Tuesday, February 19, 2002
Teams show 'lot of heart'
By RACHEL EVANS -- Edmonton Sun
Last night's tie game with the Czech Republic was hard-fought by Canada's men's hockey team - and a show of heart like that could still capture gold, said a man who worked behind the bench for Canada's last gold-medal men's hockey team.
"That was just wonderful," said Monty Ford, who was a trainer with the Edmonton Waterloo Mercurys team that won Canada's last Olympic hockey gold medal in 1952 in Oslo, Norway.
"Good hockey. They deserve the tie because I don't think there was a clear-cut winner. Both teams played excellent. I think they showed a lot of heart. They should go all the way."
Ford said Canada showed they were coming together as a team in last night's game, which ended with a score of 3-3.
"They'll do Canada proud," he said. "Just play the way they're playing. They should go all the way. This was their toughest opposition."
Canada's 3-2 squeaker in Olympic men's hockey Sunday night in Salt Lake City was better than Friday's score, but too close for comfort for local fans.
The Canadian men bounced back after losing 5-2 to Sweden and Edmonton Oilers goalie Tommy Salo on Friday night, in their first match of the Winter Games.
But as much as fans like Kyle Bajcer, 27, wanted to see the opposition quaking in their skates - just like in a popular recent run of Olympic-themed TV commercials - he said the Canadians will have to keep playing like they did last night to get there.
"I sure enjoy those commercials," he said after watching last night's match at Fargos Fine Food and Wet Goods, 5804 Terrace Rd. "(But) the rest of the world has caught up with them. I think now they're starting to get their legs on the bigger ice surface."
2002 Games Men's Hockey Coverage
