Canada vs. Russia Super Series 2007

The “Not-So-Super Series” comes to an end

Michail Boncea (HV)

Game 8th in the Canada vs. Russia Super Series went pretty much as all the previous games went. Canada outshoot, outclassed, outplayed both style and physical wise Russia and the 6 to 1 final score would have been even way worse for Russia if it was not for the Russian Goalie Sergei Bobrovsky who made a number of world class saves and by end of the game it made 39 saves. Russia just didn’t seem to be able to get their game going and as if it was a warning sign of what to come, on Sunday before the opening face-off they (Russia) accidentally locked themselves in their dressing room.

There are many things that can be said looking back at this series or even at Game 8th, but one thing is for sure and that is Russia didn’t play with either passion or as a team or just simply couldn’t get their confidence going. Russia was outmaneuvered, outplayed physically and to the surprised of anyone that might have been looking forward to the Canada vs. Russia Super Series before it started, Russia was even outclassed in finesse and finishes wise by Canada.

Some will argue that Canada’s team at the Super Series was so much better since it was led by players including: KyleTurris (some call him the next Gretzky), Claude Giroux, Sam Gagner, Dadid Perron and John Tavares (the next hockey phenomenon to come out of Canada still 2 years away age wise to be able to participate in the NHL Draft). Others though like Slava Fetisov a legendary hockey player who is Russia’s Sports Minister, called the Russian Junior hockey team defeats “shameful” and lamented the loss of identity in Russian Hockey.

But no matter which of the teams you supported as a fan be it Canada or Russia you can’t help but agree that the Canada Super Series was very boring and it should have ended by all accounts in Game Five. This would have spared 3 more games where Russia looked like a Division 2 Hockey team many times and not like the team that in the past was a dominant Hockey powerhouse country wise!

After the game during the post game interviews Brent Sutter Head Coach of Team Canada avoided to get into the conversation of what made the difference between Canada and Russia either then saying “I think this series says we just have to continue on the progression we’re doing. It says things are being done right”. Sergei Nemchinov Head Coach of Team Russia said “that in the series his team should have played with more passion” when asked if he wants to pass a message to the Latvian fans that followed Team Russia he said “play hockey”.

Kyle Turis said, “He was surprised of the outcome. They were a very good team, but we got off to a great start in Russia going 4 – 0. I don’t think anyone expected that to begin with. I think we had a bit of a mental edge”. Canadian Captain Milan Lucic said, “Coming in, we thought it would be a tight series throughout the whole thing. We even thought it might come down to Game 8 just like it did in ’72.”