1981 Canada Cup round-robin game, Canada - USSR

Pasha71

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Dec 30, 2017
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usa-cover-gretzky-2.jpg


Canada Cup 1981, USSR - Canada. But not the final, rather the lesser-known round-robin game, which Canada won 7:3.

The Soviet goalie is Vladimir Myshkin, the other Soviet is obviously Zinetula Bilyaletdinov. Just as obviously, the Canadian skater on the left is Wayne Gretzky. But who is the other Canadian?

(No, this is not the moment where Gretzky scored the first goal of the game. I checked).
 
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Staniowski

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View attachment 138773

Canada Cup 1981, USSR - Canada. But not the final, rather the lesser-known round-robin game, which Canada won 7:3.

The Soviet goalie is Vladimir Myshkin, the other Soviet is obviously Zinetula Bilyaletdinov. Just as obviously, the Canadian skater on the left is Wayne Gretzky. But who is the other Canadian?

(No, this is not the moment where Gretzky scored the first goal of the game. I checked).
Is it Dionne? I think it is, looks like him.

Perreault was injured, Dionne replaced him on the Gretzky and Lafleur line for that game. Perreault only played the first 4 games; this is the 5th game.
 
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JackSlater

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Apr 27, 2010
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Yeah I think it is Dionne. He wore 16 at the tournament, and the number on this player's arm looks like a 6. The player also looks a bit short.
 

DannyGallivan

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Aug 25, 2017
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Yeah I think it is Dionne. He wore 16 at the tournament, and the number on this player's arm looks like a 6. The player also looks a bit short.
I think Middleton wore 26, and he was also short.

EDIT: I think you guys are right. It's probably Dionne. That's the style of stick he used back then...

Marcel-Dionne.jpg
 
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reckoning

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I'm almost certain it's Dionne. I don't think Middleton wore a helmet in the tournament.
 

The Panther

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Mar 25, 2014
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When I glanced at the photo, at first it looked to me like he was Rob Ramage.

However, according to Wiki, Ramage appeared only at training camp.
 

Pasha71

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Dec 30, 2017
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Yes, if we have to choose between Dionne and Middleton, it's definitely Dionne (helmet and stick, plus Dionne played on the same lane with Gretzky).

Now, I don't see the "6" myself, but if it's there, it has to be Dionne. No one else had a number ending in "6".

Kanada-cupin 1981 kokoonpanot – Wikipedia
 

Big Phil

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Nov 2, 2003
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Dionne for sure.

Also, that round robin game Canada won 7-3. Scotty Bowman put Don Edwards in net for that game but in the final opted with Liut. Obviously we can second guess this game to the hills, but it seemed like both Canada and USSR were playing "patsy" that round robin game by using their back up goalie. However, maybe Edwards playing in the final is a good idea because he already had a long look at the Soviets and he had beaten them.

Keep in mind too, this is 1981. The Soviets were still very much a mystery throughout the 1980s. It isn't like today where we'd be familiar with the Russian line-up. It was a time when no one had heard of the KLM line yet. It would have been interesting to see how Edwards would have fared in that final game.
 

Doctor No

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Oct 26, 2005
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Yes, I know the score. Even with hindsight being what it is, you don't start your backup goaltender in an international title game. You don't.

Yes, it's likely that if the game is replayed, Canada plays better with Edwards in net. It's also likely that if the game is replayed with Liut in net, Canada plays better.
 

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