Canada-Russia Challenge: Game 4

Canada 4 - Russia 2

• The opening ceremony was nice, with six members of the original Summit Series.
• Tretiak got the biggest cheer.
• Russia's first powerplay was a tale of two teams. The first minute consist of them setting up and passing it around trying to make something happen. The second minute it seemed like Canada was basically the one with the extra man.
• The moments before Russia's first goal was entertaining, as both teams had multiple up-ice rushes.
• Russia's second goal was kind of questionable from in the arena. It looked like it just hit the post (no overhead replay was shown).
• The weirdest penalty of all happened in the third period: 2 minutes for a faceoff violation.
• Got to feel kind of bad for Tom Wilson, when he wasn't committing a penalty he was serving one.

Tiebreaker: Canada 1 - Russia 0

• Nice to know that there was a 20 minute period before a shootout could happen. Plenty of time to avoid it.
• Most of the overtime went like this: Canada enters zone, shoots, Russia clears. Rinse and repeat.
• Stomre had a nice shot from inside the faceoff circle to to win hte game for Canada.
• Yakupov with a touching moment after the handshake line. He skated around with a Lokomotiv Yaroslavl flag.

Pictures

Ceremony puck drop featuring six members of the original Summit Series.

The Russian Huddle before the game.

The shot that clinched the series for Canada.

Yakupov skating around with the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl flag

Canada celebrating with the Challange Cup.

Canada-Russia Challenge: Game 3

I was able to attend both games of the Canada-Russia Challenge in Halifax, and instead of boring you with a recap of the game, I''ll bore you with my thoughts on it. Here are my thoughts on Game 3.

Russia 6 - Canada 5

• Not relevant to the game, but their were two guys in front of me (one in a Leafs jersey, the other in a New England Patriots jersey), never in my life have I ever wanted to use two people as shoe wipes as much as I have in that moment.
• Two of Russia's goals were pretty weak, how Canada's goalie didn't stop them is baffling.
• Daniil Romantsev's saucer pass on Russia's second goal was a thing of beauty.
• Funny moment: On one of Canada's offsides, the puck was near the Russian blue line and two Canadian players did a ""You take it" "No, you take it" routine. 
• Thee Ryan Connection (Murray and Murphy) was working in the first period.
• Have to feel bad for Canada on Russia's fourth goal. A player got shot by a teammate, then Russia turns it up ice for an odd man rush that is eventually a goal.
• Both goalies had near highlight-reel saves in the second period.
• I didn't realize it until Canada's fifth goal, but their goal song (or one of them) was Chelsea Dagger. Somewhere, Luongo is weeping.

Pictures

All photos courtesy of my phone. None of them are on Instagram, because I don't pretend to be a professional.