96 World Cup of Hockey Final, USA-Canada Gm. 2

Game 2 of the best of 3 championship round in the 1996 World Cup of Hockey, USA vs Canada at the Molson Center (now the Bell Center) in Montreal, Quebec. Mike Richter started in goal for the US, Curtis Joseph for Canada. Announced by Doc Emrick and John Davidson.
The World Cup of Hockey replaced the Canada Cup and is organized by the NHL. Unlike the IIHF World Championships, the games take place after the NHL playoffs are over. It is not affiliated with the Olympics.

[@ChrisHonowayOFFICIAL]

This was the pinnacle of hockey, lots of scoring, toughness and no formulaic generic set plays. The goalie pads need to be this size again. The goalies had to work for their saves.

[@alvalankerofficial]

Mike Richter won the MVP of this tournament and deservingly so.

[@zalapski9399]

1996 is the all time peak in hockey. Still had the 80s stars like Gretz, Lemieux, Coffey, etc, mixed with the 90s style- which is the golden era of hockey. Power forwards, still tons of fights, hitting, with the beginnings of modern skill. Strap on your CCM’s with the white and plastic sides, put on your Tackla’s, and grab your black Bauer Supreme with the Lindros curve, and take a slap shot with a 4 second wind up!

[@anthonydangelo3980]

except Mario lemieux didn't play. rest and training were more important to him..

[@veronicabellucci7129]

Amonte, Smolinski, and Leclair were unstoppable, not to mention a legion of all-star Americans, backed by the best goaltender ever.

[@veronicabellucci7129]

I SHOULD put RICTER first. my apologies. Just got these videos.

[@dspf68]

@veronicabellucci72297 It's actually Mike Richter, not RICTER. Don't know what that drunk shit is lol!

[@user-do5ms1lh8r]

I love Mike Emrick. His passion for broadcasting is flawless.

[@veronicabellucci7129]

Was agreeing with you while listening.

[@alvalankerofficial]

Mike Richter just amazing.

[@goatsheadsoup]

Awesome game. I remember it well. One of the best series ever. Go USA!!! cheers Stick

[@Dane42o]

This is the first game (of any sport) that I have been seriously cheering(/booing) for, ever, that was not live....and it was awesome.

[@tannermcgee3959]

The best USA Team ever composed and never will be equaled and possibly the best team of all time, Canada/Russia included.

[@tpatrick6902]

johnny leclair !!!!!!great big talented guys. highest point in nhl history. Ive nevee seen a higher evolution of the game. Its perfect!!!!

[@SuperJasondennis]

Greatest single series in the history of hockey. Canadians still crying in their Molson's.

[@radjedi2010]

You know, I keep going back and forth between the highlights of this and 2016.. Is is just me or was hockey a LOT more exciting back then? I really don't think it's a "well the old times were better" thing. Whatever they did to the rules to try and make the game more free flowing somehow had the opposite effect. I barely follow hockey anymore. I knew every single player on these two teams.

[@sollazzoanthony3963]

wish hockey was a little more exciting like it use to be... lost interest it turned into a $$$ league pure business... no fighting no hitting no rivalries no fun!!!

[@timothymacdonnell9079]

You have a good point. The playoffs this year are great, but it’s not what it used to be. The refs over officiate the game. Some hits are even suspensions. I think taking the red line out had a lot to do with it. They should allow some holding and hooking. Now if you touch a guy, it’s a penalty (unless you lick him).

[@sixshooter82]

radjedi2010 I get your point, but the game has translated more to speed and finesse. It’s still the greatest game on earth. Football with all commercial breaks and stoppage in play and basketball witch is just boring and one dimensional, hockey is still fast and explosive. The league had to do something after 2011 when 3 former players committed suicide cuz of postconcussion symptoms.

[@veronicabellucci7129]

They allowed them to play more...be more physical. Additionally, both these teams would beat any all star--Canadian or U.S. team today. Hanno permesso loro di giocare more...be più fisico. Inoltre, entrambe queste squadre avrebbe battuto qualsiasi all star-canadese o squadra degli Stati Uniti oggi

[@Gman-ex5dg]

Nah. The 2 line pass, goalies as a 3rd D man in the corners are gone now. Its nostalgia...………….its a helluva drug

[@ElectricIRA]

I think these games were the best played games in the last 50 years.

[@mikeguinness5408]

To answer some of your questions/comments: *The first game of the best of 3 Final was played in Philly, at the time the brand new CoreStates Center (now the Wells Fargo Center). *Yes, they don't make them like John LeClair anymore. Won a World Cup in this tourney, won the Stanley Cup with MTL scoring a couple OT goals in the Final vs the Kings, 406 career goals (34 goals/season average) including 3 seasons with 50+. This tourney showed how good he was in his prime: 7 games, 6 goals and 4 assists vs top players. *I'd be on board with having the World Cup every 4 years (just like FIFA) in between the Olympics. Do it in September before the regular season starts.

[@jerdee8739]

Your wishes have been granted

[@BenDover-vs7ih]

The amount of talent on both these rosters was just incredible. Canadians will always have a great team but we will never see a better U.S. team than this one. Just ridiculous how many great players were in this series. The difference was Mike Richter he outplayed CuJo.

[@dspf68]

The time of the power forward, when team USA had more of them!!

[@bruceleedisciple]

I was 8 years old during these games and I had never hated players before. this series made me HATE eric lindros.

[@benlee7864]

Agreed! Fuck lindros! Fuckin loser.

[@veronicabellucci7129]

Were there actual better players EVER to play a Canada Cup?

[@arkansaswookie]

Good call Veronica. Not in my estimation. What a friggin' team.

[@veronicabellucci7129]

Interesting fact: Hull could've played for either team, but chose USA!

[@mickiemouseHM]

Any one knows how often is this tournament played? I had not heard of it being played, until now! I mean, I do follow the Fifa World Cup every 4 years, but I'd never heard of a World Cup of Hockey.

[@RoguePatience]

Does anyone, can anyone, please tell me the name of the song that plays at the beginning of this video? I’ve been trying to figure it out for years. 0:00

[@quentinraffensperger1699]

How many 2 on 1's did Team U.S.A. have in the 3 games vs. Team Canada? 20 ?

[@Alexander-gt9xz]

I like how fighting is a part of hockey lol !

[@jackwildhirt3757]

5-2, woah, I thought Canada would do a lot better than they did in this game.

[@Morety09]

Any chance you have footage of the beer tossing in this game? I recall chelios doing some cheap stuff to lindros and beers getting tossed onto the ice that stopped the game for a few minutes.

[@irlnd32]

Cheap stuff to Lindros? Lol He was tomahawking peoples necks, two handed Tkachuk from behind

[@Morety09]

@@irlnd32 12:39 Chelios sneaks up behind Lindros like the coward he is, grabs Lindros' helmet and pulls him down. Chelios was a dirty f%^&

[@Sizzmaster6985]

where was game 1 played

[@Sizzmaster6985]

where was game 1

[@pat442389]

Where were Ray Bourque and Cam Neely? You could even argue Oates shouldve been on team Canada. But Bourque is a head scratcher. Was it injury related? I actually looked up the rosters and Ed Jovonovski and Lyle Odelien made the Canadian team.... theyre no where in the same ballpark as Bourque. Also Neely had tons of injuries and i can see why someone would leave him off but he woudve been great against bigger and tougher teams like US. Oates was a great passer and center but im sure team Canada had that covered with Lindros, Gretzky, Sakic, Messier and Yzerman.

[@nathanholmes3475]

Hi pal! quietly I really please this vjry puch outdoor

[@JBarg25]

It looks like the tournament may come back in 2016. The NHL is ambivalent on the whole Olympic experience, since they don't control (ie. make money off it) that tournament, and they don't have the same symbiotic relationship with the IIHF that the NBA and FIBA do. Like others have said, I'm all for rotating the Olympics/World Cup every two years.

[@michaelkovacs4657]

Jim Barg d

[@DickNiaz26]

No #1 Goalie - Patrick Roy No #1 C - Mario Lemieux No #1 LW - Paul Kariya

[@texasguy5377]

united states#1 this world cup.

[@MikeJones-uc5eu]

Canada didn't what No.1 Goalie No.1 C didn't want Canada No.1 LW was injured NO.1 Crybaby Country by far is CANADA.

[@filipnassen9076]

Had Super Mario played for Canada, they would've won ;)

[@jrinthe8187]

I don't necessarily disagree with you. Super Mario was that and more. If he didn't suffer through back injuries and Hodgkins, many would be saying Wayne Who? Mario missed over 500 possible regular season games and he still has the recored for points per game over a career. I also wonder why Team Canada's HC didn't change out Cujo for Martin Brodeur. Martin was fresh off of a Stanley Cup win in 1995. This was clearly the USA's best team of pros to play in a tournament. They were tough and had swagger, plus Richter was a much better goalie in this series than Cujo.

[@filipnassen9076]

I guess Canada choose Cujo because he had won all previous games and because he was so dominant against Sweden. The commentators even said before game 1: "Without him it's Sweden playing tonight."

[@jrinthe8187]

Filip Nässén Guess Sather would know. Still if you look at the Finals Games, Cujo gave up 13 Goals for a 4.33 GAA. Richter only gave up 8, for a 2.67 GAA, almost 2 Goals per Game less. I figured that Brodeur would have gotten the start in Game 3 after the USA had dominated Game 2. Also Canada barely won Game 1, 4-3 in OT. But that's Hockey baby!

[@filipnassen9076]

I'm from Sweden, so I don't know, but why wasn't Roy in the tournament?

[@jrinthe8187]

Filip Nässén Happy Malmo to you! The 1995-6 NHL Year was the one where Roy had a meltdown in Montreal after giving up like 10 goals. He was pissed that the Coach did not pull him. Roy was trade to Colorado in December 1995. I suspect that he was not "viewed" as a good ambassador for Canadien Hockey. Their loss.

[@chrismagsmags]

Trey from Phish at the 1:45 mark and 4:25ish

[@pauls1266]

Trey Anastasio sighting @1:40 and 4:25

[@1987phillybilly]

The Olympics messed it up. I heard they MAY have it this year, 2013

[@PaulMAruba11]

WHAT was Claude Lemiuex doing on the same ice with these guys ?!?

[@tymacdougall3140]

Hockey isn’t all about scoring. Claude was a great shut down guy and played harder than anyone.

[@PaulMAruba11]

@@tymacdougall3140 He was a cheap shot artist who was not nearly as talented as anyone else on these rosters.

[@tymacdougall3140]

Guy won the conn smythe a year and a half before this son

[@PaulMAruba11]

@@tymacdougall3140 "Son", LOL !! Been watching this game since BEFORE "Sanderson to Orr, he scores !!" to win the Cup for my Bruins...are you a MacDougall from Melrose ?

[@tymacdougall3140]

@@PaulMAruba11 ahh so your old and stupid. What’s with you clowns being so stubborn? Just another raisin set in his ways.

[@irlnd32]

JD creaming in his jeans for Canada

[@patrickgray5633]

Lindros was a prick using his stick like that.

[@ballaking1000]

6:24 GET OFF ME!!

[@samuelhill88]

Beatles at 6:20

[@jackwildhirt3757]

GO USA!

[@quentinraffensperger1699]

I like Cujo as a Leafs fan but he looked brutal on that Hull goal.

[@WHEREtheFUNK]

I'm American and played jr b in Canada back in the 80s... It is herr that I picked up my fighting skills because it was one cheap shot after another. Every game played was like fkg combat.

[@bigzee8961]

Who’s here for Doc on his retirement day?

[@daleswampy4560]

U.S had their top goaltender. . Mike Richter. Had Canada had their top goaltender.. Canada would of won this series.. Patrick Roy is far better than Mike Richter