Anatoli Firsov- A video study

[Batis]

Scores against Brynäs. On the scoreboard after the goal footage it says that its against Spartak but I think that the scoreboard footage is from another game because that definitely looks like Brynäs uniforms.


Not really a highlight but here we see another example of Firsovs penalty killing.

 

[Theokritos]

Wow, some very recent uploads right there. Haven't been aware of them. Thanks!

 

[Batis]

Wow, some very recent uploads right there. Haven't been aware of them. Thanks!

You are welcome. I had not even paid attention to that some of them were so recently uploaded until you pointed it out. Nice to see that more and more footage finds its way to youtube.

 

[Theokritos]

Since the new forum software doesn't allow more than 3 embedded clips per post, I decided to split the original posts by Batis into a series of shorter posts. Hope this is fine.

(Two or three of the links lead to nowhere though. It seems they're all from the 1968 game against the USA. I guess the clip that was linked is gone from YouTube. Fortunately there is another link available for the same footage, so the issue can be fixed when time permits. See here.)

 

[Theokritos]

Scores against Brynäs. On the scoreboard after the goal footage it says that its against Spartak but I think that the scoreboard footage is from another game because that definitely looks like Brynäs uniforms.

You're right, the scoreboard footage belongs with the footage that follows afterward. It's from an April 1962 game between Spartak and CSKA (4-4). The Brynäs footage doesn't even look like it was shot in Moscow if you note the commercial ads on the board (Opel in the USSR? I don't think so.) Considering CSKA played two European Cup games in Gävle in February 1971, I guess that's what that footage is from.

Another clip, coincidentally also from a game between CSKA and Spartak that ended 4-4:

There is some game footage available from the 1965-1966 season opening game between CSKA and Spartak Moscow mentioned in the post above.



CSKA Moscow (dark):
Aleksandrov — Almetov — Loktev, Kuzkin — Brezhnev
Firsov — Polupanov — Vikulov, Ivanov — Ragulin
Moiseyev — Ionov, Romishevsky — Mishakov, Zaytsev
G: Tolmachov

Spartak Moscow (light):
Boris Mayorov — Starshinov — Yaroslavtsev, Kitayev — Makarov
Yevgeny Mayorov — Borisov — Fomenkov, Kobtsev — Kuzmin
Zimin — Yakushev — Savin, Blinov — Migunko
G: Zinger

Unfortunately the numbers on the back of the Spartak players are hard to see.

(...)

1:00 of the video:
Polupanov (#19) with a back-hand pass to Firsov (#11) who then moves and stickhandles himself free. Vikulov makes himself available to the left, but Firsov turns to the center and passes the puck back. It ends up on the stick of Ragulin who scores from a farer range. Zinger is screened by his own players and it's fair to say that the moves of Firsov and Vikulov led to that situation.

It's notable how Firsov tricks the pursuing Spartak player (probably Savin) by sending him in the wrong direction. My Firsov bio for the Twenty Years of Soviet Hockey thread should be finished within the next few days and a lot of quotes there will highlight Firsov's qualities as a master of deception.

 

[Batis]

Since the new forum software doesn't allow more than 3 embedded clips per post, I decided to split the original posts by Batis into a series of shorter posts. Hope this is fine.

(Two or three of the links lead to nowhere though. It seems they're all from the 1968 game against the USA. I guess the clip that was linked is gone from YouTube. Fortunately there is another link available for the same footage, so the issue can be fixed when time permits. See here.)

Thank you for doing this. I will fix the broken links from the 1968 game against the USA now tonight.

I should probably post my ranking lists in the penalty killing study player by player instead to get all the videos embedded as well.

Edit: And now the broken links should be fixed.

 

[Batis]

It's notable how Firsov tricks the pursuing Spartak player (probably Savin) by sending him in the wrong direction. My Firsov bio for the Twenty Years of Soviet Hockey thread should be finished within the next few days and a lot of quotes there will highlight Firsov's qualities as a master of deception.

Really looking forward to your Firsov bio. A master of deception seems like a very accurate way of describing Firsov and that clip really is a great illustration of why.

 

[Batis]

thanx

. many times i have been searching some footage of great #11 and #17 playing together on with vikulov...... sapporo 1972 footage would be avesome to find somewhere!!

For your information a 41-minute video from the USSR-USA game at the 1972 Olympics is now available on youtube so fortunately we can now watch the Kharlamov-Firsov-Vikulov line in action. Since this is a video study of Firsov let us start with his performance in that game. I found it very interesting to be able to watch him play in the role of halfback and while I still prefer Firsov at the LW position I was very impressed with his performance at halfback as well. It is also interesting to watch him play this late in his career and be able to compare to his earlier performances. Regarding this I would say that while Firsov may not have been quite as explosive in 1972 as he was at his absolute peak he still had a huge impact on the ice thanks to his vision and playmaking ability. Let us take a look at some examples of this.


Brilliant play from Firsov showing off his passing ability.


While Firsov mainly focused on playmaking in this game he still showed some impressive puck-rushing as you can see here.


Interception and breakout pass from Firsov giving Kharlamov a breakaway.

 

[Batis]

Firsov wins a faceoff and creates a shorthanded chance for Vikulov.

Firsov wins the faceoff to himself, turns in the corner and sets up his defenceman.

[/MEDIA]

As you can see above winning faceoffs to himself seems to have been somewhat of a speciality of Firsovs. This is something he showed in this game as well.

 

[Batis]

As for the Kharlamov-Firsov-Vikulov line they were clearly the Soviets strongest line in this game (as of course in the whole tournament) and gave an outstanding performance along with their defencemen Tsygankov and Ragulin. Here you have their scoring plays from the game.


Kharlamov scores after an impressive burst of speed from Vikulov.


Great counterattack finished off by Vikulov.


Tsygankov scores on another counterattack.

 

[Batis]

And here are some other sequences with that unit in action.


Some nice puck movement from the unit.


While penalty killing they show some patience with the puck.

 

[Talisman]

For your information a 41-minute video from the USSR-USA game at the 1972 Olympics is now available on youtube so fortunately we can now watch the Kharlamov-Firsov-Vikulov line in action. Since this is a video study of Firsov let us start with his performance in that game. I found it very interesting to be able to watch him play in the role of halfback and while I still prefer Firsov at the LW position I was very impressed with his performance at halfback as well. It is also interesting to watch him play this late in his career and be able to compare to his earlier performances. Regarding this I would say that while Firsov may not have been quite as explosive in 1972 as he was at his absolute peak he still had a huge impact on the ice thanks to his vision and playmaking ability. Let us take a look at some examples of this.


Brilliant play from Firsov showing off his passing ability.


While Firsov mainly focused on playmaking in this game he still showed some impressive puck-rushing as you can see here.


Interception and breakout pass from Firsov giving Kharlamov a breakaway.

wow……...awesome!!.

 

[Talisman]

i noticed that more i run into a new firsov footage i ask myself!!. whi he didnt bring his talent to summit series!!. i know… same old same old but still