Views from Section 8 - Lights out at the 1987 World Juniors

A Newspaper cartoon from back in 1987 making fun of the "Punchup in Piestany," which cost the Bert Templeton led Canadian team a medal.

"Views from Section 8" is a new column written by Don "Butch" Turcotte. The former Trappers Junior "A" coach and father of former NHLer and Skyhawks assistant coach Darren Turcotte will be chiming in with his thoughts here on BayToday.ca. Enjoy!


As I watch the World Junior Ice Hockey Championship games on TSN my mind goes back to the 1987 series held in Czechoslovakia. The wife and I were spectators at those championships as Darren was a member of the U.S. team. While the teams had their headquarters in Czechoslovakia the American followers (parents, family and friends) were based out of Vienna, Austria. We commuted to the games which were held at two venues within two hours of Vienna. At the time the country was of communist regime. When we crossed the border we had to vacate our leased vehicles and enter a guard house with our passports. There were military guards with rifles at all stops. There were also guards in an elevated quard house overlooking the commuters. Kind of scary to say the least. I remember at one crossing I just needed to do my human duties and could not wait. I looked around a corner and I could see a urinal to relieve me. As I was relieving myself this guard rounds the corner with rifle in hand and looks at me as if to say "What are you doing here?" I sure huried as the guard was gestering me to get out. It happened to be the guards resting place. Then there was the time when the Capuano's (from Rhode Island whos son played with the U.S. team) and Sue and I were returning to Vienna from one of the games and Jack had purchased some crystal which the Czechs were famous for. He had the crystal packaged in such a manner as to have it shipped by airplane to the U.S.. Well at the boarder we were stopped as usual. The guard asks Jack to open the trunk which he did. Then he asks Jack "Open box". Now Jack, a muscular gentleman about 225 pounds, responds: "No open box." The guard repeats to open the box and Jack once again, in a rough voice, says: "No open box." I was a little uneasy at the time. Then the guard says: "Okay, close trunk." Jack had his crystal.

Then there was New Year's Day mass that us American Catholics attended in Vienna. It was an old chapel that was two tiered with a balcony from which the choir was situated. The music was fantastic and we shortly found out the the choir was the Vienna Boys Choir. At the end of the service the choir mingled with their families and friends in the chapel courtyard. Without a doubt another great highlight of our trip.

Now to the hockey and I quote from the Toronto Star: "According to the National Hockey League scouts who attended the tournament, the Canucks were looking for trouble anytime they put on their skates. They were spoiling for a fight. Their conduct has been described as "embarassing." With teenagers, such deportment would be the responsibility of the men in charge - they came from the OHL (Bert Templeton) and the QMJHL (Pat Burns)." I personally can remember the Canada-United States encounter. In the pre-game warm-up there was a center ice squirmish. The 20 players for both teams pushed and shoved each other at center-ice. The U.S. team was mainly made up of U.S. College players, who were probably never subjected to this type of scenario. Darren, Mike Hartman (both Centennials at the time) and goaltender Pat Jablonski (Windsor Spitfires) were probably the only ones from the Ontario Hockey League. After a couple of minutes the game officials came on the ice along with Dave Petterson and Ben Smith the U.S. coaches. Meanwhile Pat and Bert were standing outside their locker room door in the end zone both with a grins on their faces. Game plan - you answer that yourself. The intimidated Americans lost the game.

We flew out of Vienna Sunday morning and because of the time difference, arrived at Toronto International about noon. I stopped at the first bar at the airport to find out who had won the game between the Russians and the Canadians. LIGHTS OUT in Piestany!

Happy New Year from Section 8