...but perhaps no reunion will be as awkward as when American goaltender Jonathan Quick and Russian defenseman Slava Voynov take the ice together in practice for the Los Angeles Kings.
Words have been spoken regarding a potential game-winning goal for the Russians in their group match against the United States with just under five minutes left in the contest that sent the decidedly partisan crowd into a frenzy, retribution finally in hand after 34 years of having to endure Al Michaels' iconic "Do you believe in miracles?" call of the 1980 American victory over what was then the Soviet Union in the Lake Placid Olympics.
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| regardless of who dislodged the net, there are fences to be mended in L.A. |
But the excitement for the Russians and their fans was short-lived, the goal scored by defenseman Fedor Tyutin disallowed because the American goal had come off it's moorings before the shot.
Outrage and frothing indignation followed quickly, accusations of dark malfeasance and outright cheating wafting in the thick disappointment of the Russian locker room - as the host team lamented a missed opportunity, their anger and fingers pointed right at Quick, the loudest of accusers his Los Angeles teammate who has played in front of the netminder for the past three years.
Voynov on Quick dislodging the net before the Tyutin disallowed goal: "I play with him. I know that's his style." #USAvRUS
— Dmitry Chesnokov (@dchesnokov) February 15, 2014
Yikes! In the heat of the moment or not, accusing a teammate of cheating - ongoing - is sure to be a matter of some attention when the two meet up in L.A. after the games, and possibly a statement that brings scrutiny down on Quick every time a goal is uprooted from it's moorings with the veteran netminder in the crease.Both coaches took the high road in regard to the incident, American bench boss Dan Blysma calling the match "a great game all around" with Russian coach Zinetula Bilyaletdinov confirming Blysma's opinion through an interpreter.
"A great game today," Bilyaletdinov said. "I believe the spectators also loved it. A very dynamic game where both teams performed at their top level, so I enjoyed the game.", but then addressed the obvious story line as diplomatically as possible under the circumstances. "We regret that that one was disallowed," said Bilyaletdinov, adding "I do believe there was a mistake by the referee but it's our job to prepare for the next match now."
"Definitely a goal" added Russian forward Alex Ovechkin, who knows a thing or two about scoring - also stating that Quick had dislodged the goal, something that the American stopper brushed aside like a blocker save. "I didn't know until after when I turned around and saw it was off," said Quick of the goal coming off it's mooring, calling it a "a lucky break."
Russian fans no doubt call it other things, probably laced with colorful metaphors - and memes started appearing all over the internet almost immediately after the questionable call...
There's already a meme in Russia after yesterday. It reads "Check it out! I can now stand behind the net." pic.twitter.com/5n0dFI2vJH
— Dmitry Chesnokov (@dchesnokov) February 16, 2014
...not sure whether Voynov found that funny, but it only feeds into the awkwardness that is sure to cause a trifle of rude dissension and some derision in the Kings' locker room, particularly if the Russians don't get the opportunity to avenge the loss - which is what veteran Russian winger Ilya Kovalchuk suggested should be in the offing."It is only a preliminary-round game," Kovalchuk quipped, lending a sense of maturity and sportsmanship to the debate "Everything will be decided in the semifinal and the final."
Not everything, Ilya, as Volnov and Quick has some fences to mend back in California after the games, regardless of who wins what...
http://www.sportsinjuryalert.com/2014/02/awkwardness-awaits-russian-voynov-and.html#.UwJF2YUcq58
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