SUMMIT PART 4: SHOWDOWN

PERIOD 2: ON THE ROPES

When the second period began, the Soviets literally used home ice advantage to their benefit. Controlling the puck after the face-off, Yakushev approached the Canadian blue line and launched a rocket at Dryden. The puck whistled over the goalie's head. It caromed off the wire meshing that the Soviet rinks used in lieu of glass and zipped past Dryden's head as he tried to bat it down. Vladimir Shadrin found the rebound and shot it past the Canadian netminder before he could get into position. Only 21 seconds had lapsed.

The Canadians continued to fight back. The New York Ranger contingent earned several more scoring opportunities, but couldn't quite convert. Gilbert was snake bit, unable to beat Tretiak with any move. At 10:32, he tried something different.

After Ratelle won a face-off just outside the Soviet zone, Gilbert took the biscuit along the boards. He moved into the corner, paused then backtracked in hopes of attracting the Soviet defenders. As they closed in, he faked a shot which froze Tretiak, then feathered a pass to defenseman Bill White who had crashed the net. White deftly tapped the shot past the Soviet goalie. For the third time, Team Canada had tied the score.

The goal snapped the Soviets out of their inertia. Less than a minute after Canada's goal, the Soviets regained the lead. They attacked Dryden on a 2-on-1 that the goalie barely stopped, then pressed their advantage. On the face-off, Shadrin beat Esposito to the puck, pushing it low to Yakushev in front of the crease. He faked, then beat Dryden to the left post. The Soviets had taken a 4-3 lead at 11:43.

The Soviets held the momentum and threatened to increase their lead. Vladimir Petrov and Yuri Blinov doggedly powered past the Canadian defense corps. Blinov made a tremendous fake which caught both Pat Stapleton and Dryden off balance. As the Russian dragged the puck back and was about to stuff it into the open net, Esposito lunged forward with his stick along the goal line and just got enough of it to prevent a goal.

Yet Esposito's heroics only delayed the Soviets. Stapleton was called off for a cross-check at 15:58 on Maltsev. On the ensuing power play, the Soviet forwards confused the penalty killers by rotating the forwards Kharlamov and Yakushev with defensemen Tsygankov and Vasiliev.

On the next rotation, Kharlamov got off a one-timer down low. Dryden blocked it, but the Canadians couldn't clear the zone. Vasiliev got the puck along the boards and, like Gilbert, drew over the defense and fired a back-door pass to Shadrin, who deflected the puck home at 16:44 to give the Soviets a 5-3 lead.

As the Russians celebrated their goal, White retrieved the puck with his stick, then nonchalantly zipped a rising shot down ice that almost pegged Kompalla. In later years, he admitted he was trying to hit the official.

Neither team scored in the final minutes of the second period. Team Canada was teetering on the brink of defeat

1972 Summit Series
A 4 Part Series by Bruce Kish

Introduction

Part 1 - The Gauntlet Is Dropped

Part 2 - The Clash Of The Titans
         - Game 1 - Ambushed
         - Game 2 - Riposte
         - Game 3 - Stalemate
         - Game 4 - The Pendulum Swings
         - Fortunes of War

Part 3 - Fifty Against The World
         - Game 5 - Nadir
         - Game 6 - The Road Back
         - Game 7 - Holding On

Part 4 - Showdown
         - Game 8 Period One - Attack and Counter-Attack
         - Game 8 Period Two - On The Ropes
         - Game 8 Period Three - Countdown

Epilogue

	The 1972 Summit Series A 4 Part Series by Bruce Kish Brought to you buy Decisive-Action Sports SUMMIT PART 4: SHOWDOWN PERIOD 2: ON THE ROPES When the second period began, the Soviets literally used home ice advantage to their benefit. Controlling the puck after the face-off, Yakushev approached the Canadian blue line and launched a rocket at Dryden. The puck whistled over the goalie's head. It caromed off the wire meshing that the Soviet rinks used in lieu of glass and zipped past Dryden's head as he tried to bat it down. Vladimir Shadrin found the rebound and shot it past the Canadian netminder before he could get into position. Only 21 seconds had lapsed. The Canadians continued to fight back. The New York Ranger contingent earned several more scoring opportunities, but couldn't quite convert. Gilbert was snake bit, unable to beat Tretiak with any move. At 10:32, he tried something different. After Ratelle won a face-off just outside the Soviet zone, Gilbert took the biscuit along the boards. He moved into the corner, paused then backtracked in hopes of attracting the Soviet defenders. As they closed in, he faked a shot which froze Tretiak, then feathered a pass to defenseman Bill White who had crashed the net. White deftly tapped the shot past the Soviet goalie. For the third time, Team Canada had tied the score. The goal snapped the Soviets out of their inertia. Less than a minute after Canada's goal, the Soviets regained the lead. They attacked Dryden on a 2-on-1 that the goalie barely stopped, then pressed their advantage. On the face-off, Shadrin beat Esposito to the puck, pushing it low to Yakushev in front of the crease. He faked, then beat Dryden to the left post. The Soviets had taken a 4-3 lead at 11:43. The Soviets held the momentum and threatened to increase their lead. Vladimir Petrov and Yuri Blinov doggedly powered past the Canadian defense corps. Blinov made a tremendous fake which caught both Pat Stapleton and Dryden off balance. As the Russian dragged the puck back and was about to stuff it into the open net, Esposito lunged forward with his stick along the goal line and just got enough of it to prevent a goal. Yet Esposito's heroics only delayed the Soviets. Stapleton was called off for a cross-check at 15:58 on Maltsev. On the ensuing power play, the Soviet forwards confused the penalty killers by rotating the forwards Kharlamov and Yakushev with defensemen Tsygankov and Vasiliev. On the next rotation, Kharlamov got off a one-timer down low. Dryden blocked it, but the Canadians couldn't clear the zone. Vasiliev got the puck along the boards and, like Gilbert, drew over the defense and fired a back-door pass to Shadrin, who deflected the puck home at 16:44 to give the Soviets a 5-3 lead. As the Russians celebrated their goal, White retrieved the puck with his stick, then nonchalantly zipped a rising shot down ice that almost pegged Kompalla. In later years, he admitted he was trying to hit the official. Neither team scored in the final minutes of the second period. Team Canada was teetering on the brink of defeat 1972 Summit Series A 4 Part Series by Bruce Kish Introduction Part 1 - The Gauntlet Is Dropped Part 2 - The Clash Of The Titans - Game 1 - Ambushed - Game 2 - Riposte - Game 3 - Stalemate - Game 4 - The Pendulum Swings - Fortunes of War Part 3 - Fifty Against The World - Game 5 - Nadir - Game 6 - The Road Back - Game 7 - Holding On Part 4 - Showdown - Game 8 Period One - Attack and Counter-Attack - Game 8 Period Two - On The Ropes - Game 8 Period Three - Countdown Epilogue .