Summit Series '72, Game 6 "They ain’t never gonna beat us again."

Team Canada bench shows slight displeasure over a call. From Time magazine

Game Six was a 3-2 victory for Canada despite the fact they accumulated 31 minutes in penalties to the Russian's 4. Canada was shorthanded for a ridiculous 17 minutes of play. Following are excerpts of the coverage of Game 6 from the Montreal Gazette and Globe and Mail.

“Those two guys are no more referees than my old man,” said Phil Esposito. He was talking about the two officials Franz Baader and Josef Kompalla.  Harry Sinden called the work of the two West German officials, “entirely incompetent – the worst officilals I’ve ever seen in my life.” He said he would meet with the Russians to seek to have both relieved of their assignment for Thursday’s final game.

In response to the Canadian discourse, Russian assistant coach Boris Kulagin said, “It’s the Canadian tradition to complain about the officials, not the Russian tradition.” Presumably, he forgot that Russian officials invaded the referee’s dressing room to berate the two Americans who worked the second game of the series, a 4-1 Canadian victory.

Phil Esposito was asked what he said to Ragulin shorthly before he got a five minute penalty for high-sticking the Russian. “I told him to get away from me – your breath stinks. Boy that guy must have downed a pound of garlic for the pre-game meal. Garlic, maybe that’s what keeps them flying.”

“They got every break in the world,” said Eddie Johnston. “And they didn’t beat us. To think we blew the game the other night or otherwise we’d be ahead. They ain’t never gonna beat us again. Two more for us and we win the series, right?”

Ken Dryden won’t admit it, but several players swear the Russians tied the game on a goal by Valeri Kharlamov when Canada was two men shor late in the second period. “Don’t use my name, but that goal was in the net and no one saw it,”one player said. “It bounced off the mesh and right into Kenny’s glove.”

Referring to Gilbert Perreault, the latest of the Canadian defectors (who actually played the last game and contributed an assist), Pete Mahovlich said “I’m going home if they keep playing me – I thought this was a vacation.” Earlier defector, Vic Hadfield may have started to feel unwelcome back in Stockholm when he came on the ice to kill a penalty with Bobby Clarke. “Where do you want me on the faceoff?” he asked Clarke, who answered: “On the bench Vic.”

Peter Mahovlich turned up at practice after Game 6 with his left arm in a sling and told a horrified Harry Sinden that he’d dislocated his elbow. While Sinden was pacing the floor wondering about a replacement, Pete slipped the sling onto his right arm. “If Pete wasn’t around, I think we’d all go nuts,” Sinden said between gales of laughter.