For gold: History favours...
From 1954 to 2009, a look back at this great, political rivalry |
  The biggest game of the modern rivalry between the Czechs and Russians was won by the Czechs, 1-0, in the gold-medal game in Nagano 1998. Photo: IIHF Archive |
COLOGNE – The first time Russians played Czechs was on March 2, 1954, at the World Championship in Stockholm, Sweden. It was so long ago that the countries then were called Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia.
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Russia puts team first
Superstars come together – to win as a team |
 Team Russia is not about one, two, three, or even four superstars, it's about the team, players say. Photo: Jukka Rautio / IIHF-HHOF Images |
COLOGNE – “The team spirit is our strength. All the guys here understand that we failed at the Olympics and they want their revenge,” says assistant coach Igor Zakharkin.
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Lovin’ every minute of it
Vokoun looking to win his second world championship |
 "Our guys make it pretty easy for me," says Tomas Vokoun. Photo: Jukka Rautio / HHOF-IIHF Images |
COLOGNE – When Tomas Vokoun joined the Czech team in Stockholm a week before the World Championship, it had been four weeks since the Florida Panthers goalie had...
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“Hard work, not a miracle”
Uwe Krupp’s joy on the ice, and suffering away from the rink |
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COLOGNE – German national team coach Uwe Krupp has not always had good times. The quarterfinal victory over Switzerland was one he also dedicated to his wife, who was stricken with breast cancer recently.
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Jagr still strong
Veteran forward front and centre, but Czechs are more than him |
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COLOGNE – “Every time Jagr is on the Czech team, the rest of the players get an injection of self confidence. We beat them in Stockholm when he didn’t play. Now he held on to the puck for five minutes at a time and...
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There's a Monster in town
Jonas Gustavsson is ready for the Czechs, Jagr |
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COLOGNE – “The Czechs have a great team, they’ve showed it by getting to the semi-final, and they beat us in the first game. They’re a great team, but so are we,” Swedish goalie Jonas Gustavsson says.
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“A dream comes true”
Marcus Vinnerborg will be the first European referee in the NHL |
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COLOGNE – It’s not every day a hockey referee fields phone calls and text messages from people wishing him good luck, saying how happy they are for him, or how proud they are of him...
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