Book Feature Sitting on Tretiak: The 1972 Summit Series Play by Play, Volume 1: The Canadian Games (by Grant Douglas Pennell)

[Staniowski]

Stan Mikita only dressed for two games in the series (games 2 and 3 in Canada, plus a game against Sweden and the post-series tilt against the Czechs). I’ve never understood why. Any thoughts based on your analysis?

There were just too many guys ahead of Mikita. He wasn't even originally intended to be on the team at all; he was only added to replace Derek Sanderson.

 

[Grant D Pennell]

Yes it was certainly a huge endeavor, but also a huge labor of love! The Series and international hockey has always fascinated me. However, the book is only for the first four games of the Series, the Canadian games. In the next book " Waving at Brezhnev" I will review the games in Sweden, the Moscow games, and the Prague 3-3 tie. As far as Mikita, He played well in game 2, but appeared to get injured on a bad trip in game three, probably his back, and wasnt part of the team picture afterwards. Stan in 1972 was just the same player due to injuries as he used to to be, and Canada had such depth at Centre ice.

 

[Grant D Pennell]

Sigh. The last thing I need is yet another hockey book waiting to be read … but sometimes want trumps need, and I just ordered it now. Thanks for sharing your process with the board, Grant. Appreciated.

Quick question: do you comment at all on the coaching — in particular, the in-game decisions/moves?

Yes absolutely. One thing people don’t realize is how poorly team Canada was coached and managed in the Canadian games . The ice time usage and bench management in game one, really was a main factor in the one sided loss
. Sindens decisions on lineups were very poor, especially games one and four. Of course that all changed in Moscow , but this book is only on the Canadian games .

 

[Grant D Pennell]

Interested to hear what you think about Phil Esposito's play. I'm not trying to claim that he wasn't the biggest hero of the series, but he also did poorly vs Vladimir Shadrin's line; IIRC, him losing faceoffs to Shadrin ("100-0") led to three Soviet goals in Moscow. Espo did very well vs Petrov's line, though.

I only write about the Canadian games in this book. Phil played very well , especially when paired With cashman and Parise . He was not in the physical condition he would become in Moscow but he was still a handful For the Soviets in Canada ., especially for Petrov to check. He didn’t mesh at all with cournoyer and Frank Mahovlich, but they still had chances in game one, but after two good games with cashman and parise, he was out with Dennis hull and Goldsworthy . One thing to note is Espo would become better defensively as the series wore on.

Sigh. The last thing I need is yet another hockey book waiting to be read … but sometimes want trumps need, and I just ordered it now. Thanks for sharing your process with the board, Grant. Appreciated.

Thanks for ordering!! Hope you enjoy . It’s big . Over 500 pages

 

[VMBM]

I only write about the Canadian games in this book.

I know, but I assumed that you had some definite views on the Moscow games already too.

I was interested, because one of the notions I made when watching the series was that the Yakushev-Shadrin-Anisin line (often teaming with Maltsev on the PP) played absolutely brilliantly in Moscow. And although Yakushev was the best of them, I think his center Vladimir Shadrin's play has often been overlooked; he would be my unsung hero of the series.

I even made a thread about the line's terrific play, and it was shown that especially Phil Esposito and his line were really struggling against them (like with other old posts here, it's not in the most readable form anymore, unfortunately) :
1972 Summit Series; Yakushev-Shadrin-Anisin line in Moscow

 

[Grant D Pennell]

I think that’s a very astute observation. I mention Shadrin in the book as he was a very good two way player . Unheralded but good defensively and clever. I believe that the Kharlamov slash backfired on Canada as Bobrov double shifted Yakushev who Canada had no answer to . I think of all the Soviets Yakushev who would have been a 60 goal scorer in the NHL.

 

[VMBM]

I believe that the Kharlamov slash backfired on Canada as Bobrov double shifted Yakushev who Canada had no answer to .

Hard to agree on that one; it was the offensively rather inferior Yevgeni Mishakov who replaced Kharlamov on the top line in game 7 and for much of game 8. Possibly Yakushev got more ice-time on the power play as a result, I haven't really studied that. Yakushev's scoring exploded in the last two games, but his line had been very efficient and dominating already in games 5 & 6.

 

[Grant D Pennell]

Hard to agree on that one; it was the offensively rather inferior Yevgeni Mishakov who replaced Kharlamov on the top line in game 7 and for much of game 8. Possibly Yakushev got more ice-time on the power play as a result, I haven't really studied that. Yakushev's scoring exploded in the last two games, but his line had been very efficient and dominating already in games 5 & 6.

That’s true . I would have to verify the actual ice time once I dissect those games for the second book.

 

[Theokritos]

Grant, do you know Richard Bendell's book on the 1972 Summit Series and did you consult it (or any other books relevant for the Summit Series) during your work, or did you work strictly by analyzing the video footage?

 

[Grant D Pennell]

Grant, do you know Richard Bendell's book on the 1972 Summit Series and did you consult it (or any other books relevant for the Summit Series) during your work, or did you work strictly by analyzing the video footage?


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I relied on his book for a quite a few stats, especially ice time. I know Richard we are good friends is a good guy. I also went to many other resources to do the detailed history of international hockey for both countries plus the history of the players that I focussed on. Another book that I would recommend is epic confrontation by Greg, Franke

 

[Theokritos]

Thank you very much for your time. I'm looking forward to reading your book this summer and we'd love to have you back next year when Volume 2 hits the shelfs.

 

[Grant D Pennell]

Thank you very much for your time. I'm looking forward to reading your book this summer and we'd love to have you back next year when Volume 2 hits the shelfs.

Thanks !! It’s a big book (550 pages) will keep you busy. I hope you enjoy .

 

[seventieslord]

Thanks !! It’s a big book (550 pages) will keep you busy. I hope you enjoy .

Hi Grant,

I ordered this from Amazon about a month ago and it said it was in stock but a month later it still hasn't shipped, do you have any idea why this might be?

 

[Grant D Pennell]

Hi Grant,

I ordered this from Amazon about a month ago and it said it was in stock but a month later it still hasn't shipped, do you have any idea why this might be?

That’s weird , let me contact them and see Sorry about that!