Marcus-74
Registered User
- Apr 27, 2005
- 165
- 1
Two years after the original Summit Series WHA´s Team Canada also faced the Soviets in 8 games (4 in Canada, 4 in SU). Canada won only 1, lost 4 and there were 3 ties, so in the end it was a pretty clear win for the Soviets, but after the first 4 games in Canada the series was pretty tight (with win a piece and 2 ties) and Team Canada apparently dominated most of those first matches.
Canada had a lot of veteran forwards (mainly past their primes) like Bobby Hull, 46-year old Gordie Howe, Frank Mahovlich, Ralph Backstrom and even the hero of the first Summit, Paul Henderson. There were also a few young players whose best years were still to come like Marc Tardif and Mark Howe, who played as a forward.
The Canadian defense was led by J.C. Tremblay and Pat Stapleton and Gerry Cheevers was the brilliant netminder on the team (if I remember correctly, some Soviets called Cheevers the best goalie they had faced).
The Soviets were led by the line of Mikhailov, Petrov and Kharlamov, Alexander Maltsev, Vladimir Shadrin and Alexander Yakushev, who again was the top scorer for the Soviets.
WHA´s Team Canada had at least one advantage compared to ´72; they knew what they were up against, so they were a lot better prepared mentally, tactically and physically. Also some guys like Hull, Mr. Hockey, Backstrom, Tremblay and Cheevers played some of their best hockey ever. But Frank Mahovlich was yet again a disappointment and Tardif wasn´t a much of a factor either.
So has anyone seen those games? Are they any good? Of course it wasn´t the same thing as the original series, but still I´ve heard some good things concerning the quality of play. And surely the games can´t be any worse than the first game of ´72!
Canada had a lot of veteran forwards (mainly past their primes) like Bobby Hull, 46-year old Gordie Howe, Frank Mahovlich, Ralph Backstrom and even the hero of the first Summit, Paul Henderson. There were also a few young players whose best years were still to come like Marc Tardif and Mark Howe, who played as a forward.
The Canadian defense was led by J.C. Tremblay and Pat Stapleton and Gerry Cheevers was the brilliant netminder on the team (if I remember correctly, some Soviets called Cheevers the best goalie they had faced).
The Soviets were led by the line of Mikhailov, Petrov and Kharlamov, Alexander Maltsev, Vladimir Shadrin and Alexander Yakushev, who again was the top scorer for the Soviets.
WHA´s Team Canada had at least one advantage compared to ´72; they knew what they were up against, so they were a lot better prepared mentally, tactically and physically. Also some guys like Hull, Mr. Hockey, Backstrom, Tremblay and Cheevers played some of their best hockey ever. But Frank Mahovlich was yet again a disappointment and Tardif wasn´t a much of a factor either.
So has anyone seen those games? Are they any good? Of course it wasn´t the same thing as the original series, but still I´ve heard some good things concerning the quality of play. And surely the games can´t be any worse than the first game of ´72!
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. I´ve never seen Bobby Hull play and he was still one of the best players and goal scorers in the world at that point, no doubt about it. I really hope "they" also release the Super Series 75/76 and Challenge Cup ´79 games (even though I still have big doubts about the latter one!). I would purchase them in a second. Maybe I should get a life 
