The Canadians needed every edge against the powerful Unified Team. Eric Lindros, a do-it-all player who did only some of it at the Olympics, tried jawing with the Unified coach.
"You try to do your best to rattle the bench," he said of Sunday's first-period shouting match with Viktor Tikhonov.That's hardly enough to rattle a team that has survived more - the breakup of its nation, the departure of potential top Olympians to the NHL and talk that, finally, it might be vulnerable.
After the former Soviet Union won the Olympic hockey gold medal Sunday with a 3-1 win over Canada, there was talk that the dynasty would continue even if the nation didn't.
"There can be no end to the Russian ice hockey era," Tikhonov said. The gold medal "is a step forward for the further development of Russian ice hockey."
The Soviet Union won seven of the last nine Olympic gold medals, including the last two. It won silver and bronze in the other two tournaments.
The nation's breakup had little effect on the team, since all the players live in Russia, Tikhonov said. The Soviet Union and the Unified Team have combined for a 60-6-2 record in their 10 Olympics. Five of their losses were by one goal.
The team stayed intact as its country crumbled. It is younger than the last two Soviet Olympic teams but still potent.
"We've never played in the OlympicGames (against) a Soviet team as young as this team, so a lot of players haven't finished their development yet," said Dave King, Canada's coach for the third straight Olympics. "If this team could be kept together, it could be a very dominating team for many years."
That's a big if.
Alexei Kovalev, who turned 19 today, was taken by the New York Rangers in the first round of last year's draft. Defenseman Dmitri Mironov is headed for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Others Olympians are expected to go to the NHL.
But the departure of top Soviet players Sergei Fedorov, Alexander Mogilny and Pavel Bure to the NHL didn't prevent Tikhonov from re-stocking the team with players who had gold medals hanging around their necks Sunday.
The Unified Team (7-1) beat Canada (6-2) twice in the tournament and denied the country that had won six of the first seven hockey gold medals its first Olympic championship in 40 years.
King finished fourth in his first two tries and found consolation even though his team fell short of its ultimate goal.
"This is a very satisfying moment for all of our staff and all our players and alumni" on the national team, he said. "They will be very satisfied that the program finally has achieved a medal."
King changed his approach from 1988 and went for more offensive punch. Lindros was the big name up front, and he had five goals and six assists to tie for fourth in tournament scoring.
His winning goal in a quarterfinal shootout with underdog Germany after the score was tied 3-3 following overtime kept Canada alive. He dished out several crunching hits - one moments before he and Tikhonov had their debate - but wasn't much of a factor Sunday.
"Eric gave it 100 percent every game for us," goalie Sean Burke said. "He did a lot of things for us today, but to beat them you need 21 guys playing the game of their life."
Burke didn't do that either, although he played very well.
He was outstanding in maintaining a scoreless tie through two periods, despite the Unified Team's 25-16 shooting advantage.
Finally, at 1:01 of the third period, Viacheslav Boutsaev scored on a rebound off the rear boards. After Canada failed to score during a two-man advantage for one minute, Igor Boldin made the score 2-0 with 4:06 remaining.
Chris Lindberg's goal with 2:40 left cut the lead to 2-1, but Viacheslav Bykov settled matters with a 35-foot slapshot with 1:09 remaining.
"At the beginning of the tournament," Tikhonov said, "we were not regarded as favorites and maybe this was one of the reasons that brought confidence to our players."
"I understand their country is going through quite a few changes, but their ice hockey represents success," King said. "I doubt very much it will change. I think it will improve."