Full Description
Between December 28, 1975, and January 11, 1976, a groundbreaking hockey event took place: Super Series '76. Eight National Hockey League clubs each hosted a single exhibition game against one of two touring teams from the USSR: Central Red Army or Wings of the Soviet. Officially nothing was at stake, but serious hockey fans realized that a Cold War clash of political ideologies was occurring on North American ice surfaces. The top pro teams would finally meet the best "amateurs" from the Soviet Elite League. The reputations of the NHL and Soviet hockey were both on the line. Canadians already knew how strong the Soviets were, based on the eye-opening experiences of both countries' hockey stars in the 1972 and 1974 Summit Series. For many Americans, however, the talents of the exotic, Eastern Bloc visitors provided a stunning revelation.
This book outlines the history of the intense Canada-USSR hockey rivalry that preceded Super Series '76 and then focuses on those eight captivating games in New York, Pittsburgh, Montreal, Buffalo, Boston, Chicago, Long Island and Philadelphia. Two of these contests are still widely discussed today for vastly different reasons. One may have been the greatest hockey game ever played.
Contents
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Terms and Spellings
1. The IIHF Years, Part One: Canada Seems Invincible
2. The IIHF Years, Part Two: The Soviet Superpower
3. The Awakening: The 1972 Summit Series
4. The Often-Forgotten 1974 Summit Series
5. The Making of Super Series '76
6. Soviet Lineups
7. Game #1: Central Red Army vs. New York Rangers
8. Game #2: Soviet Wings vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
9. Game #3: Central Red Army vs. Montréal Canadiens
10. Game #4: Soviet Wings vs. Buffalo Sabres
11. Game #5: Soviet Wings vs. Chicago Black Hawks
12. Game #6: Central Red Army vs. Boston Bruins
13. Game #7: Soviet Wings vs. New York Islanders
14. Game #8: Central Red Army vs. Philadelphia Flyers
15. Aftermath 1976 to 1991: What It All Meant
Chapter Notes
Bibliography
Index
