Mike Babcock, head coach of the Canadian ice hockey team, does not hide the team’s goal at the Sochi Olympics. After beating Finland (2:1), Mike Babcock stated: “We have come here to win the Olympic Games”. According to him, it does not matter which team the Canadians will play in the Olympic final.

The head coach of the Canadians showed a great sense of humor. One of the journalists told me Mike Babcock was trying to distract the attention of the press and fans because it took the Canadians overtime and great effort to beat Finland. The coach looked nervous.

As for the Russian team, the specialists think it is important for Russia to play better and make through to the Olympic final. If Russia goes through the final and wins silver medal, it will be considered as a failure. If the Russians cannot take even the third place, it will be a “catastrophic” result.

Today legendary ice hockey defenseman Viacheslav Fetisov, two-time Olympic champion, world and European champion, winner of “Stanley Cup” in 1997 and 1998, told the journalists at the press conference that it is early to draw conclusions. Fetisov believes the Russian team can play better and make the fans happy.  

At the press conference Fetisov recalled his visit in Tbilisi in October 2002 (he attended the match between the Georgian and the Russian national football teams) and asked us to say hello to everybody who remembers his game and who warmly welcomed the Russian sports delegation in the capital of Georgia.

After the press conference Fetisov took pictures with the journalists, including the author of these lines.

Tengiz Pachkoria, Krasnaya Polyana-Adler, specially for www.worldsport.ge