Canada's 40 year dominance of Russia

by The '67 Sound on Feb 26, 2010 1:54 AM EST

Leading up to and following the big win last night, we heard a lot about Canada's "50 year drought" against Russia/USSR in Olympic hockey. This, however, is a silly statistic given that best-on-best hockey only came to the Olympics in 1998 and we had only played once since that time. So how has Canada fared against Russia in best-on-best hockey?

I've indicated individual scores except for the '72 Summit Series, where I just indicated the win-loss-tie record. I've also indicated where one team or another was the winner of the overall tournament.

2010 Olympics: Canada 7, Russia 3

2006 Olympics: Russia 2, Canada 0. Sweden wins Gold

2004 World Cup: Canada (Winner) 3, Russia 1

2002 Olympics: Did not play. Canada wins gold

1998 Olympics: Did not play. Russia wins silver, Czechs win Gold

1996 World Cup: Canada 5, Russia 3. US wins Gold

1991 Canada Cup: Canada 3 (Winner), Russia 3

1987 Canada Cup: Canada 3, Russia 3; Russia 6, Canada 5; Canada 6, Russia 5; Canada 6 (Winner), Russia 5

1984 Canada Cup: Russia 6, Canada 3; Canada 3 (Winner), Russia 2

1981 Canada Cup: Canada 7, Russia 3; Russia 8 (Winner), Canada 1

1976 Canada Cup: Canada 3 (Winner), Russia 1

1972 Summit Series: Canada (Winner) 4-3-1

So even before we broke our "50 year drought", Canada had gone 11-7-3 against Russia in "best on best" competition (excluding all Olympics pre-'98, the 1974 Summit Series which featured only WHA players, and all "World Championships"). Looking at overall results and not just head to head, Canada has won seven of eleven tournaments (with a chance at another this year), Russia only one (same as the US, Czechs and Swedes).

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Read that the Russians had ‘room issues’ re the NHL guys and the KHL guys in this tourney. Their defence was suspect going in and it sure showed in our wasting of Sbornya. I think that is right – Sbornya is Russia in Russian. Also heard that the Russians did not really like their coach for the most part. Who can say? I know not.

Would have really liked to see us go up against them for the gold. But we have what we have. A little worried that Halak will “Halak” us. And the Hossa brothers, Gaborik, Chara etc….. are formidable, but I think they won the game they wanted to win in miraculous fashion. It shall go no further. We might very well crush them today as we did the motherland Russia. In Yzerman We Trust.

That 7-3 shellacking over OV & Co. shocked me as much as losing 8-1 did way back when in the 1981 Canada Cup.

On a political sidenote, wow, how many people have posted comments in various places about Russia being “commie bastards” etc…. ??? So tiresome. There are a lot of idiots out there. lol

by Pyramid Power on Feb 26, 2010 2:29 AM EST reply actions

Maybe not "commie bastards", but...

by The '67 Sound on Feb 26, 2010 9:18 AM EST up reply actions

Between Ovechkin’s classlessness and this article it’s pretty fun beating them.

by The '67 Sound on Feb 26, 2010 9:20 AM EST up reply actions

Sorry, here’s the link, I haven’t figured out embedding behind a word properly yet.

http://english.pravda.ru/sports/games/19-02-2010/112308-vancouver_mutton-0

by The '67 Sound on Feb 26, 2010 9:23 AM EST up reply actions

saw ovechkin push over the russian reporter this morning, i love it. Your a LOOOOOOOSER ov.

There is no "I" in team, but there is an "M" and an "E"

by Matt_Roberts on Feb 26, 2010 9:23 AM EST up reply actions

I remember that 8-1 loss back in ‘81. It was shocking and devastating. I’m pretty sure Mike Liut was Canada’s starter.

Bitter Leaf Fan: because sometimes there's no option but to be bitter...

by mf37 on Feb 26, 2010 7:35 PM EST up reply actions

I remember 81

My first day in grade 1, I had a Dukes of Hazard lunchbox and everything!

"I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones."

Albert Einstein

by Say *plan the parade one more time*... on Feb 26, 2010 7:42 PM EST up reply actions

I vaguely remember being in either my dad or grandfather’s car listening to some of this game on the radio. Nobody was saying much, so I assumed it wasn’t a good thing.

leaf fan stuck in ottawa, a localized black hole that will suck everything in that area to oblivion.

by stucky on Feb 26, 2010 8:53 PM EST up reply actions

And Mad Mike Milbury calling the Russians “Eurotrash”. So weak. Mad Mike trying so hard to be The Don as in Cherry, but he can never come close. Maybe someday but I very very very seriously doubt it. Actually that is laughable, just trying to give a little credit to Mad Mike for livening things up. Unwarranted and undeserved credit I know.

by Pyramid Power on Feb 26, 2010 2:39 AM EST reply actions

He didn't call them Eurotrash

He called their game Eurotrash, which may be a distinction without a difference, but his comment isn’t as bad as you make it out to be.

by njd.aitken on Feb 27, 2010 10:19 PM EST up reply actions

Thanks for the clarification. Milbury is the refuse I suppose. Hope CBC and NBC and all major networks dump him someday. What a clown.

by Pyramid Power on Mar 1, 2010 10:36 AM EST up reply actions

Congrats to our ladies winning the gold btw. Great stuff. Don’t know where else to post this here. What a snipe by Poulin and what an after party.

Memo to Jack Rogge: go easy on our girls. Letting off a little steam and who cares if they drank on the ice after the win. That story is getting pretty big play right now. Hope it dies down. Much ado about nothing imo.

Congrats Hayley and the gang! Our Olympian ladies doing great!

by Pyramid Power on Feb 26, 2010 3:37 AM EST reply actions

Trying to reply but reply button is not working. Yes, Mike Liut was in nets for us vs. Tretiak. That says it all – yikes! No, actually I well remember Canada fully expecting to win that game and getting slaughtered at the Montreal Forum. Oh, the shame!

Always amazed me how Ron ‘Disco’ Duguay made Team Canada. Weird. Almost as weird as Jacques Lemaire not making Team Canada ’72.

Soviets had 2/3rds of their KLM line in that tournament. Kharlamov was done by that time. Dominant.

by Pyramid Power on Mar 1, 2010 10:34 AM EST reply actions

Referring to mf37’s comments above btw about the ’81 Canada Cup finale. Embarassing.

by Pyramid Power on Mar 1, 2010 10:39 AM EST up reply actions

Reply button not happy today. Not working too well. I meant Krutov not Kharlamov above re the KLM line. Oops! My friend Al Cohol beat the shit out of me yesterday.

by Pyramid Power on Mar 1, 2010 11:33 AM EST reply actions