Canada's Team of the Century: 1972 Canada vs USSR (The Complete 8 Game Series Uncut)

 

 

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Most people in Canada were glued to a television, any television for this series. The years gone by have not dimished its' significance. If possible the passing of time has enhanced it all the more. I was in university at the time and he still talks about the 1972 Canada/USSR Series, and Foster Hewitt (the best hockey broadcaster ever) with reverence. Having all eight games available in their entirety is great!

I was born in 1979, so I wasn't even alive when this series was played. Growing up, I knew of the series and its players, but understood little of how it played out, and what it meant. All I knew was "the goal". So I bought this set, wanting to see it mostly out of curiousity. I had a bunch of people over to watch Game 1, all of us never having seen it. Despite the poor audio and picture quality and terrible (hilarious) graphics, it didn't take long for us to get into the game as though it were happening right then and there. My dad could only shake his head.

We found ourselves immersed not only in the drama on the ice, but research revealed all of the drama off of it.

Suddenly, there we were; a group of Canadians removed from our time, transported back to September of 1972. Communism is alive in the USSR, Trudeau is Prime Minister, and practically no Canadians wear helmets. On the day following the games we would be at work, saying things like: "Can you believe that goal by Pete Mahovlich last night?" and, "Man, Tretiak is INCREDIBLE!" or, "Bergman is all OVER the place!" People thought we were nuts.

As the games went on, and things were looking grim, the remembrance of the outcome began to creep back into our consciousness, and I wondered how we were ever going to come back...

And then "the interview" after Game Four.

When I read about the aftermath - the letters and telegrams of support sent to the players in Moscow; the THREE THOUSAND Canadians who made the trip to cheer the team - it really began to dawn on me - the true magnitude of this event not only in Canadian hockey, but in Canadian history, period. The thought of thousands of Canadians flying half way around the world to watch a hockey game, the schools and businesses that essentially shut down to watch the games... unbelievable.

The eighth and deciding game was watched in a theatre-style classroom, on a big screen. There was excitement and anticipation in the air. Then, after fifty-nine minutes and twenty-four seconds of some of the hardest fought hockey I had ever seen, we heard the call we all were waiting for - the call from Foster Hewitt that all Canadians have heard...

"Here's a shot... Henderson makes a wild stab for it, and falls... here's another shot... right in front... THEY SCORE! HENDERSON HAS SCORED FOR CANADA!"

Now, I am not one for blind patriotism, but in the end, those players and those fans made me as proud to be Canadian as I ever have been in my entire life (how bizarre!).

This series is an absolute must for all Canadians, hockey fans or not. To have the opportunity to see those players - the Espositos, the Mahovlichs, Clarke, Cournoyer, Bergman, Dryden, and Henderson, and so on - required viewing for all hockey fans too young to have seen them.

Before I saw it for myself, I thought it was just a hockey series. Boy, was I wrong.

This DVD set, regardless if it's not quite up to par, will emerses your mind and soul in one of the most historic WORLD sporting event series ever played. It is a little grainy, but film that is 33 yrs old, and it's still very much enjoyable.Esposito, Dryden, Mikita, Mahovlich, Kharlamov Yakushev, Petrov, the Hall of Fame list,
goes on. If "YOU" love hockey,as much as i do, you will totally enjoy the pure nostalgia of these games. It's a "WINNER!"

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5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Fantastic. You'll watch it again and again!
I can't get enough of this DVD set! You get all 8 games of the 1972 summit series in their entirety, plus loads of extras, including interviews from players of Team Canada,... Read more

Published 16 months ago by J. Gregory

5.0 out of 5 stars Mulroney's in the stands --- great set!!
OK, I'll admit it. The fact that you can see Mulroney in the stands is interseting but not the main feature of this set (this isn't a joke, I'll tell you where to find him at... Read more

Published on Nov 15 2005 by eli

5.0 out of 5 stars THIS ROCKS!
Even though i live in wee old England, a mate of mine recomended watching hockey on British TV. I ABOSULTLY love it!! Read more

Published on Dec 18 2004 by J. M. Barrie

4.0 out of 5 stars Piece of History
The cultural value is great, but that's for the event. The DVD in itself is completely raw: not work at all was done to restore the footage. Read more

Published on Aug 19 2004 by antidrugue

5.0 out of 5 stars Thinking about buying this... do it!
As a 10 year old, I was glued to the TV during this series. I've spent the past several nights time travelling back to 1972. Sometimes in life you can't go back. Read more

Published on April 16 2004 by Burt

5.0 out of 5 stars Great stuff indeed!
Ah, what memories! There will never be another series like it. And to the Customer from Calgary: Europeans play hockey with as much intensity as anyone -- it's just that... Read more

Published on April 3 2004 by mozika

5.0 out of 5 stars great stuff
Quite simply the best spectacle of modern sports. And, once again to the gentleman who figures we cheated: I understand you are swedish, and likely don't play the game with much... Read more

Published on Mar 1 2004

5.0 out of 5 stars Go Canada eh!
Great deal here, two CD's, while other places sell each one seperatly, plus free shipping, what a deal! Read more

Published on Jan 3 2004 by Tom McLaughlin

4.0 out of 5 stars Great game footage of a great series
This one is actually something as rare as a complete game set of the 8 games summit series from 1972... Read more

Published on Nov 21 2003 by beemer_nu

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