GAME TWO
It's even: Canada beats Russia 4-1
By DAN PROUDFOOT
Globe and Mail reporter
Tuesday, September 5, 1972
Team Canada rescued the national ego last night with a 4-1 win over the Soviet Union Nationals at Maple Leaf Gardens.
The country's reputation for hockey mastery is safe again, at least until tomorrow night when the Greatest Show in Hockey continues at Winnipeg.
Team Canada remembered and stressed such hockey basics as non-stop checking and consistent positional play - which they lacked in the 7-3 opening loss in Montreal. Also, they effectively adopted tactics not approved by any rulebook but usually overlooked by international officials.
The Canadians led in hooking, cross-checking and piling on from the start of the game. And soon Russians were looking over their shoulders before entering any dark corners, or bright ones for that matter.
With physical dominance established and no Russian touching the puck without finding a Canadian check on top of him, the game slowly swung from the visitors.
Phil Esposito opened the scoring almost halfway through the second period, and Yvan Cournoyer was launched into his own graceful style of flight by a pass from Brad Park on a power play for the 2-0 lead.
The most important goal, however, was Peter Mahovlich's, scored while Team Canada was shorthanded and at a crucial time. Alexander Yakushev had scored on a Russian powerplay five minutes after Cournoyer's goal, making the score 2-1, and now, 21 seconds later, Pat Stapleton took a hooking penalty to leave Team Canada shorthanded again.
Only half a minute of the Russian powerplay went by before Phil Esposito pushed the puck to Mahovlich who lurched from near the redline with knees and elbows flying.
The imposing 205-pound object met Eugeny Poladyev at the Russian blueline, but faked a slapshot so effectively that both the defenceman and the television cameraman were fooled. Home viewers got a fast picture of the net, but Mahovlich hadn't shot. He hurtled around Poladyev, suggested to goaltender Vladimir Tretiak that he was going to poke the puck around the right side then pulled it to the goaltender's left and stuffed it in.
Mahovlich fell over Tretiak, as though all shifts had left him dizzy, then recovered to find himself swamped by teammates who had left the bench to congratulate him for his performance.
Frank Mahovlich completed the scoring less than two minutes later, picking a corner left wide open by the amazing Tretiak. The goal was set up by Stan Mikita's forechecking, which relieved Vyacheslav Anisin of the puck.
Anisin was one of the three players in the Russian lineup who did not play in the first game.
The changes made by Harry Sinden, manager-coach of Team Canada, all paid off. Goaltender Tony Esposito kicked out for amazing saves in the first period - particularly on Vlary Kharlamov and Alexander Maltsev-when play was fairly even although the Canadians had a 10-7 edge in shots.
Wayne Cashman, Jean-Paul Parise, Stan Mikita, Serge Savard, Pat Stapleton and Bill White were all newcomers to the Team Canada lineup and they all contributed heavily.
Cashman and Parise took charge of the corners, digging the puck out for Phil Esposito, who worked tirelessly himself. Cashman was an incinerator on skates, burning anything in a white uniform and defying everyone and everything.
Cashman's role as a heavy led to the opening goal. Cashman encountered defenceman Vladimir Lutchenko 10 feet inside the Russian blueline, and when the two finally fell apart Lutchenko's stick was broken in two, midshaft. It was uncertain if Cashman chewed it in two.
Lutchenko attempted kicking the puck as Team Canada put on the pressure, but failed to clear and Esposito scored after being tripped by Yakushev and getting up.
Until then, the Gardens was quiet. But as Esposito snapped the pick across the crease and by Tretiak, the building filled with wild applause. By the end, when the Esposito brothers were picked the outstanding Canadians and Tretiak the best Russian, there were half a dozen Canadian flags being waved by fans. The Espositos got a standing ovation, even though Phil's Boston Bruin background was recognized by a few boos when he was introduced before the game.
Mikita stood out, playing with abrasiveness he has seldom shown since he cleaned up his NHL act in 1966. Previously known for his chippiness, he became the Lady Byng winner for his gentlemanly play. Last night, Lady Byng would not have approved. But his teammates did.
White and Stapleton improved the Team Canada defence by more than numbers. In the first game Sinden used two pairs of defencemen but the Russian attack wore them down. White and Stapleton gave him three pairs of blueline work, and the two Chicago players flew with determination. Fans and Russians will remember Stapleton's rushes, long blond hair and bad left knee flopping in the wind, and his desperate work clearing the slot in front of Tony Esposito.
But last night's Team Canada win was much more than a few individuals standing out - everyone contributed. Ron Ellis, for example, didn't get a point but he neutralized Kharlamov, the left wing for whom Leaf president Harold Ballard said he would pay $1-million.
Ellis also saved what looked like a goal by charging at Boris Mikhailov just before the Russian shot at an open net.
Sinden switched lines everytime the Russians put Kharlamov on the ice, so he always had Ellis covering him on the left wing.
Ellis was able to relax for 10 minutes, all but six seconds of it in the third period, after Kharlamov drew a misconduct penalty for roughing referee Steve Dowling.
Kharlamov's rage was the result of extreme chippiness allowed by the U.S. officials throughout the game. He grew angry when Gennady Tsygankov was called for slashing immediately after Bobby Clarke got away with the same thing.
Anything goes in international hockey, the two games to date prove, except tripping, which is always called, and fighting, which is not tolerated. Both teams were guilty of high-sticking, hooking and interference.
But the total attack of the Canadians worked, and rubbed out the supposed advantage in conditioning the Russians were said to enjoy after they were allowed to skate at will in the first game.
|
Headline Index
Breaking News
All times are ET.
