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.
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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.
The Soviet Union surprised the Canadian team and most of the Canadian hockey media with an opening game victory, 7–3.
Canada won the next game 4–1.
The third game was a tie, at 4-4.
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.
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.
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
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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