4 late in the third with the Canadians buzzing around the net with seconds left the Russian goalie sensing a goal coming on knocks the net off and the buzzer goes off. What drives me crazy is that he knew what he was doing and after the final buzzer went off he looked over at the ref to see if it was okay before celebrating. A lot of cursing happened that day by me.
1984 - Canada vs. Soviets semi final Canada Cup. At that time the Soviets were beating the tar out of us before this. A 6-3 round robin thrashing of us. Then the memory of '81 and '79 still fresh. But when a bunch of Oilers and Isles teamed up together to beat the common enemy it was magic. Coffey's break up of a two on one, Tonelli's grit, then Coffey's point shot tipped in by Bossy. Beauty. Great game.
1972 - Paul Henderson and his heroics in Game 8 how can you forget it? That third period gives me chills when I watch it. Rod Gilbert's fight, Alan Eagleson's protest and Henderson's dramatic winner. Watch the tape and you'll see that Gary Bergman nearly scored with three minutes left in the game on a three on two. Henderson saved our bacon anyways.
1987 - The Canada Cup game 2, the most entertaining game you'll ever watch bar none. Krutov had brilliant chances to win it in OT nonetheless. Then Wayne and Mario come to the rescue.
1987 - Game 3 Canada Cup, Lemieux to Gretzky and the rest is history. The unsung heroes on that play are Hawerchuk and Murphy. For whatever reason Larry Murphy jumped into the play. Its funny every player on the ice for Canada is a HOFer (others are Bourque and Fuhr).
1981 - An embarrassment for sure. Mike Liut played like sin. But so did the rest of the team. Even Gretzky in that game. 8-1 thrashing sent us back to reality. There was no Orr or Espo to save us now. Let's face it that generation of Russians was due to break out eventually.
1987 - The WJC. The Piestany punch out! A classic bench clearing brawl for sure. Possible started on the ice by Theo Fleury, something he's never denied. But the Russians emptied their bench first and the rest is history.
1979 - Another embarrassment. In the third game of the Challenge Cup of Rusian star vs. NHL stars the Soviets thrash us 6-0. It was a very good NHL team as well, no slouches. I just can't picture why Cheevers was in net for the third game and not Dryden or even Tony Espo. Oh well.
1999 - WJC. I remember this one. This was supposed to be Canada's coming out party for us after the '98 disaster. We played a terrible game even in this gold medal game but then got to overtime before Chubarov ended it 3-2. Luongo despite losing put on a goaltending clinic.
1976 - Russia vs. Flyers. No other team had beaten the Russians in this trip they were taking across the NHL. Philly who had won the Cup twice before now used their typical intimidation to beat them 4-1.
1975 - New year's Eve. Some say the best game ever in a 3-3 draw between the Habs and the Soviets. Outshot 38-13 were the Russians, and funny thing is it was even worse in the Philly game.
1972 - Game 7. Its a 3-3 draw and a brawl breaks out behind the net. Bergman, Cournoyer and Espo are all in on it. Bergman got his leg kicked by Mikhailov and got his leg bloodied. After the dust had settled Henderson does an end to ender with two minutes left to ensure there is going to be the drama of an eighth game.
2002 - WJC. This one still irritates me. Canada had its best team at that time since '95. Spezza, Weiss, Nash, Bouwmeester etc. They had two two-goal leads and then blew it in the second. Medvedev of the Russians actually got pulled. What I hate about this game is that when it was 5-4 late in the third with the Canadians buzzing around the net with seconds left the Russian goalie sensing a goal coming on knocks the net off and the buzzer goes off. What drives me crazy is that he knew what he was doing and after the final buzzer went off he looked over at the ref to see if it was okay before celebrating. A lot of cursing happened that day by me.
1984 - Canada vs. Soviets semi final Canada Cup. At that time the Soviets were beating the tar out of us before this. A 6-3 round robin thrashing of us. Then the memory of '81 and '79 still fresh. But when a bunch of Oilers and Isles teamed up together to beat the common enemy it was magic. Coffey's break up of a two on one, Tonelli's grit, then Coffey's point shot tipped in by Bossy. Beauty. Great game.