League Hopes This Saga Goes Into Hibernation

Chris Foster ON THE NHL

February 14, 2006|Chris Foster

"I was in college and we had Americans and Canadians watching the game together and it got heated, really heated," said Turco, who attended Michigan. "[New Jersey Devil and American] John Madden was my roommate and we had teammates over. It got pretty ugly. There were some mean things said between teammates that shouldn't be said and a few things got thrown around the house that day."

Team USA won the final game of a best-of-three series in Montreal. Canada returned the favor in 2002, beating the U.S. to win the Olympic gold medal game in Salt Lake City.

"I think if you ask any Canadian, they'd much rather beat us than anyone else," Guerin said. "The last 10 years, the rivalry has gotten better. The games have been a lot closer and we have put up more of a fight. We'll give them a run for their money."

Another player, another idea.

"The classic final? Russia and Canada," said Duck goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov, who will play for Russia. "That is the classic game for the whole world."

Even in the Czech Republic? "No, not likely in that country," Bryzgalov admitted.

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