Explain to a hockey idiot: "playing like the russian red army"

by taiko on Feb 8, 2009 12:21 PM CST Comment 9 comments

Hey Gametimers, I'm emerging from the shadows of long time lurk-dom to ask what the fuck Andy Murray is talking about in the post-game wrap of that thrashing of the Avs:

"During the first period, we tried to play like the Russian Red Army team,'' Blues coach Andy Murray said. "During the last two periods, we played our game."

I really like watching the Blues but have absolutely no bred-in hockey knowledge, having grown up in Florida in the 70s and 80s when the only professional sports in America's dong was the University of Miami's football team. So I appreciate any help in parsing these kind of cultural references.

Go Blues!

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I'm sure someone else can give a better explanation...

It was before my time but from what I know they played a puck control game with a lot of cycling… a lot of finesse.

The Blues obviously don’t have very much finesse with all the injuries (or without, really)

by DallyDrake on Feb 8, 2009 12:26 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

From an old-timer...

The Russian Red Army team basically worked as a 5 man unit with lots of short passes until the opposition got out of position and would lead to an odd-man (3 on 2, 2 on 1) rush. It required precision, speed, and lots of tape-to-tape short passes, especially at center ice and high in their own zone. Murray’s reference was that this team has neither the skill nor the speed to do that.

When they played against Canadian-style teams, a much more physical game, teams would get caught up in chasing the man instead of clogging the passing lanes, allowing the Red Army team the seams they needed. When the Red Army played NHL teams in the mid-70’s, I think they only lost one game, and tied one game.

The Flyers beat them by having their forwards shut off the passing lanes at neutral ice , the same strategy that worked in the first Stanley Cup series against Boston. This forced the Russians to play more of a puck carrying, dump-and-chase game, which they weren’t able to do. The US Olympic Team took a different strategy, by playing man-on-man hockey and having the speed to keep up with the Russian forwards.

by The Goalie Guy on Feb 8, 2009 12:53 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Nice explanation. That’s how I would have explained it…except not nearly as well. :)

How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are? - Satchel Paige

by Dan. on Feb 8, 2009 1:08 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

The Flyers beat them by having their forwards shut off the passing lanes at neutral ice , the same strategy that worked in the first Stanley Cup series against Boston.

Also, by beating the bloody hell out of them and running them out of the building. There was that part, too :-) Boy, talk about an awkward cultural encounter!

Lighthouse Hockey: an SB Nation New York Islanders blog with hip issues.

by Dominik on Feb 8, 2009 8:36 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Nice.

I had no idea any of that took place. Heh, it almost makes me not hate the Flyers.

How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are? - Satchel Paige

by Dan. on Feb 8, 2009 8:59 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Awesome video

Thanks Dominik and Goalie Guy. Looked like the Russians had never taken a check on the ice before, the way they got hit.

"Attaway to stomp 'em. Stomp the piss out of 'em. Stomp 'em when they're down. Kick 'em and stomp 'em. Attaway to go boys. Pound that old Budweiser into you and go get them tomorrow." -- Joe Schultz

by taiko on Feb 8, 2009 9:11 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

It also helped that.....

Bobby Clark went goon and 2 ironed Karlamov’s ankle. The NHL team couldn’t shut Karlamov down so they took out his ankle.

The KLM line was beautiful to watch. Karlamov, Larinov and Markorov. You got dizzy just watchin them run that cycle. As soon as some poor SOB from the NHL would try and chase you knew it was over.

The other memory that stands out from that Red Army series was CCCP goalie Tretiak doing a complete freaking backflip before each game. Ain’t seen anyone else even attempt that shit.

Tretiak was one of the most technically correct goalies I’ve ever seen play. Never out of position and he always looked so smooth and cool as cucumber. Dude drew mad respect from our players.

Life is relevant. You can put your hands on a hot stove and a fraction of a second seems like hours. Yet you can put your hands on a hot woman and hours seem to turn into seconds.

by spectr17 on Feb 11, 2009 7:01 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I like to look at it as the hockey equivilent to the triangle offense in basketball.

Basically, it’s about overextending the defense to a point where you can get an easy point.

Put that shit back on the shelf!

by Thelonious Dunk on Feb 9, 2009 5:29 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Hehehe… I remember watching Ed Van Impe checking the SHIT out of that Russian on TV. Head down and all that, y’know. They left the ice and threatened never to come back again. What nobody seems to mention is that the guy came back and took his regular shifts after that.

by The Goalie Guy on Feb 8, 2009 9:47 PM CST reply actions 0 recs