I'm surprised there isn't more hype surrounding this. Almost exactly 20 years ago, Canada met Sweden in an Olympic Gold Medal Final. I remember watching that game, watching Sweden tie it up and then being completely deflated when Forsberg scored that iconic shoot-out goal. I remember intensely hating everything Swedish for a month afterwards.
But somehow, rather than succumb to the pressure or wilt from desire, the two teams played a hockey game for the ages through 60 throat-constricting minutes of regulation, and the 10-minute overtime, and that heart-stopping shootout that was ended on the seventh go-round by a kid center named Peter Forsberg, who spends much of his time insisting he'd rather pass than score.
With the crowd screaming as he took the puck at center ice, Forsberg came bearing down, bearing down, bearing down on Canadian goalie Corey Hirsch until, near the goal crease, he hesitated with the puck on his stick for what felt like an interminable amount of time.
Hirsch finally flinched first when it seemed only four feet or so separated the two men. And Forsberg — stickhandling the puck right, then left, then right again now — slid an agonizingly slow backhand shot along the ice, just under Hirsch's glove just a millisecond before the glove hit ice.
Cant find the CTV feed, which was fantastic at the time (Don Chevrier, on the call, I think?), early on a Sunday morning but this is the full game.
Kariya, not yet in the NHL, with the first goal for Canada, halfway through the third to tie it up (1:46:00 of the feed).
Then, 1994's what-if version of 1987 Larry Murphy, Derek Mayer scores a couple minutes later (1:52:10 of the feed), with a blast from the point...and Canada was minutes away from breaking the Olympic gold drought. Was as most excited at that goal since the Flames 1989 win.
The Swedes tie it up with less then 2 to go to deflate the early morning vibe...then the shootout...Petr Nedved (!) and Kariya with beauty top shelf shots to go up 2-0. Dwayne Norris should've made it 3-1 and all but finished it, as Salo was flailing and out of position, but didn't get the puck up.
We know how it finished, but Canada so close with basically an amateur team is a much bigger deal then the hyped up 1998 or really any other team.
Also, nice to see no black on a Team Canada jersey. Starting with the 1996 world cup, black was introduced and likely not going away.
The Following User Says Thank You to browna For This Useful Post:
Looking back at that entire shootout, it's not hyperbole to suggest that Canada should have scored on every single shot. No joke.
Tommy Salo was AWFUL. He actually guessed and just went into a flop sometimes before the player even made their move. That has to be exhibit A on how NOT to play a shootout. It was pathetic.
It's obvious though that the Canadians likely never practiced the shootout as their players were super nervous and weren't calm enough to let Salo hit the deck and then make their shot into the empty net.
The shootout is a travesty in the NHL but at least it's raised a generation of young players who now practice it regularly and if Canada ever had to decide a gold medal by one in the future, you'd feel a lot better about their chances than back in 1994 or even 1998 against the Czechs.
That said, hopefully there isn't one tomorrow. Deciding a gold medal by one is lame, just like deciding the World Cup on penalty kicks.
__________________
Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
I was thinking its weird that Canada-Sweden don't really have much of a rivalry considering they are clearly with the US in the best country outside of Canada these days. Has Sweden ever eliminated canada in a best on best tournament?
I was thinking its weird that Canada-Sweden don't really have much of a rivalry considering they are clearly with the US in the best country outside of Canada these days. Has Sweden ever eliminated canada in a best on best tournament?
No, Team Canada swept the best of 3 Canada Cup in 1984.
Rematch 20 years in the making
