Yuri Liapkin
Team USSR # 25

Yuri Liapkin had a reputation of one of the strongest and most reliable Soviet blueliners in the 1970's. A crafty stick handler and puck carrier, Liapkin had a relatively soft puck-moving style and, unlike many of his defense teammates, wasn't very impressive speed wise. His strongest parts were his amazing tactical sense of the game and mastery of hockey improvisation. Liapkin was a high scoring defenseman known for his accurate shooting and contribution into his team attacks. Arguably, one of the best moments in his career was when Shadrin, Tsygankov and Liapkin managed to kill a 2-man advantage in a key game against the Chechoslovakian squad and became the heroes of the 1976 Olympics.

CAREER HIGHLIGTS:

• Played in the following clubs of the USSR Elite League: Khimik, Spartak Moscow
• USSR Gold (1): 1976
• WC Gold: 1971, 1973-1975
• Olympics Gold: 1976
• National Awards:
  Merited Sports Master (USSR ZMS) 1973

PERFORMANCE IN THE 1972 SUMMIT

"Liapkin will always be remembered as the defenseman who gave up the puck in his own zone with 34 seconds left in the series allowing Paul Henderson to score. "

Vladimir Dvorstov, TASS Agency

Despite his puck mishandling that led to the Henderson's goal, Yuri Liapkin was the highest scoring defense player among the blueliners of both teams. Overall, he was one of the best defensemen on the Team USSR 1972 roster.

Game-by-Game Performance: Scoring

Game-by-Game Performance: Penalty History