Sunday, February 24, 2002
Lowe looking for 1972 repeat
By BRUCE GARRIOCH -- Team Sun
SALT LAKE CITY -- Trying to put today in perspective, Kevin Lowe came up with a good analogy.
"In a lot of ways, this is (the United States') 1980," said the Team Canada assistant GM yesterday. "This could be our 1972."
Almost every living, breathing Canadian hockey fan can remember where they were the day Paul Henderson scored for Team Canada in Moscow in 1972 to save the Summit Series against the Russians.
Facing off against the arch-rival U.S. in the gold-medal hockey final of the Olympic Games at the E Center, a lot of the talk yesterday surrounded what today will mean to the future of hockey in both countries.
Canadians don't hate Americans but they don't enjoy losing to them very much.
The loss at the 1996 World Cup stung the country where hockey was born and a victory over the U.S. today is a chance for payback.
"This is not anything personal. This is not a lifestyle or an attitude or a personality thing. This is about us getting back on top of the hockey world. That's what Canadians are going to think more than anything," said Lowe.
"The North American game has come a long way. They've got their hockey and patterned their game after us. I don't think we have (an inferiority complex) when it comes to hockey and I don't think so in general.
"I think with those wacky commercials for Molson's, we're almost strutting our stuff more than the Americans. It seems like we've taken a page from the Americans. If we've learned anything, we've learned to be proud of our country."
Part of the buildup to today's game will include video of some of the greatest moments in Canadian hockey history.
The players have been made aware of the fact the country will be at a standstill.
"The players know that schools were shutting down (Friday) so that people could watch the game back home," said Lowe. "The younger guys may not understand but us older guys understand the significance of 1972. We're trying to push those things on them.
"I know a lot of guys in that dressing room and they don't need any motivation."
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2002 Games Men's Hockey Coverage
