Just a simple question. We all know how things ended for Canada in the 1981 Canada Cup. That 8-1 thrashing at the hands of the Soviets at the Montreal Forum for the final winner take all championship game. Probably a little known fact, but the score was 0-0 at the end of the 1st. And then a manageable 3-1 at the end of the second period. In fact it was 1-1 still midway through the 2nd period. 5 goals were scored in the 3rd period against Liut. 3 goals were scored in the final 4 minutes of the game. I think the nail in the coffin was Krutov's short handed goal where Lafleur moved out of the way and just let him walk in (I assume not wanting to screen Liut). That made it 5-1. I think the entire team checked out after that and Liut was sort of left hanging. After that Larionov had a breakaway goal to make it 6-1. Shepelev had a natural hat trick in the game and to me that was the key to the entire game. It was 1-1 before he did this. The most important thing for me is to analyze those goals he scored because he broke the game open.
How much should Liut shoulder the blame for this game? He was 4-1-1 in the tournament. Canada beat the Soviets 7-3 at the end of the round robin with Don Edwards in net. Canada in general looked disheveled in this game defensively. The shots were 27-26 for Canada but I know that on the goals they just looked out of place. That power play goal Shepelev scored to make it 3-1 he is standing right in the slot and no one touches him. The goal to make it 4-1 the defense is all over the place.
I would say this, the early goals against Liut may have been stoppable but they were good goals. Liut was screened on some of them and there wasn't a weak goal they scored until perhaps the 5th goal. The 7th goal was just a weak backhander but the game is out of hand by then. Not sure if anything changes with Edwards in net as Liut was the Pearson winner that year. Or if Billy Smith had been healthy, maybe things change. But either way how much blame does he take? He was honestly never forgiven for that game I don't think.
How much should Liut shoulder the blame for this game? He was 4-1-1 in the tournament. Canada beat the Soviets 7-3 at the end of the round robin with Don Edwards in net. Canada in general looked disheveled in this game defensively. The shots were 27-26 for Canada but I know that on the goals they just looked out of place. That power play goal Shepelev scored to make it 3-1 he is standing right in the slot and no one touches him. The goal to make it 4-1 the defense is all over the place.
I would say this, the early goals against Liut may have been stoppable but they were good goals. Liut was screened on some of them and there wasn't a weak goal they scored until perhaps the 5th goal. The 7th goal was just a weak backhander but the game is out of hand by then. Not sure if anything changes with Edwards in net as Liut was the Pearson winner that year. Or if Billy Smith had been healthy, maybe things change. But either way how much blame does he take? He was honestly never forgiven for that game I don't think.