Ted Nolan on Canada's 'well deserved' Olympic win over Latvia

For almost a week, Canada has been enjoying the post-gold medal glow, after winning the Olympic hockey tournament and cementing Canada as the First Nation of hockey.

It can be easy to forget, however, that there were some moments of doubt in Sochi. One of them came in the quarter finals against Latvia, where Canada pulled out a 2-1 win late in the game.

Some in northern Ontario were also rooting for Latvia, especially in Garden River First Nation, near Sault Ste. Marie, because their own Ted Nolan is the head coach for Team Latvia, as well as the NHL's Buffalo Sabres.

CBC Sudbury Morning North radio show host Markus Schwabe spoke with Nolan in a phone interview from Buffalo, where Nolan is back with the NHL.

Nolan said making it to the Olympic quarter final men's hockey game was hard won.

"To have the right to play Canada was a real honour," he said.

When the score remained at 1-1 after two periods, "you just never knew."

Canada's win was "well-deserved," Nolan said, "but we certainly gave them a good scare."

He admitted that, after the game, when he was walking back with Team Canada he ribbed the players: "Hopefully that got you going for the next one."

To hear more of this interview with Nolan and details of what he calls "one of the best hockey experiences I've had of my life," click here, or on the Listen button at the left of this story.