Does it still feel like summer to you? Are you still not pumped for the World Cup of Hockey? Well tonight at 10pmET on the NHL Network there is an antidote for that.
Tonight debuts the NHL Network Original Documentary, “Orchestrating An Upset: The 1996 World Cup of Hockey.… narrated by James Hetfield from Metallica.
This very well done, and downright inspirational documentary chronicles the improbable Team USA victory in the 1996 World Cup over Team Canada. The one hour piece features footage from the games highlighted by interviews with many of the key figures from the dramatic series including Lou Lamoriello, Brett Hull, Eric Lindros, Mike Richter, Bill Guerin, Keith Tkachuk and Theo Fleury.
The folks at The NHL Network are using this show to kick off their new original program they are calling “NHL Network Originals.… I was fortunate to get to watch this ahead of time and if this first shot is any indication we are in for some awesome new hockey programming.
As a kid who grew up with hockey in America, I remember a time when our best local hockey teams would head up to the Can/Am Tournament and get destroyed by the Canadian kids. Just crushed. It wasn’t even close. Yes, the “Miracle on Ice… happened when I was 12, and as happy as I was I do honestly remember thinking, “We won, but we still didn’t beat Canada.…
“Orchestrating an Upset… replays the great on ice moments, but where this documentary really shines is in contrasting the attitudes of the Americans and the Canadians. Lets face it....any time you put Lou Lamoriello juxtaposed with and orchestra you quickly understand why some around the league who worry they have wronged Lou are afraid they will one day wake up with a horse’s head in their bed.
When discussing the fights that broke out 20 seconds into the preliminary round Canada versus USA we get classic Lou as he pontificates, “I think it was an asset to us for that to transpire.…
Another highpoint was USA’s Bill Guerin saying, “When you are on the losing side more than the winning side you develop a hatred. I don’t know if the Canadian guys felt that way towards us..…
Flash to Eric Lindros with that familiar snicker on his face. You know the one we all saw so many times during his career when someone would challenge him after a whistle? Yeh that snicker. Lindros says, “No. No not at all. I wouldn’t dig that deep.… as if to dismiss that Canada in any way cared enough about the American players to give it a thought. Later we find Lindros again laughing when asked what Team Canada ACTUALLY thought of Team USA saying, “I can’t tell you that, you are an American.…
Here’s something else that hit me watching this...The intensity of Canada and USA we saw last week felt out of place in alot of ways. We are accustomed to these NHL players in All-Star games respecting one another. However, after re-watching these games from 1996 last week’s pre tournament games feel nothing more than a 20 year later sequel. Next weeks matchup could be “Lord of the Flies… epic.
I highly recommend checking the show out. After this hour of TV you might want to book some ice time. You will be THAT fired up. And if you can’t get on the ice, at least you’ll br ready for this World Cup to start already!
The documentary will air for the first time tonight, Wednesday, Sept. 14 at 10pm ET.
Here is a preview.
I am enroute to Pittsburgh to take in the two games today. North America versus Czech at 3:30 and then Canada versus Russia at 7:30. Crosby versus Malkin in Pittsburgh. Does it get much better?
The Buzzcast today will be live at 12:30pm ET...
Listen to the HockeyBuzzCast on #iTunes w/ @eklund @mikeinbuffalo @sportsology @DanDanNoodles78 @fisherjillian https://t.co/4Vc8NnpljX #NHL
— Michael Augello (@MikeInBuffalo) April 26, 2016