Rare footage: Olympic hockey heats up Saskatoon in 1988
Saskatchewan has played host to plenty of high-level hockey over the years, but few top the rivalry between Canada and the Soviet Union.
You wouldn’t have expected both nation's men's Olympic hockey teams to be facing off in Saskatchewan. However, Olympic hockey has been played in our province, sort of.
We found rare footage of Olympic hockey teams playing games in Saskatoon in 1988.
That year, the Canadian men’s Olympic hockey team faced off against the Soviet Union and Sweden in a pre-tournament series just days before the Calgary Olympics.
The games were some of the first to be played at the new Saskatchewan Place arena in Saskatoon, known today as SaskTel Centre.
This was before NHL players paused their season to play in the Olympics, so fans saw a Canadian Olympic roster that included Trent Yawney, Marc Habsheid, and Goaltender Andy Moog.
The Soviet Union had a stacked roster that included the likes of Igor Larionov, Alexander Mogilny, and Valeri Kamenski.
Both teams lit the lamp early, each getting a goal within the first two minutes. But Canada would get two unanswered goals after that and hang onto a 3-2 victory.
One day later, Canada’s Olympic team faced off against team Sweden.
This match was also a back-and-forth battle, where the teams exchanged two goals throughout the game, with the final score being a 2-2 tie.
Canada went into the Calgary Olympics but finished off the podium in fourth place behind Sweden, Finland, and the Soviet Union.
But those rare opportunities to see Olympic hockey in Saskatchewan, gave fans plenty to cheer about, with many showing their Canadian hockey pride.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Health minister 'deeply appreciative' of doctors but capital gains changes here to stay
Health Minister Mark Holland says while he is 'deeply appreciative' of the work doctors in Canada do, the federal government has no plans to scrap the proposed capital gains tax changes outlined in the latest budget, despite opposition from the Canadian Medical Association.
Chants of 'shame on you' greet guests arriving for the annual White House correspondents' dinner
An election-year roast of U.S. President Joe Biden before journalists, celebrities and politicians at the annual White House correspondents' dinner Saturday.
Deadly six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 sparked by road rage incident
One person was killed in a six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 in Innisfil Friday evening.
'Of course, yes': Poland latest European country with interest in Canadian LNG
The President of Poland says his country would 'of course' be interested in purchasing Canadian liquefied natural gas if it were available, while the Canadian federal government has said it is 'not interested' in subsidizing future projects.
Passage of harsh anti-2SLGBTQ+ law in Iraq draws diplomatic backlash
Human rights groups and diplomats criticized a law that was quietly passed by the Iraqi parliament over the weekend that would impose heavy prison sentences on gay and transgender people.
Opinion I just don't get Taylor Swift
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'doesn't get' the global phenomenon.
Invasive and toxic hammerhead worms make themselves at home in Ontario
Ontario is now home to an invasive and toxic worm species that can grow up to three feet long and can be dangerous to small animals and pets.
A munitions explosion at a Cambodian army base kills 20 soldiers, but its cause is unclear
Security was tight around a military base in southwestern Cambodia on Sunday, a day after a huge explosion there killed 20 soldiers, wounded others and damaged nearby houses.
What Trudeau's podcast appearances say about the Liberals' next ballot box question
Trudeau recently appeared on four podcasts as he travels the country talking up the Liberals' latest budget, which he's pitching as a plan to inject more economic fairness into society for those under 40 — a cohort that has kept Trudeau in power since 2015 but is increasingly turning to Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.