A look back at Mario Lemieux’s magical “non-pass” in the 2002 Olympic Gold Medal game between Team Canada and Team USA.
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#olympics #teamcanada #hockey #canada #2002 #goldmedal
41 Comments
Was Gretzky wearing the USA uniform?
JEE-YOE SAKIC SCORES
Mario Lemieux was my brother’s favourite and Paul Kariya was mine, so that goal, that game, that whole team was special.
What kind of a fuckin line is Kariya-Lemieux-Yzerman
Lol that's like a nightmare for any team
One of the greatest displays of hockey IQ ever*
I went and checked, since I was curious… that Canadian roster had 14 Hall of Famers. FOURTEEN. Holy shit.
This is the best play i love about him! 🙂
Lemieux, Sakic, Iginla, and Pronger…? Damn that's a lineup
Most people don’t know that Mario had an assist on that goal, he passed the puck to Pronger prior, Pronger passed it back to him instead of receiving the pass he let the puck go through his legs.
I remember watching this play and immediately recognizing it as a work of hockey genius by Lemieux
Super Mario! 😊👍 I remember this goal, Mario – fantastic hockey player and wonderful person! Unfortunately, I from Eastern Europe, and I think no need to tell what is it for a big hockey fan. I love NHL hockey! I love Penguins and Mario! ❤When Mario be on ice you always expect to see miracle, and he give a lot of great and beautiful play, like it be in this moment. In next life I want to be born in Canada for become hockey player. ☃️ 🥅 🏒 🇨🇦
I remember when I was really young, watching this game on tv and I would pretend to be a player in the game with my mini sticks. Hockey is my childhood, and I still love it.
The level of awareness to do this on this stage is mind-boggling
I saw that game and I was a ducks fan back then so I was hyped Paul made the goal but the non pass blew my mind.
I will never forget that goal. I watched it live. At the time, I thought it was a move of sheer brilliance. Now that I’m older, I have to respect Mario’s “Hockey Sense” to know where Kariya was at that moment, and that Pronger’s pass, though intended for him, would just as easily land on Kariya’s stick.
The only thing I don’t know to this day, is whether Kariya knew it was coming, if he was just as surprised as the rest of us, and just fired it home.
I remember watching it live and I still think it is one of the best play ever.
I guess my 1980s memory for Lemieux and Gretzky together must’ve been World Cup. Canada’s team so good that Yzerman did not make the cut at Center 😮
back before we destroyed ourselves
I had to run to the store during this game. The nearest store was in a mall. Every TV in the mall had this game on. In each store and restaurant someone had brought a TV and they were all watching it. It was so surreal.
Without America, the NHL would be pathetic and poor.
1000 hockey IQ 😮
I remember this.
Did I miss it?
Back when they still picked the best guy for the job. 👍 2002 Team Canada was lit.
The US still hasn't won since Lake Placid. What an absolute joke to ever call them a superpower in hockey. Take off, eh!
I’ve always called it “the phantom assist”. He knew what he was doing. The goalie was fixated on Lemieux and it was pure genius to pretend to make a play. He was an amazing player.
Damn, all those he was just firing off. All legends.
Great non-pass but Lemieux most likely would have scored had he shot it.
Joeeeeee Saaaaaaaakiccccccc!
I miss you Bob Cole!
I still remember watching this. To this day its still the best hockey IQ play ive ever seen.
One quick correction / historical note: Prior to 1998, NHL players were not allowed to go to the Olympics. Canada's Olympic record prior to 1998 is irrelevant because our best players weren't there. We were sending amateur (non-NHL) players to the Olympics to go up against professional Russian players (who weren't allowed to leave the Soviet Union and play in the NHL until Alexander Mogilny defected in 1989). So it's an apples and oranges comparison. Prior to 1998, the standard bearer was the Canada Cup / World Cup of hockey, which decided who was best.
Canada winning gold in 2002 means that Canada won Olympic gold in just their second attempt (while sending their best players). A shocking upset loss to the Czech Republic knocked Canada out early in 1998 thanks to Dominik Hasek. Canada would go on to win Olympic gold again in 2010 (Crosby), and so on. Russia, by contrast, has NEVER won Olympic gold since it became a best-on-best format in 1998 (to the best of my knowledge).
To me, this play shows why Lemieux was a greater player than Gretzky
I was living in Seattle then and I watched it on CBC since they were available on cable TV there. I could almost hear the cheers from the north.
to me it's probably the greatest play in hockey history
Jeee-ooooe Sakic!
I remember watching this with German commentary in Stuttgart!
he was simply the best, always and forever
Look, I know it doesn't work that way, but dude deserved an assist on that one!
I remember losing my mind over that play. 100000000 hockey IQ
They call that a dummy in football ⚽️
Kariya my fav all time