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USSR vs CSSR:
1968-1978
| Score |
Location | Year |
G |
|
USSR 4 CSSR 5, Grenoble'68
|
OG
|
|
USSR 0 CSSR 2, Stockholm'69
|
WC
|
|
USSR 3 CSSR 4, Stockholm'69
|
WC
|
|
USSR 8 CSSR 2, Moscow'69
|
IC
|
|
USSR 3 CSSR 1, Stockholm'70
|
WC
|
|
USSR 5 CSSR 2, Stockholm'70
|
WC
|
|
USSR 5 CSSR 7, Prague'74
|
EG
|
|
USSR 2 CSSR 5, Pardubice'70
|
EG
|
|
USSR 6 CSSR 0, Ostrava'70
|
EG
|
|
USSR 2 CSSR 3, Geneva'71
|
WC
|
|
USSR 2 CSSR 5, Geneva'71
|
WC
|
|
USSR 5 CSSR 2, Moscow'71
|
IC
|
|
USSR 1 CSSR 3, Moscow'71
|
EG
|
|
USSR 5 CSSR 2, Sapporo'72
|
OG
|
|
USSR 3 CSSR 3, Prague'72
|
WC
|
|
USSR 2 CSSR 3, Prague'72
|
WC
|
|
USSR 8 CSSR 4, Moscow'72
|
IC
|
|
USSR 3 CSSR 2, Moscow'73
|
WC
|
|
USSR 4 CSSR 2, Moscow'73
|
WC
|
|
USSR 7 CSSR 1, Moscow'73
|
IC
|
|
USSR 5 CSSR 7, Prague'74
|
EG
|
|
USSR 4 CSSR 3, Prague'74
|
EG
|
|
USSR 6 CSSR 3, Moscow
'74
|
IC
|
|
USSR 3 CSSR 3, Moscow'74
|
IC
|
|
USSR 3 CSSR 4, Moscow'74
|
IC
|
|
USSR 2 CSSR 7, Helsinki'74
|
WC
|
|
USSR 3 CSSR 1, Helsinki'74
|
WC
|
|
USSR 1 CSSR 6, Prague'75
|
IC
|
|
USSR 1 CSSR 6, Prague'75
|
IC
|
|
USSR 2 CSSR 4, Prague'75
|
IC
|
|
USSR 3 CSSR 9, Prague'75
|
IC
|
|
USSR 5 CSSR 2, Germany'75
|
WC
|
|
USSR 4 CSSR 1, Germany'75
|
WC
|
|
USSR 5 CSSR 3, Prague'75
|
EG
|
|
USSR 4 CSSR 1, Prague'75
|
EG
|
|
USSR 3 CSSR 2, Moscow'75
|
IC
|
|
USSR 4 CSSR 3, Innsbruck'76
|
OG
|
|
USSR 2 CSSR 3, Katowice'76
|
WC
|
|
USSR 3 CSSR 3, Katowice'76
|
WC
|
|
USSR 3 CSSR 5, Montreal'76
|
CC
|
|
USSR 3 CSSR 5, Prague'76
|
EG
|
|
USSR 6 CSSR 3, Prague'76
|
EG
|
|
USSR 3 CSSR 2, Moscow'76
|
IC
|
|
USSR 6 CSSR 1, Austria'77
|
WC
|
|
USSR 3 CSSR 4, Austria'77
|
WC
|
|
USSR 4 CSSR 5, Prague'77
|
RP
|
|
USSR 3 CSSR 8, Moscow'77
|
IC
|
|
USSR 4 CSSR 6, Prague'78
|
WC
|
|
USSR 3 CSSR 1, Prague'78
|
WC
|
|
USSR 8 CSSR 2, Bratislava'78
|
RP
|
|
USSR 5 CSSR 4, Pardubice'78
|
RP
|
|
USSR 5 CSSR 4, Prague'78
|
RP
|
|
USSR 3 CSSR 3, Moscow'78
|
IC
|
|
Total: 53 games
|
-
|
|
|
GP
|
W
|
L
|
T
|
GF
|
GA
|
|
USSR
|
53
|
27
|
22
|
4
|
198
|
182
|
|
CSSR
|
53
|
22
|
27
|
4
|
182
|
198
|
|
|
Team Czechoslovakia: Do Toho
Hockey fans cheer their favorites with "Go Canada"
in Canada, "Heja Tre Kronor" in Sweden and "Shaibu Shaibu"
in Russia. Czechs and Slovaks use the "Do Toho"
hockey chants. Most of these expressions make no sense
outside the hockey world.
Whenever I look at the Czechoslovakian line-up of the
1970s, I get a little nostalgic. Strangely enough, I was
a big fan of their team of that time. Three decades later,
I still think that it was one of the classiest hockey
teams ever. Their unprecedented team spirit, intelligent
game schema and talent pool packed with outstanding players
were always a subject of my admiration. In the 1970s,
Czechoslovakia dared to challenge the unbeatable Soviet
hockey superpower. Although the harvest of gold medals
in the top hockey tournament of that time belongs to the
Russians, their face-to-face games statistics show that
it was a battle of equals with an almost marginal advantage
of Team USSR.
Historically, Czechoslovakia was one of the most successful
European hockey teams since the beginning of the 20th
century. In fact, Czech specialists mentored hockey pioneers
in Russia after World War II. The students learned the
craft faster than it was expected. In 1954, the Soviets
celebrated their WC debut in Stockholm with the Gold Medals.
In the 1960s, USSR was virtually unstoppable in their
gold medal run at the WCs and the Olympics.
In the 1970s, the USSR vs. CSSR hockey rivalry reached
its peak. Part of this rivalry was obviously related strictly
to hockey. The other part had nothing to do with the on-ice
action. The 1968 Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia remains
the most tragic moment in the history of Russian-Czechoslovakian
relationships. The shameful order to send tanks to Prague
came from politicians in Kremlin who neither had an idea
nor seemed to care about the results of this outrageous
decision. As usual with dumb political decisions, politicians
made them and the nations have to deal with the consequences.
None of the people responsible for the invasion are around
anymore but the 1968 shadow is still in memory.
The war-like take-no-prisoners nature of these games
was never officially acknowledged neither by the Soviet
media nor by the hockey federation. In fact, the Soviet
blueliner Alexander
Gusev was close to life suspension from hockey for
the fight instigated by his Czech opponent at the Izvestia
Cup.
I don't believe that hatred produces anything but destruction
and another wave of hatred. Ironically, in hockey, the
rivalry between the two nations produced unforgettable
moments of hockey action and heroics. The Soviets mostly
dominated with powerful attacks and the Czechs built their
game plan on quick counterattacks and solid defense play.
Regardless of the tournament they played, each game was
treated by both teams as a play-off type of combat. One
could never predict the results of competition between
these two distinct styles. The only thing that was predictable
was the highest game level.
Jagr and Hasek didn't invent Czech hockey but continued
the traditions established by the elite players of earlier
generations including Martinec
and Holecek, Pospisil
and the Holik Brothers
of the 1970s. In some way, it was the "golden age" of
Czech hockey.
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