It was an excellent performance by Canada, Well done to them! Honestly if they can go all the way through this route, then it will be one of the most astounding performances of all time. For our part, we were third class and I think we let hockey down, which is the biggest fact to face. There are big wounds for us to lick now, letting 7 in at this level, is really not defence at all! But we are out, so now its up to the ones left to take the fantastic sport of hockey higher and higher!

Yesterday, the Canadians played with the enthusiasm of a team who wanted to win. The Russians, on the other hand, played like they were still hung over from boozing at the Russia House. The faces of the Canadian players showed that they came to play, while the Russian players were yawning and appeared half asleep - especially the goalkeeper. The Canadians outskated, outchecked, and outscored the Russians because they were awake on the ice rink - while the Russians were not. I posted two days ago on RT that for the Russians to win they have to be alert, to play excellent defense and keep the score close. Too bad they didn't take my advice. Had a Roman general observed such a dismal performance by his troops, as shown by the Russian hockey team, he would have employed "decimatio" - a system of punishment where one in each ten troops is executed and the remaining nine kept on starvation diet until they learned discipline and fought courageously.

I just read that Alexander Ovechkin, "star" of the the Russian ice-hockey team, and his teammates, ran back to the bars at the Russia House after their dismal showing against the Canadians. "Let's party" was probably on the minds of the Russian hockey "players" as they were being slammed and pushed around by the Canadians. The confused, bothered and bewildered look on Alexander Ovechkin face after the game told me right away that it's vodka time for him again - davai, nado vipit! "urra!!!!" There has got to be better hockey players in Russia than those who wore the Russian colors last night.

I could see this coming from far away. Lots of bluster... no delivery. Perhaps they'll award themselves a "platinum" medal!

lol.... it seems that russians are not taking the olympics seriously anymore ... lol

To be an archrival you have to be competetive with the other team. i think Russia is only Canada's rival in Russians eyes. The realy rivals are Canada and the US. Thet are both the best teams and Russian cannot even compete with them

Alex: "lol.... it seems that russians are not taking the olympics seriously anymore ... lol" You post says it all. One way of judging the worth of a nation is the spirit with which it's athletes compete in the olympics. The Russians were flat in this olympics. I hope they can field better athletes in Sochi than the ones who were an embarrassment not only in the bars of Vancouver, but also on the field of competition..

@freedom ... Russians cannot .. compete with us and canada hockey team ? sure they can ... haven't they become world champions last year after they have beaten canada in the finals .... btw .. russians need some motivation .. which can be achived by investing in the development in the sports ... they need to create an internal competition ... that way our russian "superstars" would actually do something in order not to losse their position . I have looked into the olympics hystory ... 40 years of sovjet domination in both winter and summer games untill 90's and now this ??? lol.

Hockey used to be a canadian game,well! not anymore it's becoming an international game, it was Canada's night,dont forget you have great players too,so have other countrys,let the best team win....R K

A Canadian perspective: Believe me, the whole country was worried sick heading into last night's game. Such is the respect we have for Russian Hockey. Had Canada lost the game, the country would have been in a state of mourning. I'm sure Russians are probably feeling that way today. That said, I was amazed at how lethargic the Russian team was - did they think that Team Canada has forgotten being beaten in the past two World Championships, or finishing 7th at Turino ?? Hockey is Life as far as Canada is concerned. Yesterday was our day. The next time we face Russia, I'm sure we will feel the same anticipation, anxiety, and motivation to beat the best. See you all at Sochi.

I dunno what happened. I was hoping for a closer game. Russia is known for Hockey and if any one is supposed to be a match for Canada its Russia. Even though we won, I didn't really take any joy from the game because it just didn't seem like a fair match. I am looking forward to our next meeting in 2014. Good Luck Russia, to our next match.

So the Russians are having rough time getting it together this time around. I'm sure that for the next winter games they will come back with a vengeance. The way I see it is that it's like a cycle...and by the way there are only two real hockey competitors on this planet, the Canadians and the Russians...LOL!!!

What a great game. After Ovie thought they could kick Canada's butt on Canada soil. Then to come to learn about the childish write ups in Russia about the Olympics being here is absolutely beyond reason and very classless. Why don't they just admit they haven't had too many good atheletes here in various sports and they are getting whopped because of it. Furthermore, if they are putting Canada down, maybe the NHL should stop bringing these guys over here to get rich off our sport. After all, many take their millions and run back home without adding anything to the economy to either the States or Canada. I love good sportsmanship and may the best athelete, or team win, but to see these immature comments from Russia is totally childish. This game was one that was well hyped up and many thought it could of gone either way, but because of Russia's weaknesses and poor coaching they lost, and lost but good. It goes to show that Russia is totally unable to play a good all around hockey game with skill, hard hitting, forchecking, and so forth. Canada brought the complete hockey game to the rink, and that is how the game should be played.

Canada "due to its inferiority complex, born of a trauma being the skinny and weakling bro to a beefy United States and a colonial outpost to the United Kingdom, whose Queen smiles happily from Canadian postage stamps." Hmmm, wonder what that means.

It's sad to read all those comments where people make fun of the russia team, saying they were no match against USA and Canada. I live in the city of Quebec that hosted the 2009 world championnship that team russia won last year. They were great in this tournament although the players had a great time drinking in bars. A lot of people here thougt the Vancouver 2010 organization should give them the gold medal before the olympic tournament even started because the roster was incredible on paper. There was no way we could hope to get through them. But it happened. Sometimes, most of the players have a bad game for no particular reason. Obviously, it happened to team Russia against Canada. It 2014, thay will bounce back. Come on guys, show some respect