Canada VS USSR. The Summit Series 50 years later:

[MoneyGuy]

I saw that Henderson goal live on television. It remains one of the greatest sports moments of my life.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by troutman

Russia won on aggregate, 32-31.

okay Pootin

[Strange Brew]

Too young to have watched this but still something I think about often and fondly.

I feel like Cournoyer is a bit of an unsung hero of the team, but Henderson and Espo were the forces for sure. A shame that the greatest player of all time was too injured to play.

And those sweaters. Best ever.

[Ford Prefect]

I’ve read some interesting articles about what happened to the puck from Henderson’s goal. There’s video of Pat Stapleton grabbing it from the net after the goal was scored. Stapleton claimed he had the puck laying around the house for years, but always changed the story a bit. To my knowledge the puck has never been located. Gary Bergman, who was a member of that team, claimed that Stapleton took it out and was playing with it on an out door rink on his farm and fired it into a snow bank. I’ve also read that Bill White, Stapleton’s defense partner on Team Canada and in the NHL, was the guy who fired it into a snow bank. That seems like a fitting outcome so I like to believe that’s the true story of its fate. There are articles online about the mystery of anyone if interested.

[flamesfever]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Still, 50 years later, THE strongest and most passionate memory and experience that I have had from sports.

It was also the same for me. Although I was super excited that we were able to beat the Russians, I was astounded at how well the Russians played... not only as a team, but on an individual level e.g. watching players like Kharlamov, Tretiak. I think this was a shock to many, as we didn't believe the communist system, with it's emphasis on the state vs the individual, could produce such players, and such teamwork. Also, it was only a short time before, like a decade or more, that the Russians couldn't even skate properly. We used to laugh at them for running on their skates.

To watch the Russians rise to the level of the NHL in such a short time, was truly extraordinary, and although we managed to beat them, I think it was a humbling experience to a degree, and caused us to change our game.

I think some of the things that came out of the Summit Series were that we started emphasizing the physical elements in our game in order to continue dominating e.g. the "rockem sockem" style of the Broad Street Bullies. Also many of the Russian players were subsequently drafted into the NHL, eg. Russian players were largely responsible for the Detroit Red Wings dynasty from 1994 to 2008.

[looooob]

Originally Posted by troutman

Russia won on aggregate, 32-31.

as did the Flames in 04....we know how that went

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Canadian forward Bobby Clarke chopped Soviet star Valeri Kharlamov across the ankle with a two-handed slash in Game 6, effectively ending his opponent’s series.

The most shameful moment in the history of Canadian hockey. On ice anyways. We couldn’t win without intentionally injuring their best player. Pathetic by Clarke. I’ve never not hated him. What a piece of crap he was and is. Should have lost. Deserved to lose. Only won by cheating.

[transplant99]

Lol

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

The most shameful moment in the history of Canadian hockey. On ice anyways. We couldn’t win without intentionally injuring their best player. Pathetic by Clarke. I’ve never not hated him. What a piece of crap he was and is. Should have lost. Deserved to lose. Only won by cheating.

It was an ugly incident, but shouldn't be taken out of context - the entire series was beyond nasty and the Soviets were far from innocent, including horrific accommodations and food, along with also being very dirty (as the Canadians were too)

Again, it was war. #### happens.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

The most shameful moment in the history of Canadian hockey. On ice anyways. We couldn’t win without intentionally injuring their best player. Pathetic by Clarke. I’ve never not hated him. What a piece of crap he was and is. Should have lost. Deserved to lose. Only won by cheating.

There was a quote about defenceman Gary Bergman where he had to drain the blood from on of his skate boots because a Russian player had kicked him in the calf muscle and caused bleeding. Lets not forget about all the spearing and dirty stickwork by the Russians.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

I saw that Henderson goal live on television. It remains one of the greatest sports moments of my life.

I had a Junior High english teacher who brought a TV to school so we could watch the game. Teaching stopped that day.