The Summit Series: Remembering Game One

DonBuddinE6

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 25, 2005
361
Game 1 of the Summit Series took place in the Montreal Forum on September 2, 1972. It's the most important sports event I've ever attended.

The Summit Series was the first time, ever, that the best Canadian hockey players faced the best Russian hockey players, because NHL players didn't play in the Olympics. Everyone knew that Canada and Russia were 1 and 2 in the world -- but in which order? The Summit Series would be the first time that actual games would be played to answer that question.

I got to Montreal the day before the game, and the city was jumping with anticipation. Every conversation in the city -- at my hotel's check-in, at the St James Pub, at Ben's smoked meat place -- was about the game. The newspapers covered every angle -- the Journal de Montréal reported that the Soviets were staying at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel, and the hotel's maids said that the players were very neat and didn't leave clothes or towels on the floor.

Everyone in Canada knew, they were pretty sure, that the NHL had the best players in the world -- after all, Canada had invented the damn sport. I recall one comment made in the buildup: "Canada is known for two things, wheat and hockey, and not in that order." Some were predicting an 8-0 sweep (there would be 4 games played in Canada, then 4 more in the Soviet Union), others suggested that the Russians might win 1 of their games at home, allowing the Reds to save a bit of face. No one predicted a Soviet win, either in the series or the opening game.

Game Day was roasting hot, in the 90sF/mid-30sC. I didn't have a ticket but tickets can always be had at a price. And I wasn't going to miss this one. I got to the Forum a couple of hours before game time -- don't remember what I [over]paid, but got a seat in the brown section of the Forum. Lousy seats, but I was in, and the atmosphere in the cheap seats is just as good as in the fancy loges. Often better, actually.

The Canadian team was filled with all-stars:
Ken Dryden and Tony Esposito in the net, with Phil Esposito, the Mahovlich brothers, Stan Mikita, Bobby Clarke, Rod Gilbert, Brad Park, Guy Lapointe, Paul Henderson (of course) and other top players filling out the squad. Others were missing: the best player in the world, Bobby Orr, was out with a knee. And the players who'd signed with the new WHA, including Bobby Hull and Gordie Howe, weren't eligible.

I got into the Forum when the doors opened, to soak up as much atmosphere as possible. The anticipation was boiling and the tension supercharged, and all this in the Montreal Forum, the greatest building in all of ice hockey. Then a thunderous roar as Team Canada hit the ice for warmups -- the Forum would be packed of course, but I'd never seen the place packed for the warmups. The Russians looked nervous in the warmups, especially their goaltender Vladislav Tretiak. Seemed like he was letting in 60% of the shots they took at him. This was going to be easy.

Warm-ups ended, the ice refreshed, the anthems played. It was, after an eternity of buildup, time to drop the puck. And opening played out just as expected: , a routine Frank Mahovlich shot and a fat rebound gave Phil Esposito an easy goal in the 1st minute. A few minutes later, a Henderson long shot made Tretiak look foolish. Canada leads 2-0, the crowd's roar is deafening, and the rout was on. Nothing can match the atmosphere in the Forum, and this was special.

Until it all fell apart.

Not one soul in that building would have predicted what happened next. Four straight goals for the Russians, then three more to Canada's one. Final score: USSR 7, Canada 3.

Of all the things from 50 years ago, this is what I remember most clearly: the silence after the game. The Forum could be quiet during a boring game, or there could be catcalls when the Habs played poorly. But not silent like this. And the silence on St Catherine St was even more stark -- not a sound from the stunned souls heading home. Toe Blake's bar, always mobbed and a hotbed of activity after any game, was barely half-full, the customers staring blankly at the TVs as Foster Hewitt and Réné LeCavalier tried to explain what had just happened. Canada was in shock. Next day, I flew home to Boston, and Canada was trying reconcile what had gone down the night before.

Seven more games would be played, and Canadians' bewilderment would ultimately turn to excitement, with a climax of Paul Henderson's goal to clinch the series, 4-3-1. There'd be more Canada-Russia series, and eastern bloc players would eventually make their marks in the NHL. But there won't be another game like Summit Series Game 1.
 

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NAR29996

Member
SoSH Member
Feb 2, 2006
682
Melbourne, FL
Game 1 of the Summit Series took place in the Montreal Forum on September 2, 1972. It's the most important sports event I've ever attended.

The Summit Series was the first time, ever, that the best Canadian hockey players faced the best Russian hockey players, because NHL players didn't play in the Olympics. Everyone knew that Canada and Russia were 1 and 2 in the world -- but in which order? The Summit Series would be the first time that actual games would be played to answer that question.

I got to Montreal the day before the game, and the city was jumping with anticipation. Every conversation in the city -- at my hotel's check-in, at the St James Pub, at Ben's smoked meat place -- was about the game. The newspapers covered every angle -- the Journal de Montréal reported that the Soviets were staying at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel, and the hotel's maids said that the players were very neat and didn't leave clothes or towels on the floor.

Everyone in Canada knew, they were pretty sure, that the NHL had the best players in the world -- after all, Canada had invented the damn sport. I recall one comment made in the buildup: "Canada is known for two things, wheat and hockey, and not in that order." Some were predicting an 8-0 sweep (there would be 4 games played in Canada, then 4 more in the Soviet Union), others suggested that the Russians might win 1 of their games at home, allowing the Reds to save a bit of face. No one predicted a Soviet win, either in the series or the opening game.

Game Day was roasting hot, in the 90sF/mid-30sC. I didn't have a ticket but tickets can always be had at a price. And I wasn't going to miss this one. I got to the Forum a couple of hours before game time -- don't remember what I [over]paid, but got a seat in the brown section of the Forum. Lousy seats, but I was in, and the atmosphere in the cheap seats is just as good as in the fancy loges. Often better, actually.

The Canadian team was filled with all-stars:
Ken Dryden and Tony Esposito in the net, with Phil Esposito, the Mahovlich brothers, Stan Mikita, Bobby Clarke, Rod Gilbert, Brad Park, Guy Lapointe, Paul Henderson (of course) and other top players filling out the squad. Others were missing: the best player in the world, Bobby Orr, was out with a knee. And the players who'd signed with the new WHA, including Bobby Hull and Gordie Howe, weren't eligible.

I got into the Forum when the doors opened, to soak up as much atmosphere as possible. The anticipation was boiling and the tension supercharged, and all this in the Montreal Forum, the greatest building in all of ice hockey. Then a thunderous roar as Team Canada hit the ice for warmups -- the Forum would be packed of course, but I'd never seen the place packed for the warmups. The Russians looked nervous in the warmups, especially their goaltender Vladislav Tretiak. Seemed like he was letting in 60% of the shots they took at him. This was going to be easy.

Warm-ups ended, the ice refreshed, the anthems played. It was, after an eternity of buildup, time to drop the puck. And opening played out just as expected: , a routine Frank Mahovlich shot and a fat rebound gave Phil Esposito an easy goal in the 1st minute. A few minutes later, a Henderson long shot made Tretiak look foolish. Canada leads 2-0, the crowd's roar is deafening, and the rout was on. Nothing can match the atmosphere in the Forum, and this was special.

Until it all fell apart.

Not one soul in that building would have predicted what happened next. Four straight goals for the Russians, then three more to Canada's one. Final score: USSR 7, Canada 3.

Of all the things from 50 years ago, this is what I remember most clearly: the silence after the game. The Forum could be quiet during a boring game, or there could be catcalls when the Habs played poorly. But not silent like this. And the silence on St Catherine St was even more stark -- not a sound from the stunned souls heading home. Toe Blake's bar, always mobbed and a hotbed of activity after any game, was barely half-full, the customers staring blankly at the TVs as Foster Hewitt and Réné LeCavalier tried to explain what had just happened. Canada was in shock. Next day, I flew home to Boston, and Canada was trying reconcile what had gone down the night before.

Seven more games would be played, and Canadians' bewilderment would ultimately turn to excitement, with a climax of Paul Henderson's goal to clinch the series, 4-3-1. There'd be more Canada-Russia series, and eastern bloc players would eventually make their marks in the NHL. But there won't be another game like Summit Series Game 1.
I remember watching this game in Maine as a teen. I was stunned, too. That, combined with the events in Munich that summer made for a strange sporting experience.
 

Steve Dillard

wishes drew noticed him instead of sweet & sour
SoSH Member
Oct 7, 2003
5,932
The series of course turned when the Canadians decided to out-tough the Russians. The symbol of this was Bobby Clarke's breaking the Russian's best player (Karlamov)'s ankle in game 6 with a two handed slash (and Bergman threatening him with his stick in the scrum).

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRlnqthpTbM
 

kenneycb

Hates Goose Island Beer; Loves Backdoor Play
SoSH Member
Dec 2, 2006
16,090
Tuukka's refugee camp
I'm not sure I'd use the term "out tough" to describe Clarke Paul Bunyan-ing of Kharlamov's ankle. Cheap, dirty, cowardly, etc. better fit the bill. There was nothing "tough" about that play.
 

Mighty Joe Young

The North remembers
SoSH Member
Sep 14, 2002
8,402
Halifax, Nova Scotia , Canada
I remember that evening as well - was getting ready to return to university. The OP is spot on regards the pregame optimism. And also spot on regarding the post game gloom.

Clark’s slash was typical of him as a player. If he had played on a team not composed of thugs and goons to protect him, his career would have been much shorter,.

Still ... The Canadian team was simply not ready for the series - being out of shape , overconfident , terrible scouting and , obviously, never having played together. And the effect of missing Orr and Hull cannot be overstated.

Whereas the Russians were composed of mostly the Red Army team .

While, speaking for myself I was rather oblivious to the political aspect it would become a major element .. particularly among the players - evil commies and all that.
 

ColdSoxPack

Well-Known Member
Silver Supporter
Jul 14, 2005
2,357
Simi Valley, CA
Is this the game where Team Canada was booed and Espo was interviewed on the ice after the game and was very distraught?

edit: It was after the game 4 loss in Vancouver.
 
Last edited:

ColdSoxPack

Well-Known Member
Silver Supporter
Jul 14, 2005
2,357
Simi Valley, CA
I remember that evening as well - was getting ready to return to university. The OP is spot on regards the pregame optimism. And also spot on regarding the post game gloom.

Clark’s slash was typical of him as a player. If he had played on a team not composed of thugs and goons to protect him, his career would have been much shorter,.

Still ... The Canadian team was simply not ready for the series - being out of shape , overconfident , terrible scouting and , obviously, never having played together. And the effect of missing Orr and Hull cannot be overstated.

Whereas the Russians were composed of mostly the Red Army team .

While, speaking for myself I was rather oblivious to the political aspect it would become a major element .. particularly among the players - evil commies and all that.
And it was held before Team Canada players had a chance to attend training camps.
 

Myt1

educated, civility-loving ass
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Mar 13, 2006
41,582
South Boston
Game 1 of the Summit Series took place in the Montreal Forum on September 2, 1972. It's the most important sports event I've ever attended.

The Summit Series was the first time, ever, that the best Canadian hockey players faced the best Russian hockey players, because NHL players didn't play in the Olympics. Everyone knew that Canada and Russia were 1 and 2 in the world -- but in which order? The Summit Series would be the first time that actual games would be played to answer that question.

I got to Montreal the day before the game, and the city was jumping with anticipation. Every conversation in the city -- at my hotel's check-in, at the St James Pub, at Ben's smoked meat place -- was about the game. The newspapers covered every angle -- the Journal de Montréal reported that the Soviets were staying at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel, and the hotel's maids said that the players were very neat and didn't leave clothes or towels on the floor.

Everyone in Canada knew, they were pretty sure, that the NHL had the best players in the world -- after all, Canada had invented the damn sport. I recall one comment made in the buildup: "Canada is known for two things, wheat and hockey, and not in that order." Some were predicting an 8-0 sweep (there would be 4 games played in Canada, then 4 more in the Soviet Union), others suggested that the Russians might win 1 of their games at home, allowing the Reds to save a bit of face. No one predicted a Soviet win, either in the series or the opening game.

Game Day was roasting hot, in the 90sF/mid-30sC. I didn't have a ticket but tickets can always be had at a price. And I wasn't going to miss this one. I got to the Forum a couple of hours before game time -- don't remember what I [over]paid, but got a seat in the brown section of the Forum. Lousy seats, but I was in, and the atmosphere in the cheap seats is just as good as in the fancy loges. Often better, actually.

The Canadian team was filled with all-stars:
Ken Dryden and Tony Esposito in the net, with Phil Esposito, the Mahovlich brothers, Stan Mikita, Bobby Clarke, Rod Gilbert, Brad Park, Guy Lapointe, Paul Henderson (of course) and other top players filling out the squad. Others were missing: the best player in the world, Bobby Orr, was out with a knee. And the players who'd signed with the new WHA, including Bobby Hull and Gordie Howe, weren't eligible.

I got into the Forum when the doors opened, to soak up as much atmosphere as possible. The anticipation was boiling and the tension supercharged, and all this in the Montreal Forum, the greatest building in all of ice hockey. Then a thunderous roar as Team Canada hit the ice for warmups -- the Forum would be packed of course, but I'd never seen the place packed for the warmups. The Russians looked nervous in the warmups, especially their goaltender Vladislav Tretiak. Seemed like he was letting in 60% of the shots they took at him. This was going to be easy.

Warm-ups ended, the ice refreshed, the anthems played. It was, after an eternity of buildup, time to drop the puck. And opening played out just as expected: , a routine Frank Mahovlich shot and a fat rebound gave Phil Esposito an easy goal in the 1st minute. A few minutes later, a Henderson long shot made Tretiak look foolish. Canada leads 2-0, the crowd's roar is deafening, and the rout was on. Nothing can match the atmosphere in the Forum, and this was special.

Until it all fell apart.

Not one soul in that building would have predicted what happened next. Four straight goals for the Russians, then three more to Canada's one. Final score: USSR 7, Canada 3.

Of all the things from 50 years ago, this is what I remember most clearly: the silence after the game. The Forum could be quiet during a boring game, or there could be catcalls when the Habs played poorly. But not silent like this. And the silence on St Catherine St was even more stark -- not a sound from the stunned souls heading home. Toe Blake's bar, always mobbed and a hotbed of activity after any game, was barely half-full, the customers staring blankly at the TVs as Foster Hewitt and Réné LeCavalier tried to explain what had just happened. Canada was in shock. Next day, I flew home to Boston, and Canada was trying reconcile what had gone down the night before.

Seven more games would be played, and Canadians' bewilderment would ultimately turn to excitement, with a climax of Paul Henderson's goal to clinch the series, 4-3-1. There'd be more Canada-Russia series, and eastern bloc players would eventually make their marks in the NHL. But there won't be another game like Summit Series Game 1.
This is awesome. Thanks for sharing it with us.
 

mwonow

Member
SoSH Member
Sep 4, 2005
7,095
Game 1 of the Summit Series took place in the Montreal Forum on September 2, 1972. It's the most important sports event I've ever attended.

The Summit Series was the first time, ever, that the best Canadian hockey players faced the best Russian hockey players, because NHL players didn't play in the Olympics. Everyone knew that Canada and Russia were 1 and 2 in the world -- but in which order? The Summit Series would be the first time that actual games would be played to answer that question.

I got to Montreal the day before the game, and the city was jumping with anticipation. Every conversation in the city -- at my hotel's check-in, at the St James Pub, at Ben's smoked meat place -- was about the game. The newspapers covered every angle -- the Journal de Montréal reported that the Soviets were staying at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel, and the hotel's maids said that the players were very neat and didn't leave clothes or towels on the floor.

Everyone in Canada knew, they were pretty sure, that the NHL had the best players in the world -- after all, Canada had invented the damn sport. I recall one comment made in the buildup: "Canada is known for two things, wheat and hockey, and not in that order." Some were predicting an 8-0 sweep (there would be 4 games played in Canada, then 4 more in the Soviet Union), others suggested that the Russians might win 1 of their games at home, allowing the Reds to save a bit of face. No one predicted a Soviet win, either in the series or the opening game.

Game Day was roasting hot, in the 90sF/mid-30sC. I didn't have a ticket but tickets can always be had at a price. And I wasn't going to miss this one. I got to the Forum a couple of hours before game time -- don't remember what I [over]paid, but got a seat in the brown section of the Forum. Lousy seats, but I was in, and the atmosphere in the cheap seats is just as good as in the fancy loges. Often better, actually.

The Canadian team was filled with all-stars:
Ken Dryden and Tony Esposito in the net, with Phil Esposito, the Mahovlich brothers, Stan Mikita, Bobby Clarke, Rod Gilbert, Brad Park, Guy Lapointe, Paul Henderson (of course) and other top players filling out the squad. Others were missing: the best player in the world, Bobby Orr, was out with a knee. And the players who'd signed with the new WHA, including Bobby Hull and Gordie Howe, weren't eligible.

I got into the Forum when the doors opened, to soak up as much atmosphere as possible. The anticipation was boiling and the tension supercharged, and all this in the Montreal Forum, the greatest building in all of ice hockey. Then a thunderous roar as Team Canada hit the ice for warmups -- the Forum would be packed of course, but I'd never seen the place packed for the warmups. The Russians looked nervous in the warmups, especially their goaltender Vladislav Tretiak. Seemed like he was letting in 60% of the shots they took at him. This was going to be easy.

Warm-ups ended, the ice refreshed, the anthems played. It was, after an eternity of buildup, time to drop the puck. And opening played out just as expected: , a routine Frank Mahovlich shot and a fat rebound gave Phil Esposito an easy goal in the 1st minute. A few minutes later, a Henderson long shot made Tretiak look foolish. Canada leads 2-0, the crowd's roar is deafening, and the rout was on. Nothing can match the atmosphere in the Forum, and this was special.

Until it all fell apart.

Not one soul in that building would have predicted what happened next. Four straight goals for the Russians, then three more to Canada's one. Final score: USSR 7, Canada 3.

Of all the things from 50 years ago, this is what I remember most clearly: the silence after the game. The Forum could be quiet during a boring game, or there could be catcalls when the Habs played poorly. But not silent like this. And the silence on St Catherine St was even more stark -- not a sound from the stunned souls heading home. Toe Blake's bar, always mobbed and a hotbed of activity after any game, was barely half-full, the customers staring blankly at the TVs as Foster Hewitt and Réné LeCavalier tried to explain what had just happened. Canada was in shock. Next day, I flew home to Boston, and Canada was trying reconcile what had gone down the night before.

Seven more games would be played, and Canadians' bewilderment would ultimately turn to excitement, with a climax of Paul Henderson's goal to clinch the series, 4-3-1. There'd be more Canada-Russia series, and eastern bloc players would eventually make their marks in the NHL. But there won't be another game like Summit Series Game 1.
Ditto the above, thanks for the game recap and the Toe Blake's shoutout. $3.25 for a steak or pigs knuckle with fries, 60 cent draft, no tax...as a student, I *loved* Toe's! Certainly more than Bs games in the Forum...
 

The B’s Knees

Well-Known Member
Silver Supporter
Aug 1, 2006
247
A great quote from Esposito on why they were unprepared for the Russians.

” The two scouts that scouted the Soviets over there for us were two scouts for the Toronto Maple Leafs. No wonder they ended up in last place all the time. I’m not sure what the hell they were even watching. They might have been drinking vodka before the game or something, because none of what they reported back and we were told came to fruition.”
 

Mighty Joe Young

The North remembers
SoSH Member
Sep 14, 2002
8,402
Halifax, Nova Scotia , Canada
A great quote from Esposito on why they were unprepared for the Russians.

” The two scouts that scouted the Soviets over there for us were two scouts for the Toronto Maple Leafs. No wonder they ended up in last place all the time. I’m not sure what the hell they were even watching. They might have been drinking vodka before the game or something, because none of what they reported back and we were told came to fruition.”
Here’s a nice write up of the series .

https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/1972-canada-soviet-hockey-series#CanadianPreparations

Regarding Esposito’s comments. I vaguely remembered some stories in later years that the scouts were more or less played by the Soviets .. Tretiak had had a bad game that they watched (due to being hungover after his bachelor party).

Canadian scouts Bob Davidson and John McLellan spent just four days in Russia in August. They reported on a ragtag team of outclassed amateurs and believed that 20-year-old goalie Vladislav Tretiak — whom they saw play just once — was the weak link. (Tretiak had partied too hard the night before and had his wedding the following day.) “All through training camp,” said future Hall of Famer Serge Savard, “I don’t think we really put enough emphasis on defence. All the time, it was goals… goals… how many goals are we going to beat them by!” Goaltending legend Jacques Plante apparently felt so sorry for Tretiak that he went to the Soviet dressing room with an interpreter before the first game to brief the Soviet goalie on the shooting tendencies of the Canadian players.
Thanks Jake