President of the Russian Hockey Federation (RFH) Vladislav Tretiak in an interview with , he said that he at one time promised to take revenge for the hockey team’s unsuccessful performance at the home Olympics in Sochi.
The Olympic Games in Sochi took place from February 7 to 23, 2014. The Russian team lost to the Finnish team (1:3) in the quarterfinals of the hockey tournament, the Canadians won gold. On February 25, 2018, the Russian team won gold at the Pyeongchang Games, beating the Germans in the final (4: 3 in overtime).
— Difficult memories [о хоккейном турнире в Сочи], because you have to win at the Olympic Games at home. And do you remember that goal in the group with the Americans that wasn’t counted?! Remember when Jonathan Quick moved the goal posts? We could have beaten the American team, but we lost on penalties (2:3 B). This also had an impact. Because the rules were different: we have one, in the NHL there are others. The Americans were happy. They knew Russia had scored a clear goal. And then the judge cancels it! You see, I found a reason why if the goal moved a little, the puck might not be counted.
It’s a shame that our team lost. All Russian NHL stars came to Sochi, everyone did their best. But sport remains sport. And I will say that in 2014 we built a bridge to the golden city of Pyeongchang. We did everything to win four years later. Thank goodness we were able to do it in South Korea.
— Did you give your word in the summer of 2014 to return Olympic hockey gold to Russia?
“I am an athlete and that is why I say unambiguous things about the outcome of future competitions. But before the election of the president of the Russian Hockey Federation, he said that we will win gold at the 2018 Olympics. Or I will resign. Yes, such was, one might say, an oath. And it is important for me that we managed to keep our promise,” Tretyak told .
Source : MatchTV
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