Canada vs USA
· Thursday, September 3, 1981 · Northlands Coliseum
CanadaAway
8–3
Final36–31
USAHome
Game summary
The Canada beat the USA 8–3 on Thursday, September 3, 1981 at Northlands Coliseum. The Canada outshot the USA 36–31.
Gilbert Perreault scored twice, Wayne Gretzky scored twice and Bryan Trottier scored twice. Steve Christoff, Marcel Dionne, Dean Talafous, Mark Johnson and Mike Bossy also scored.
Mike Liut made 0 saves on 31 shots for the win; Tony Esposito stopped 0 of 36.
| Goals | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN | 1 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 36 |
| USA | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 31 |
Three stars
Scoring
1st period
Gilbert Perreault (1)Wayne Gretzky (2), Guy Lafleur (4)1–003:43 CAN
Steve Christoff (1)Unassisted1–105:01 USA
2nd period
Wayne Gretzky (3)Danny Gare (1)2–102:26 CAN
Marcel Dionne (1)Danny Gare (2), Denis Potvin (2)3–107:16 CAN
3rd period
Dean Talafous (1)Neal Broten (1)3–204:04 USA · 
Mark Johnson (1)Mike O'connell (1), Mike Eaves (1)3–304:53 USA
Mike Bossy (3)Wayne Gretzky (3), Rick Middleton (1)4–310:55 CAN · 
Bryan Trottier (2)Danny Gare (3), Ray Bourque (1)5–311:46 CAN- Wayne Gretzky (4)Guy Lafleur (5), Gilbert Perreault (5)6–313:25 CAN
- Bryan Trottier (3)Clark Gillies (3), Mike Bossy (2)7–315:15 CAN
- Gilbert Perreault (2)Craig Hartsburg (1), Ray Bourque (2)8–316:40 CAN
Team stats
CANUSA
3631
0%0%
1/51/7
1410
00
00
00
00
Penalties
- 0:26 into the first periodBryan Trottier · minor2 min
- 5:48 into the first periodMark Howe · minor2 min
- 10:49 into the first periodClark Gillies · minor2 min
- 16:55 into the first periodRay Bourque · minor2 min
- 12:44 into the second periodBench · bench2 min
- 16:18 into the second periodReed Larson · minor2 min
- 19:24 into the second periodDave Langevin · minor2 min
- 0:56 into the third periodMarcel Dionne · minor2 min
- 3:55 into the third periodBryan Trottier · minor2 min
- 7:28 into the third periodButch Goring · minor2 min
- 9:40 into the third periodMike O'connell · minor2 min
- 18:00 into the third periodLarry Robinson · minor2 min
Canada
| 99Wayne GretzkyC | 2 | 2 | 4 | +3 | 2 | – |
| 11Gilbert PerreaultC | 2 | 1 | 3 | +3 | 2 | – |
| 18Danny GareC | 0 | 3 | 3 | +3 | 0 | – |
| 10Guy LafleurC | 0 | 2 | 2 | +2 | 0 | – |
| 20Bryan TrottierC | 2 | 0 | 2 | +2 | 2 | – |
| 22Mike BossyC | 1 | 1 | 2 | +1 | 1 | – |
| 8Ray BourqueD | 0 | 2 | 2 | +2 | 0 | – |
| 9Clark GilliesC | 0 | 1 | 1 | +1 | 0 | – |
| 16Marcel DionneC | 1 | 0 | 1 | +1 | 1 | – |
| 17Rick MiddletonC | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 4Craig HartsburgD | 0 | 1 | 1 | +1 | 0 | – |
| 5Denis PotvinD | 0 | 1 | 1 | +1 | 0 | – |
| 23Bob GaineyC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 29Ron DuguayC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 91Butch GoringC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2Brian EngblomD | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 3Barry BeckD | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 19Larry RobinsonD | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| Goalie | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Mike LiutG | W | 31 | 3 | .903 |
| 31Billy SmithG | 0 | 0 | .000 |
USA
| 7Neal BrotenC | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 9Mark JohnsonC | 1 | 0 | 1 | +1 | 1 | – |
| 18Mike EavesC | 0 | 1 | 1 | +1 | 0 | – |
| 19Dean TalafousC | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | – |
| 25Steve ChristoffC | 1 | 0 | 1 | +1 | 1 | – |
| 20Mike O'connellD | 0 | 1 | 1 | +1 | 0 | – |
| 8Robbie FtorekC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 13Dave ChristianC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 14Bob MillerC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 15Rob McClanahanC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 21Tom GorenceC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 27Warren MillerC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 3Richie DunnD | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 5Mark HoweD | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 6Ken MorrowD | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 23Rod LangwayD | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 26Dave LangevinD | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 28Reed LarsonD | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| Goalie | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31Steve BakerG | 0 | 0 | .000 | |
| 35Tony EspositoG | L | 36 | 8 | .778 |