WINNNIPEG - One of the 10,600 fans at Winnipeg Arena last night left behind a sign which read: 'It's Still Our Game.' It ended up in a pile of litter, an appropriate resting place for the idea.

	Series stories
	•	Eric Duhatschek - Hockey won
	•	Sept. 20: Man who helped set up games is erased from tournament lore
	•	Sept. 19: Absence of Bobbys dogged Canada
	•	Sept. 18: Esposito's rallying cry
	•	Sept. 17: A time when some had to eat their words
	•	Sept. 16: Stars left to toast themselves
	Related stories
	•	Sept. 23: Ex-foes may assist Russian
	•	Sept. 23: David Shoalts - Soviets deserve Summit rewards, too
	•	Sept. 20: Clarke rejects 'phony' apology
	•	Sept. 19: Friction surfaces between linemates
	•	Sept. 17: Lawrence Martin - A bodycheck to communism
	•	Sept. 14: The Eagle is born again
	1972 game stories
	•	Game 1: Canadian team outplayed in every area, stunned coach admits
	•	Game 2: It's even: Canada beats Russia 4-1
	•	Game 3: Russians' play in 5-5 game shows hockey belongs to both countries
	•	Game 4: Russians win 5-3 in B.C., go home as favorites
	•	Game 5: Angry Canadians blame selves for 5-4 Moscow loss
	•	Game 6: Team Canada is confident it can win series
	•	Game 7: Canada ties series with 4-3 triumph
	•	Game 8: From Russia with Glory
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Team Canada and the Soviet Union Nationals tied 4-4 and never was an ending more suitable. After last night's play, hockey belongs to both countries.

The Canadians had the firepower, the ability to reply explosively to an opportunity. The Russians displayed the daring, dashing plays and tenacity that mark their approach to the game.

And both Tony Esposito and Vladislav Tretiak were amazing in performances that showed goaltending belongs to neither country.

"I blew it. I blew the chance to win," said Toronto Maple Leaf left winger Paul Henderson. "I had three terrific chances but he made the saves.

"He (Tretiak) is as good as I've seen anywhere."

Henderson may have thought he'd blew it, but he also lifted the Canadians to the tie. It was undoubtedly his most aggressive game since he turned professional in 1963, and his finest.

Henderson shot by defenceman Alexander Gusev to turn Bobby Clarke's pass into a 4-2 Team Canada lead in the 14th minute of the second period, just after Valery Kharlamov had scored a shorthanded goal that threatened to swing the game around for the visitors.

Henderson also contributed in a major way, although he did not earn a point, on Jean Ratelle's 2-1 score late in the first period. He normally shunts bodychecking, but Henderson belted Yuri Lebedev off the puck to set up a play from Gary Bergman to Yvan Cournoyer to Ratelle , who beat Tretiak cleanly. It was one of at least three heavyweight checks thrown by Henderson.

Neither team lost its poise for an extended period, unlike the first game won by the Russians 7-3 in Montreal or the second won by the Canadians 4-1 in Toronto.

The Russians never led but kept fighting back. They outshot Team Canada in only one period, significantly the third, 8-6, but were outshot 38-25. It was one of the home team's most productive shooting effort in the three starts.

J-P Parise stuffed the rebound from a Bill White shot from the blueline by Tretiak for a 1-0 lead before the two minutes of the game had passed. But Vladimir Petrov, the outstanding centre, replied within a minute and a half with the first of two Russian short-handed goals.

Petrov took advantage of Frank Mahovolich's confusion at the Team Canada blueline and sped in on Tony Esposito. The goaltender eased out to cut the angle. Petrov's shot cut high through the inches and the near post.

Phil Esposito accepted a pass from Parise, industrious in the corners, for a 3-1 Team Canada lead early in the second period. But again the Russians struck when least expected. Their own powerplay remains scoreless against Team Canada., but their ability to upset an opposing power unit was proved for the second time of the night and the third of the series.

Kharlamov, supposedly a penalty killer, was lurking behind Brad Park when Genady Tsigankov banked the puck off the boards to him. Park couldn't catch up in time and Kharlamov beat Tony Esposito with a move becoming an honored sports master, which he is.

The daring of the play was considerable for the Russians were behind by two goals at the time. The potent Canadian powerplay was in the Russian zone. And yet Kharlamov was sure enough of his teammates to vacate his defensive role and get into position for the break.

The visitors again showed their superb powers of recovery by refusing to let Henderson's 4-2 score shake them. Within five minutes, Yuri Lebedev and Alexander Bodunov completed the game's scoring. Lebedev unintentionally deflected Valery Vasilieu's shot from the point for the only unfortunate goal of the night. Yvon Cournoyer was the victim on the tying goal, blocking one shot but then losing possession to Vyacheslav Anisin, whose pass went to Bodunov. Esposito had little chance on the shot.

The third period belonged to the goaltenders, although Henderson blamed himself for Tretiak's defiant work. Kharlamov was the one player who should have blamed himself, missing an open net with several minutes remaining.

Tony Esposito threw himself pads first. Sliding across the net to make what should have been the save of the game in the second period. Kharlamov had set up Alexander Maltsev at the open side of the net, but Esposito anticipated the pass and slid in time. The usually quiet crowd gasped but what they didn't realize was that there would be more saves to match the feat. One came in the closing minutes when Esposito slid a pad in front of Vladimir Lutchenko's screened shot from the blueline.

The game lacked the viciousness of the contest at Maple Leaf Gardens, but had all of the roughness. One reason, perhaps, was the referees. Gord Lee and Leo Gagnon were calling slashing penalties. Wayne Cashman, Monday's chop-chop man, disappeared at 10:44 of the third period. He was penalized for testing Yuri Shatalov's helmet. It was called slashing. He also received a 10-minute misconduct.

Both teams seemed tired, the result of three games in five days and slow ice in Winnipeg Arena. The heat wasn't oppressive as in Montreal's Forum or Maple Leaf Gardens, but the ice was installed only three days earlier and wasn't admirable. Flies still occupied the arena from a horse show of the past weekend.

Team Canada manager-coach Harry Sinden's addition of Jean Ratelle for the game paid off. Stan Mikita's effectiveness was limited after he took a hard check early and Sinden was able to work in Ratelle to ease the load of the other regular centres Clarke and Phil Esposito.

Russian coach Vsevolod Bobrov used five players who weren't in the lineup in Toronto including the kid line of Anisin, Lebedev and Bodunov which dominated the student games at Lake Placid, N.Y. last winter. Bobrov seldom used the inexperienced line in the final 10 minutes but they did account for the final two goals of the game.

And Sinden put everything in perspective, perhaps with one statement after the game.

"I didn't see one Russian who couldn't make the NHL."

The myth of hockey belonging to one country, or one continent, is dead.