Now Germans Take It Out on Russians

Beating the Tulsa Oilers was never like this.

Ludek Bukac, who played for Oklahoma City of the old Central Hockey League in 1964, achieved a first in German Olympic hockey history Friday when he coached his team to a 4-2 victory over Russia. Germany was 0-8 in the Olympics against Russia and its predecessors, having scored only nine goals and given up 61. Germany was 1-79-2 against Russia in all matches.

“The winning of games is pushing us forward, making progress for hockey in Germany,” said Bukac, who also coached the Czech national team for six years and had never defeated the Soviets. “If you play successfully, the coach lives for another day.”

Bukac seems to have little to fear after leading Germany to a fifth-place finish in the 1993 World Championships and a 3-1 record here. Friday’s triumph, in which three-time Olympian Bernd Truntschka scored his first two Olympic goals, gave Germany a berth in the medal round.

Russia is 2-2 after starting the Games with a 60-6-2 record since its hockey debut in 1956.

“Our defense is the weakest part of our game,” assistant Russian coach Igor Dmitriev said. “We have to improve in that area. . . . This team is losing its self-assurance, and it is not the team it was before.”

Said Bukac: “In our day, the Russians were always a strong team, but this competition is tougher now because the Russians are not a dominating team. The bottom teams are competing better, so it’s not easy to play them.”