Summit Series 50 Years Ago; Stockholm Training, Orr Finally Skates



"Guys were completely lost out there. They couldn't make up their minds where they should be positioning themselves." exclaimed Assistant Coach, John Ferguson after the first team session on the large European-sized ice. Harry Sinden added, "The ice makes a big difference. It's gotta be a different game, a different game from home. Here you've got to make the puck do a lot of the work. The ice is suited for a good passing team. It will be difficult to adjust. Today everybody seemed to be saying to themselves, 'What the hell is going on.'" 

Defenceman Bill White figured the team would be fine with the wider ice, "What you do on defence is play as close to your partner as usual, force the puck carrier to go outside, and then keep him there." Rod Gilbert also seems to have no problem with the wider surface,"All our guys are good puck handlers, it shouldn't be hard to adjust. But because the nets are closer to the blueline we have to get our shots away quicker, before we're too deep into the corner and ruin the shooting angle."

Bobby Orr skated in the first practice in Stockholm, saying after that his general condition was terrible and his knee weak. He was expected to play in the intra-squad game, providing "the knee doesn't swell up overnight." Sinden tells that,"The Bruins doctor has left it completely up to him as to when he starts playing. He can't damage the knee, it's when he feels ready."

Eddie Johnston, backup goalie for three of the four games so far, will start one of the games against Sweden. Esposito and Dryden will split the rest of the play. Jocelyn Guevremont, Richard Martin, Dale Tallon, Marcel Dionne and Brian Glennie, all who have yet to play in the series, will be in the lineup versus Sweden.



 

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