The Soviet Union was dominating the world of hockey in the 80s, and with a frightening first line, few teams in the world could beat them. Any national team who even got close celebrated it like a win.
Just ask the Swedes.
Sweden is now one of the world’s best hockey nations, but just before the World Championship of Hockey, back in 1987, Sweden had never won a game against the Sovjet.
The losing streak held for 50 games until Sweden won a friendly game ahead of the WC. Pekka Lindmark, a legendary Swedish goalkeeper, was the big hero at that time, and it wasn’t exactly the first time he came across the Sovjet players.
Some years before that groundbreaking game, Lindmark was involved in a massive brawl at a nightclub after a Swedish player flirted with the legendary defenseman Viacheslav Fetisov’s wife.
“I think it started with Magnus Svensson asking Fetisov’s wife for a dance. Then, chaos erupted. I got my nose broken and a couple of ribs broken. But I survived it. I looked like shit, though, and the media asked me what happened. I just said I’d got a puck to the head during practice,” Pekka Lindmark said.