What do you remember?

If there's a goal that everyone remembers
It was back in ol' 72
We all squeezed the stick and we all pulled the trigger
And all I remember is sitting beside you.
~ The Tragically Hip.

The Summit Series

The Summit Series was an eight-game ice hockey series between the Soviet Union and Canada, held in September 1972.

It was the first competition between the Soviet national team and a Canadian team represented by professional players of the National Hockey League (NHL), known as Team Canada.

The series was organized with the intention to create a true best-against-best competition in the sport of ice hockey. The Soviets had become the dominant team in international competitions, in which the Canadian professionals were ineligible to play. Canada had had a long history of dominance of the sport prior to the Soviets' rise.

The first four games of the series were held in Canada and the final four in Moscow.

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Game One

The Soviet Union surprised the Canadian team and most of the Canadian hockey media with an opening game victory, 7–3.

Game Two

Canada won the next game 4–1.

Game Three

The third game was a tie, at 4-4.

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Game Four

The Soviets won game four to take a two games to one lead at the end of the Canadian segment.

The series resumed two weeks later in Moscow.

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Game Five

The Soviets won game five to take a three games to one series lead.

Game Six

The Canadians won the sixth game, 3-2.

Game Seven

The Canadians also won the seventh game... going into the series final, each team had now won three games, with one tie.

Game Eight

The final game was won in dramatic fashion, with the Canadians overcoming a two-goal Soviet lead after two periods. The Canadians scored three times in the third, the final goal scored with 34 seconds left by Paul Henderson.

The series was played during the Cold War, and intense feelings of nationalism were aroused in fans in both Canada and the Soviet Union and players on the ice.

~ content attributed to Wikipedia

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One Simple Request

In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the 1972 Summit Series, it would be absolutely amazing if you would record and post a short video of your youth or old-timer hockey team, classroom or school, office or warehouse team, or friends and family, with a special message for Team Canada 1972 and Team USSR 1972. Let them know which organization you represent and in which city, province/state and country you are located. Thank them for their participation in “the greatest hockey series ever played”, and don’t forget to finish off with a very loud cheer and tag us at #Our72Stories.

We can do this together. Let’s go for it! Go Team Go!

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Visitor Submitted Stories

The Series that changed the game

It’s hard to believe that it’s already 50 years since the 1972 Summit Series because many of the memories & emotions of the 17 year old kid who sat riveted to the television for all 8 games are still so vivid: * Our parents, who are both gone now, joining my twin brother & I …

The Series that changed the game Read More »

Like it was yesterday…

My traveling partner Ev passed away this year.  This is the note I sent to his brother Bernie this September. Bernie – It really is funny.  Not a lot of time goes by that I don’t think of Ev for some odd reason. Someone makes a remark about my youth, someone comments on an old …

Like it was yesterday… Read More »

1969 precursor to 72 summit series “these Russians are good” – view of a 9 year old kid

I’m probably in a small group of Canadians who saw the Soviet Nats play prior to the 72 series. Back in 1969, the Soviet Nats played the Canadian Amateur team various times across Canada as part of a tour. I attended a game with my parents in December, 1969, at Maple Leaf gardens in Toronto. …

1969 precursor to 72 summit series “these Russians are good” – view of a 9 year old kid Read More »

I was there

In 1972 I got a call from a friend asking if I wanted to go to Moscow for the 4 games. I had little money and no vacation time left but immediately said yes. So four of us in our mid twenties embarked on the trip of a lifetime. We seemed to be among the …

I was there Read More »

Express your APPRECIATION in celebration of the 50th Anniversary

On the 50th anniversary of the greatest hockey series ever played, Our72Stories invites you to express your appreciation and congratulations to the teams and individual players. Please comment here or submit as a story on this site or post on our social media channels as noted at the bottom of the page.

My Golden Age of Hockey

It has been reported that Ken Dryden stated that the golden age of hockey was whenever you were 12 years old. Well, I was 10 years old during my golden age of hockey, back in 1972. Our family had moved from St. Catharines ON to the Toronto area and I attended the last few weeks …

My Golden Age of Hockey Read More »

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