1974 Canada/Soviet Summit

[cam0426]

My book on the 1974 Canada/Soviet summit series is now for sale. It is the first detailed account of that forgotten series and includes photos, interviews with Team Canada players, media reports, and details of Team Canada's games against the Western Canadian Junior All-Stars, Finland, Sweden and Czechoslovkia.

Hope you check it out!

Craig Wallace

http://www.lulu.com/content/5929153

Click to read more...

 

[Bear of Bad News]

Craig, good to have you on here. Looking forward to the book!

 

[Poignant Discussion*]

looks like a good read, going to download it when I get home

 

[cam0426]

Thanks guys!

I will say the caliber of the hockey in that series was brilliant! It was as good as 1972 and it is such a shame that Canadians when they even remember the series tend to view it as a fiasco.

Craig

 

[VMBM]

Games 1 and 4 were good, competitive matches, I thought. Game 2 was a great game for Team Canada, as almost everything they tried worked (their goal-scoring is not so hot, though), and the Soviets stunk the joint out, playing the worst game I've ever seen them play (if Red Army's game vs. Flyers doesn't count). Games 3 and 6 are pretty good games for USSR, though.

BTW, the Soviet power play was awful in the series, but credit should be given to WHA's skillful and agressive penalty killing.

 

[Hockeynomad]

On WHA's Canada's side, two players stood out: the puckhandling skills of J.C. Tremblay and the brilliant play of a 36 year old Bobby Hull and the goaltending of Gerry Cheevers.

Remember all were inelligible to play in 1972 summit series.

 

[cam0426]

Hull, Tremblay, and Cheevers were great (Cheevers actually gave Team Canada 74 better goaltending in that series than the 72 squad got from Ken Dryden and Tony Esposito.) But we can't forget how well Ralph Backstrom played - especially in the final 2 games in Moscow. In those final 2 games he played as well as any Canadian ever did against the Soviets. The man was brilliant! Both Gordie and Mark Howe had excellent series's. Pat Stapelton picked up where he left off in 72 and showed the world he was among the best defensemen in the world.

And the Soviets proved that 72 was not a fluke. They were not close in 72 becouse Team Canada was out of shape, caught off-guard, etc. They were plain great! They beat a Team Canada 74 squad that wasn't as good as the 72 team but was much better prepared, better coached, and had some very good major league talent. And the Soviets won. And then the following year they came over and won 5 out of 8 against NHL teams.

Craig

 

[bucyk09]

Summit 1974 book!

Congratulation Craig Wallace, your book deserve a 5 stars ! You have a great idea about writing a book on this series! Few people know the detail of this `` forgotten summit.`` The players of 1974 deserve it because they played a great series against the soviets!

 

[VMBM]

Backstrom was brilliant, especially considering that he was 36-37 at the time. Canada always seemed to have those unheralded players (compare with Henderson in '72) who came up big when necessary. BTW, Henderson himself obviously couldn't repeat the heroics, but he gave a good performance, I thought. He was more of a 'role player' this time (penalty killing etc.).

On the Soviet side, I would single out Kharlamov, Yakushev, Maltsev, Tretiak and maybe Vasiliev. Also Mikhailov, Petrov and Shadrin gave solid, if not spectacular, performances. It's also fun to see a very young Sergei Kapustin (I think he's one of the best skaters ever) play a few games. The commentators keep on praising Alexander Gusev, but IMO he was often a disaster on defense; for example, in the 2nd game he plays possibly the worst game of any class A player ever: not surprisingly he doesn't see any ice time in the 3rd period.

The '74 Soviets were a fine team, but I still much prefer the later teams. I think they were still light years away physically, and their forechecking wasn't very good. And they themselves were quite vulnerable to agressive forechecking. But that's just my opinion.

 

[pappyline]

I remember that series very well & am looking forward to reading this book. Really the Soviets barely beat an older Canada team without much depth. In spite of that Canada was pretty much blowing them away in the earlier games. What turned it around was Harris tinkering with the lineup after game 2. Resting Gordie, Big M & Cheevers was a mistake. In game 4, Canada let up in the 3rd period & the Soviets salvaged a tie despite being outplayed. Canada still had a chance to win this in game 7 but the Soviets played some games with the time clock & turned a loss into a tie.

I think Canada was running out of steam in Moscow plus there were all the off ice crap that the Soviets would pull. Got to remember also that Hull was 36 & Gordie was 45 & both were nursing injuries.

 

[VMBM]

I remember that series very well & am looking forward to reading this book. Really the Soviets barely beat an older Canada team without much depth. In spite of that Canada was pretty much blowing them away in the earlier games. What turned it around was Harris tinkering with the lineup after game 2. Resting Gordie, Big M & Cheevers was a mistake. In game 4, Canada let up in the 3rd period & the Soviets salvaged a tie despite being outplayed. Canada still had a chance to win this in game 7 but the Soviets played some games with the time clock & turned a loss into a tie.

I think Canada was running out of steam in Moscow plus there were all the off ice crap that the Soviets would pull. Got to remember also that Hull was 36 & Gordie was 45 & both were nursing injuries.

How? Even if Canada had won games 7 and 8, it would have been 3 wins each (2 ties). By goal differential?

 

[pappyline]

How? Even if Canada had won games 7 and 8, it would have been 3 wins each (2 ties). By goal differential?

OK, it would have been a tie. Does that make you feel better? The Soviets tied a team of aging stars with some minor league types as backup.

 

[VMBM]

OK, it would have been a tie. Does that make you feel better? The Soviets tied a team of aging stars with some minor league types as backup.

Oh I'm so sorry that I had the nerve to point out such an insignificant little thing, Mr. Big Boss. Well, maybe if you bothered to check things before commenting, I wouldn't have to.

Yeah, and in '79 and '81 USSR totally destroyed the best Canada had to offer - on the latter's home-ice. So Soviet hockey did alright.

 

[pappyline]

Oh I'm so sorry that I had the nerve to point out such an insignificant little thing, Mr. Big Boss. Well, maybe if you bothered to check things before commenting, I wouldn't have to.

Yeah, and in '79 and '81 USSR totally destroyed the best Canada had to offer - on the latter's home-ice. So Soviet hockey did alright.

We are talking about the 74 summit. A WHA team with some aging stars put the Soviets in their place.What is with the "Mr Big Boss" crap. 45 year old Gordie Howe was one of the best in that series. Yep the Soviets were incredible. Played games with the time clock to eke out a victory.

Why are you bringing up 79 & 81. Maybe because you know Canada was way, way better in 74.

 

[VMBM]

We are talking about the 74 summit. A WHA team with some aging stars put the Soviets in their place.What is with the "Mr Big Boss" crap. 45 year old Gordie Howe was one of the best in that series. Yep the Soviets were incredible. Played games with the time clock to eke out a victory.

Why are you bringing up 79 & 81. Maybe because you know Canada was way, way better in 74.

Canada was still better in '74, alright. Just not WHA's Team Canada. A team that wins 1 game out of 8 "put the Soviets in their place"? Yeah, they really did, didn't they? Minus game 7, they were well beaten in Moscow. Do you have even one objective bone in your body?

 

[pappyline]

Canada was still better in '74, alright. Just not WHA's Team Canada. A team that wins 1 game out of 8 "put the Soviets in their place"? Yeah, they really did, didn't they? Minus game 7, they were well beaten in Moscow. Do you have even one objective bone in your body?

I could ask the same of you. All you do is bash Canada. Team WHa was not the best Canada had to offer but they were just barely beat my the wonderful Soiviets who had to cheat to do it. Team WHA was led by some fantastic but aging superstars.

You are probably the least objective poster on these boards.

 

[VMBM]

I could ask the same of you. All you do is bash Canada. Team WHa was not the best Canada had to offer but they were just barely beat my the wonderful Soiviets who had to cheat to do it. Team WHA was led by some fantastic but aging superstars.

You are probably the least objective poster on these boards.

I just admitted (and have done so many times in the past) that Canada, though not the WHA version, was still better in '74 than the Soviets. But maybe that's not enough. I should probably declare that Canada was always zillion times better; would that be 'objective' enough for you?

Did they have to cheat? Blimey. At least they didn't brake anyone's ankle.

 

[pappyline]

I just admitted (and have done so many times in the past) that Canada, though not the WHA version, was still better in '74 than the Soviets. But maybe that's not enough. I should probably declare that Canada was always zillion times better; would that be 'objective' enough for you?

Did they have to cheat? Blimey. At least they didn't brake anyone's ankle.

Yep, A zillion times better would be nice. I have given the reasons that Canada lost in 74.Sounds like you agree with the time clock cheating in moscow. Maybe the Soviets were better in 74 than the WHA but they still had to cheat to do it.

 

[Reks]

I think I read that the same thing with the time clock happened in Canada in one of the first four games. But since it helped Canada that time it's of course OK.

 

[Zine]

Yep, A zillion times better would be nice. I have given the reasons that Canada lost in 74.Sounds like you agree with the time clock cheating in moscow. Maybe the Soviets were better in 74 than the WHA but they still had to cheat to do it.

Ummm.....Canada won 1 out of 8 games. Considering as such, it's absolutely ridiculous to claim Soviets needed to cheat to win.

Overall in 1974 Canada > USSR........however, Soviet Union was clearly better than WHA.

 

[cam0426]

Seeing as I am pretty familiar with that series let's go through it:

Game 1 - Team Canada controls the play most of the game, but still need a late goal from Bobby Hull to escape with a 3-3 tie. Gerry Cheevers and Vladislav Tretiak are both spectacular. In the final 5 minutes after Hull ties the game Tretiak robs Mike Walton in close, Marc Tardif shoots wide on an open net and in the final minute Gordie Howe sends Frank Mahovlich in all alone on Tretiak. The "Big M" shoots wide.

Game 2 - Canada dominates most of the game and wins 4-1.

Game 3 - Billy Harris makes 5 line-up moves (Gerry Cheevers' father-in-law had a massive heart attack in Toronto during Game 2 and he had to stay behind to be with his wife so he couldn't play, and Gordie Howe injured his ribs in Game 2 and couldn't play. Frank Mahovlich really tailed off in Game 2 after a strong Game 1 and he was rested and defensemen Brad Selwood and Rick Ley who had both played so well in the first 2 games came out.) The Soviets dominate most of the game and win 8-5.

Game 4 - Bobby Hull scores a first period hat trick and Canada leaves that period up 5-2. Many observers call this the single finest period any Canadian team ever played against the Soviets. Alexandr Yakushev scores the only goal of the second to narrow the gap to 5-3. In the third Canada controls the play and force Tretiak to make some huge stops. Johnny McKenzie hits the post on one shot and Hull blasts that rebound over the empty net with Tretiak down and out. The Soviets score twice in the final 5 minutes to tie. Read my book on what happened here!

Game 5 - Soviets win 3-2 but if Cheevers doesn't stand on his head and play maybe the best game of his life it would have been maybe 9-2.

Game 6 - Soviets win 5-2 but the referring by Soviet Victor Dombrowski is so biased that Canada has no chance to win at all. Read my book as I get heavily into this game and the outright cheating by Dombrowski.

Game 7 - Canada controls most of this game and in the final moments Hull beats Tretiak to break a 4-4 tie. Canadian referee Tom Brown disallows the goal ruling time had expired before Hull scored. The replays show Brown erred in his call. There was also a problem with the clock being allowed to run on for four seconds after played was stopped with 1:32 left in the third. Brown only added 2 seconds back to the clock.

Game 8 - Neither team used it's best line-up and the Soviets win 3-2.

Were the Soviets better? Yes they were, but not by much and an argument can be made that if there had been totally neutral officiating Canada may well have escaped the series with a tie.

Craig

 

[cam0426]

Congratulation Craig Wallace, your book deserve a 5 stars ! You have a great idea about writing a book on this series! Few people know the detail of this `` forgotten summit.`` The players of 1974 deserve it because they played a great series against the soviets!

Thank you so much for your kind comments. It means a lot as a writer when someone purchases one of my books (I also wrote one on the 1967-72 Toronto Argonauts) and they really enjoy it.

Craig Wallace

 

[pappyline]

Seeing as I am pretty familiar with that series let's go through it:

Game 1 - Team Canada controls the play most of the game, but still need a late goal from Bobby Hull to escape with a 3-3 tie. Gerry Cheevers and Vladislav Tretiak are both spectacular. In the final 5 minutes after Hull ties the game Tretiak robs Mike Walton in close, Marc Tardif shoots wide on an open net and in the final minute Gordie Howe sends Frank Mahovlich in all alone on Tretiak. The "Big M" shoots wide.

Game 2 - Canada dominates most of the game and wins 4-1.

Game 3 - Billy Harris makes 5 line-up moves (Gerry Cheevers' father-in-law had a massive heart attack in Toronto during Game 2 and he had to stay behind to be with his wife so he couldn't play, and Gordie Howe injured his ribs in Game 2 and couldn't play. Frank Mahovlich really tailed off in Game 2 after a strong Game 1 and he was rested and defensemen Brad Selwood and Rick Ley who had both played so well in the first 2 games came out.) The Soviets dominate most of the game and win 8-5.

Game 4 - Bobby Hull scores a first period hat trick and Canada leaves that period up 5-2. Many observers call this the single finest period any Canadian team ever played against the Soviets. Alexandr Yakushev scores the only goal of the second to narrow the gap to 5-3. In the third Canada controls the play and force Tretiak to make some huge stops. Johnny McKenzie hits the post on one shot and Hull blasts that rebound over the empty net with Tretiak down and out. The Soviets score twice in the final 5 minutes to tie. Read my book on what happened here!

Game 5 - Soviets win 3-2 but if Cheevers doesn't stand on his head and play maybe the best game of his life it would have been maybe 9-2.

Game 6 - Soviets win 5-2 but the referring by Soviet Victor Dombrowski is so biased that Canada has no chance to win at all. Read my book as I get heavily into this game and the outright cheating by Dombrowski.

Game 7 - Canada controls most of this game and in the final moments Hull beats Tretiak to break a 4-4 tie. Canadian referee Tom Brown disallows the goal ruling time had expired before Hull scored. The replays show Brown erred in his call. There was also a problem with the clock being allowed to run on for four seconds after played was stopped with 1:32 left in the third. Brown only added 2 seconds back to the clock.

Game 8 - Neither team used it's best line-up and the Soviets win 3-2.

Were the Soviets better? Yes they were, but not by much and an argument can be made that if there had been totally neutral officiating Canada may well have escaped the series with a tie.

Craig

Nice analysis & that is about the way I remember it . A very closely played series regardless of number of wins by each team.

 

[SCORE4]

Been away for a long time .... Team Canada '74 could have very well tied or even won this series with a few breaks .... I have heard several Soviet players claim Cheevers as being the best goalie they ever faced.

 

[bucyk09]

Summit 1974

It's great to see many people interested by the 1974 summit.
I would like to add a commentary about the Bobby Hull disallow late goal in the 7th game. I checked the replay and he takes the puck with one second left to the game. He clearly scored with 0.3 seconds to play. The Russia had a 200 000 $ digital clock bought from Finland who records tenths of a second who, for a some reason weren't using by the Russians for that game!!! Another thing is the referee for that game was Tom Brown, a canadian who make a big mistake by not according a goal to the soviets in game 2 who was clearly good. So we can tought than Brown want to redeem for his mistake he made and he certainly have a better chance to escape alive from Moscow if he disallowed that goal!!!!

Stephane Harvey from La Baie, Qc