The Soviets played their old game against the US college players and were out skated and out played by new, fresh legs that were inspired by Herbie....
He pissed them off to the point that they won to prove him wrong about them...
When they played the Rangers just before that, the Rangers barely even got their sticks on the puck, the Soviets TOTALLY CONTROLLED it. Sure, miracles are possible, but having seen that game, I’m convinced that not ALL miracles are possible.
It’s pretty clear that the Soviets were badly underestimating the USA team. They had beaten them earlier in an exhibition game 10-3. The second USA goal was inexcusable; at the end of the second period, off a rebound that the goalie should’ve controlled, with two USSR defensemen standing around watching the clock tick down to zero rather than actually, y’know, defending. I re-watched the highlights on Youtube yesterday and was struck by how the Soviets seemed to be moving at half-speed, like a practice, until Eruzione’s goal woke them up into sheer flailing panic mode.
}:-)4