Page 18 - ARUBA TODAY

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Monday 26 February 2018

GOLD RUSS

Olympic athletes from Russia celebrate after winning the men’s gold medal hockey game against Germany, 4-3, in overtime at the 2018 Winter Olympics, Sunday,
Feb. 25, 2018, in Gangneung, South Korea.
Associated Press
Russians win hockey gold with 4-3 OT win over Germany

By STEPHEN WHYNO This Olympic title meant so izov’s power-play goal won their first hockey gold pics.
AP Hockey Writer much more to the Russians, capped a classic final and medal since 1992 under the Even with Alex Ovechkin,
GANGNEUNG, South Ko- no matter that the tourna- gave the nation a jubilant same circumstances as 26 Evgeni Malkin and Sergei
rea (AP) — The Olympic ment was missing NHL play- moment following weeks of years ago: playing under Bobrovsky back in North
anthem was merely back- ers and the “Olympic Ath- disappointment. a neutral flag with the NHL America, this gold medal
ground noise, the doping letes from Russia” were all “We understood the whole opting to stay home after was particularly sweet be-
scandal the farthest thing here only after months of thing from the start so we participating in the past cause of the backdrop
from their minds. scandal. were calm about it,” coach five Olympics. of sanctions and the Rus-
As the white flag with the Joyous players tossed Oleg Znarok said. “Russia is “The medal is the same sians’ almost three-decade
five Olympic rings rose to- coach Oleg Znarok in the in our hearts.” with or without the NHL,” drought. After Interna-
ward the rafters Sunday air at center ice as fans let The win came only a few said defenseman Slava tional Ice Hockey Federa-
following the gold medal out the same “ROSS-I-YA” hours after the IOC de- Voynov, who scored the tion President Rene Fasel
game in men’s hockey, the chants that filled the are- cided against allowing the opening goal with 0.5 sec- put the first Russian hockey
champion Russians in their na in Sochi four years ago, Russians to march under onds left in the first period. medals of any color since
nondescript red-and-white where home ice meant their flag in the closing cer- “Maybe the tournament 2002 around the necks of
uniforms joined their fans nothing as the Russians lost emony Sunday night after was a little different, but the each player, Russian Hock-
cloaked in red, white and in the quarterfinals. There a curler and a bobsledder emotions and happiness ey Federation President
blue and belted out the was no such disappoint- had positive drug tests dur- are the same.” Vladislav Tretiak — a three-
“State Anthem of the Rus- ment this time as the Rus- ing the games. Russian President Vladimir time Olympic gold medal-
sian Federation,” drowning sians triumphed in the tour- It didn’t seem to matter Putin made a telephone ist and Soviet Hall of Fame
out the recorded song that nament they were favored to the Russian players that call to Znarok after the vic- goaltender — gave out
was required as part of In- to win, capturing gold with they couldn’t wear the tory, which gave the coun- handshakes and hugs.
ternational Olympic Com- a 4-3 overtime victory over Russian Coat of Arms on try its second gold and 17th
mittee sanctions. Germany after Kirill Kapr- their chests or that they overall medal of the Olym- Continued on Page 20