Former goalkeeper of the USSR national team and now president of the Russian Hockey Federation (RHF) Vladislav Tretiak told that during the 1972 Super Series against the Canadiens, the Soviet team confirmed the title of hockey’s great power.
On September 2, 1972, the USSR team beat the Canadian team with a score of 7:3. Forwards Evgeniy Zimin, Valery Kharlamov, who scored twice, scored goals against the Canadian team, Boris Mikhailov, Alexander Yakushev and Vladimir Petrov.
— I’ve been to four Olympics and 15 world championships. But the Super Series is something special. The coolest competition of my life! Those eight games against the Canadians are special. It’s a unique event. Like Yuri Gagarin’s space flight. It’s impossible to repeat it, but we must always remember it.
In the 1972 Super Series, we showed that our country was and remains a great hockey power. We represented European hockey in a battle against the North Americans. But above all, we defended the honour of our country, our flag and our hockey.
And they forced themselves to earn respect when they showed that Russians are not only excellent athletes, but also strong men with an unyielding character. Great masters of their craft, capable of playing on equal terms with Canadian professionals. And even beating them. The victory in the first match with a score of 7:3 in Montreal remains memorable for me. It was on September 2, I can describe every second of that match.
The memory of the 1972 Super Series is important for the younger generations. It is an example of patriotism and dedication in defending the interests of one’s country. We did it on the hockey rink, but it must be done in all areas – in culture, science, medicine… Work to prove that you can be the best in the world.
I have great warmth and respect for my teammates on the USSR national team. They are great people, real masters of their craft. At that time we were not called professionals, but we were essentially professionals, because we devoted our whole lives to hockey.
“As part of the anniversary of the start of the 1972 Super Series, I held a very interesting meeting. I will inform about the details in the coming days,” Tretyak told .
The friendly series ended with an overall victory for the Canadian team. The Canadians won four games, the Soviet team won three, and one game ended in a draw.
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Source : MatchTV
I’m Emma Smith, a dedicated journalist and avid storyteller. I have been writing for news websites for the past 5 years, reporting on hockey news and delivering in-depth analysis of the sport. In my current role as Author at Athletistic, I write about hockey events from around the world to keep followers up-to-date with what’s happening in the sport.
