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Putin forgives referees, thought Russia would beat U.S. ‘by a big margin’

Russian President Putin watches the cross country skiing men's relay during the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Olympics at Laura Cross-Country Ski and Biathlon Center near Krasnaya Polyana

Russian President Vladimir Putin watches the cross country skiing men’s relay during the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Olympics at Laura Cross-Country Ski and Biathlon Center near Krasnaya Polyana February 16, 2014. REUTERS/Mikhail Klimentyev/RIA Novosti/Kremlin (RUSSIA - Tags: POLITICS SPORT OLYMPICS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IT IS DISTRIBUTED, EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS. ATTENTION EDITORS: PICTURE 05 OF 18 FOR PACKAGE ‘SOCHI - EDITOR’S CHOICE’ TO FIND ALL SEARCH ‘EDITOR’S CHOICE - 16 FEBRUARY 2014'

REUTERS

In case you didn’t know, Russian president Vladimir Putin is a big time hockey fan. He’s also all-in on seeing his country come away with the gold medal and beating anyone and everyone along the way to do it.

That’s what made the United States’ 3-2 shootout win against Russia all the more difficult to handle for Putin. From the disallowed goal in the third period to seeing T.J. Oshie score on four out of six shootout attempts to seal the victory, he’d have a lot to gripe about if he wanted to.

But he won’t do that as RSport out of Russia shares.

“Even referees sometimes makes mistakes, here I wouldn’t tar anybody with any brush, but I thought that we would win by a big margin,” Putin said. “You and I shouldn’t forget that sport isn’t only about skill but also about the athletes’ courage, and even a good slice of luck.”

The only thing better than a good slice of luck is a good slice of pie.

It’s likely a relief for referee Brad Meier that Putin said he wouldn’t “tar anybody” because of a bad call. Meier was the official who caught Jonathan Quick’s net being off the moorings thus disallowing what would’ve been Fedor Tyutin’s go-ahead goal.

Of course, as Puck Daddy shares, Russian fans aren’t as forgiving to Meier as their president is.

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