Hi Pic: Then you remember The Winnipeg Jets...Hull, Hedberg and Neilsson. Had season tickets and it was great hockey! What a line!
No one would go near Gordie even when he was 40. It was THAT LOOK and "those elbows", to say nothing of his physique.
I suspect some of the lesser known players on all teams have/had something to prove against the highest paid members of Team Canada. That was a very high end salary team. The skill levels of a million/yr. newbie are not always that much differen't from a $16M/yr. player.
The game could have gone either way and it was most thrilling. Can't beat that!
I suspect the Canadian boys were also having a good time in Vancouver. Was I the only one who thought Team Canada looked flat footed/tired on more than a few occassions during all the games except Germany.
Anecdotally, I was staying at the Hotel Vancouver in 72 when Team Canada was playing the Russians. (I had actually seen some of them in a Winnipeg bar earlier in the tournament after they had played Russia there...so, it was a huge coincidence.) Whilst waiting for the elevator the mornIng of the game in Vancouver, a Team Canada member came along quite tipsy. I never forgot that. Amazingly, he played a great game that night!
Hope I didn't bore anyone with all that.
Pic...OT....SFMI looking pregnant here.