The 1972 Summit Series
A 4 Part Series by Bruce Kish
Brought to you buy Decisive-Action Sports

SUMMIT PART 2: Clash of the Titans

GAME 3: STALEMATE

The Eastern Canadian newspapers touted Team Canada's triumph with bold headlines and large prints of Peter Mahovlich standing like a victorious gladiator over the fallen Tretiak. Out on the Western Plains, however, the response was a little less enthusiastic.

Winnipeg, the site of Game 3, had an ax to grind with the NHL. They were still outraged that politics had kept favorite son Bobby Hull off the team.  The locals were also bitter that the NHL, with the exception of Vancouver, had ignored Western Canada during the recent rounds of expansion and had placed virtually all the new franchises in the wealthier American markets.  Some newspaper editors even disparagingly referred to Team Canada as "Team U.S. NHL."

International events halfway around the world temporarily replaced hockey news on the front pages. On September 5, the eve of Game 3, Palestinian terrorists entered the Olympic Village in Munich, Germany, under cover of night and seized the Israeli team quarters. Two Israelis were killed in the assault and West German troops besieged the compound. Several hours later, a rescue attempt at the Munich airport was botched. Nine Israeli hostages, five terrorists, and a policeman were killed in an exchange of gunfire.

Back in Canada, demonstrators gathered at the Winnipeg arena and protested the USSR's refusal to allow Jews to emigrate to Israel.

Meanwhile, Sinden was preparing his game plan. He decided to stick to the dump-and-chase formula that had worked well in Game 2. Esposito would remain in goal. The only personnel changed was to break up the G-A-G line by substituting Minnesota North Star Bill Goldsworthy for Jean Ratelle. Vic Hadfield, however, was disgruntled with his lack of ice time and complained to Sinden. Sensing the team unity starting to crack, the coach wondered which team would show up for Game 3 - the one which performed brilliantly in Game 2, or the one which flopped in the Series opener.

The Soviets also tinkered with their lineup. Ragulin, Vyacheslav Starshinov, and Liapkin were scratched after a poor showing in Toronto, along with Paladiev and Zimin who had sustained injuries. Fresh blood was infused into the lineup with defensemen Valery Vasiliev and Yuri Shatalov, and forward Vyacheslav Solodukhin.

In a stroke of genius, Bobrov reassembled the line of Alexander Bodunov, reserve center Vyacheslav Anisin, and Yuri Lebedev. Dubbed by the Canadian press as the "Kid Line," the trio had helped the Soviet junior national team dominate the 1971 World University Games at Lake Placid, New York.

Game 3 began much as the first two had. Roughly two minutes into the first period, Esposito set up Bill White at the right point. The defenseman blasted a shot on net that Tretiak blocked, but couldn't control. As the puck floated, Jean-Paul Parise, swung back at it as his forward momentum took him past the net. 1-0, Canada.

Seemingly in control, Team Canada became careless and lost their lead only a minute later. On a power play, Frank Mahovlich made a bad pass across his own defensive zone. Petrov anticipated the move and intercepted the puck. As he approached the top of the right circle, Esposito moved out of his crease to cut down the angle. But the Soviet center's shot fluttered just under the goalie's arm at 3:15.

Late in the first period, a botched line change found Henderson with Ratelle and Cournoyer. There was no time for Henderson to get off the ice as the puck was dumped in the Canadian end. As the play developed Defenseman Gary Bergman found Ratelle on a head-man pass. The Ranger worked the puck over to Cournoyer who passed it back. Ratelle took two strides and buried the puck past Tretiak at 18:25.

Early in the second period, Esposito increased Canada's lead to 3-1 when he rocketed a slap shot past Tretiak at point blank range. Canada was in control, but the Soviets clawed back into the game.

During a scramble on a power play in the Soviet end, the puck bounced onto the stick of Boris Mikhailov. The Russian forward slid a long diagonal pass the length of the ice that rebounded off the boards just short of the end line (which would have been whistled down for icing). As the puck drifted down ice, Kharlamov blew past Brad Park and picked up the puck. Coming one-on-one with Tony Esposito, he cut across the crease and stuffed the puck behind the sprawling goalie. The Soviets had notched their second short-handed goal at 12:56.

Fifty-one seconds later, Henderson's line struck back. Approaching the Russian blue line, Clarke dropped a lateral pass that deflected off Victor Kuzkin's skate and skidded toward the goal. Henderson outraced his cover to the puck, then wrists a shot past Tretiak at 13:47. 4-2, Canada.

Bobrov changed lines, putting the "Kids" on. At 14:59, a slap shot from the point sliced through a screen. Esposito made the save, but Lebedev deflected in the rebound. The youngsters leapt for joy and hugged as they made their way back to the bench. It was the first time any Soviet player had shown emotion during the series. In just a 2:03 span, the teams had combined for three goals.

The Kids weren't through, however. At 18:28, Bodunov took a pass from Anisin and angled it over Esposito's right shoulder. Tie game. From the broadcast booth, a TV announcer renamed the Soviet line "the Headache Line."

Morale flagged in Team Canada's dressing room. Midway through the third period, Henderson nearly gave Canada the lead back. He had out muscled Anisin in the slot and gotten a toehold. Clarke, who controlled the puck behind the Soviet net, crisply hit his teammate with a pass. Henderson drilled the puck on goal, raising his arms in celebration as it appeared to go in. But Tretiak made a career save, snagging the puck out of midair. As the referee retrieved the puck, Henderson skated over to Tretiak and gently tapped the goalie's pads with his stick. The Russian saluted with his stick and nodded.

Esposito, who would later receive some heat for letting the Canadian lead evaporate, did manage to preserve a tie. With 13 seconds remaining, he stopped Alexander Maltsev on a breakaway, but a 4-4 tie was considered a loss in Canadian eyes.

After outshooting the Soviets 32-17 in the first two periods, Team Canada only mustered six shots in the third period, a tribute to the gritty Russian defense corps.

"Someone once said that a tie is as exciting as kissing your sister," Sinden reflected afterward. "Well, for the last 10 minutes tonight that hockey game looked like Raquel Welch to me."

During the post game press conference, the assembled scribes hounded Sinden into taking responsibility for Team Canada's failure to dominate the series. But the coach refused to accept any guilt and squarely placed all credit on the talented Soviets.

"Do the Soviets compare with the NHL's best," someone called from the gallery.

"Absolutely."

"As good as the Boston Bruins?"

"Yes sir," Sinden affirmed. "As good as the Boston Bruins." Then after a pause added, "After all, whoever in told us that we in Canada know all about hockey, except ourselves." 

1972 Summit Series
A 4 Part Series by Bruce Kish