24 November, 2003 by admin

Today, we are continuing with articles about Nagano 1998

written text:
War on the ice ....
(text ke třem fotografiím, které vidíte nahoře na obrázku)
Canada´s Mark Recchi and Czech winger Martin Prochazka crash into Czech goaltender Dominik Hasek. (Above) Canada´s Scott Stevens and Czech Jaromir Jagr play clutch and grab. (Right) Canada´s Brendan Shanahan leaps into the arms of team-mate Trevor Linden after Linden tied the score in the third.

(prostřední část obrázku)
Out scores kept in Czech (Jim O´Leary, at the Olympic)
Nagano - Hockey coaches usually say more by their actions then by their words . They speak to us in subtle ways. They never say, for instance, that the player is getting old and slow , they quietly move him off the power play. They never say a player is lazy, they quietly bench him in the late stages of a tie game.
The message being delivered by Canada´s Marc Crawford and the Czech Republic´s Ivan Hlinka during Canada´s 2-1 shootout loss yesterday seemed to have a similar ring.

Ray Bourque?
Neither coach seems to think much of the offensive ability of the current generation of Canadian players. Crawford made his feelings known when he chose defenceman Ray Bourque over the likes of Wayne Gretzky, Steve Yzerman and Mark Recchi to represent Canada in the shootout.
The Canadian coach seemed to be agreeing with Hlinka , who already had indicated his opinion of Canada´s offensive prowess by playing for a tie in overtime, obviously believing he´d win a shootout.
It´s difficult to be critical of Team Canada. Custom usually dictates that we taka a strip of two of the players´ hides when they fail internationally. But it is hard to imagine this team giving any more of itself. To a man, players bought into the team concept sold to them by GM Bob Clark and his coaching staff. Unlike Team USA , which embarrassed itself with undisciplined play on the ice and undisciplined behavior off it, Team Canada never resembled anything but a group of guys determinated to win a gold medal. I had great work ethic and heart.It had checkers and scores, skaters and bangers. It had outstanding goaltending and a solid, if unspectacular, defence. But what was lacking - and what was made so evident by the inclusion of a defenceman in the shootout - is that Team Canada was lacking in offensive skill.
The Czech can showcase a cast of fancy puckhandlers led by Jaromir Jagr. Pavel Bure is the shiniest sequin decorating Russia´s lineup. Even the Americans and the Swedes - for all the good it did them - had their Mike Modanos and Peter Forsbergs.
But Team Canada, its gold-medal inspiration on the line, had to call on a defenceman to complete its shootout lineup. This is not meant to disparage Bourgue , a future Hall of Famer. His inclusion in the shootout, though, makes a statement about the condition of the Canadian game. With Joe Sakic out with a knee injury and Paul Kariya nursing a concussion back home, the coaches seemed to conclude that there wasn´t much left in the way of pure offensive talent.
In deliberations before the tournament the coaching stuff apparently concluded that the Gretzkys and Yzermans had lost their touch. Controversy is nothing new to coaches and management of this team. They indicated their disdain for the lash of public opinion two months ago when they excluded Mark Messier from the team.
The Bourgue selection, by comparison, must have been simple. Crawford said the decision to include Bourque in the shootout was based on his success on breakaways throughout a long career , and on his success in breakaway competition at the annual NHL all-star game skills competition.

Gut instincts
"You go with your gut instincts ," Crawford said.
Hlinka certainly seemed unintimidated by the Canadian ofence. His team took just one shot in overtime, content to run out the clock and then go to the shootout.
As much as he respects Patrick Roy, Hlinka was willing to put his faith in Hasek. Like Crawford , the Czech coach had concluded that Team Canada´s best shooters ain´t what they used to be.

(spodní část obrázku s hlavička aktérů)
"History will say this was a great hockey game between two great hockey teams." Candian coach mark Crawford

"This is the most prresure I´va had in my life" Czech goalie Dominik Hasek

"Hopefully they will let me stay playing in Edmonton" Czech Roman Hamrlik