Super Series '76

Super Series '76 was the first of the "Super Series" ice hockey exhibitions, which saw club teams from Soviet Championship League touring North America to play against teams from the National Hockey League (NHL). The games were played in late December 1975 through the early part of January 1976, in the middle of the regular schedules of the NHL and Soviet league.

History

The series was groundbreaking in that Soviet club teams had never played against NHL teams. The 1976 games were a veritable "clash of hockey titans", as they involved the best teams of each league including the reigning Soviet champions, HC CSKA Moscow, also called "The Red Army Club" in English, and Krylya Sovetov Moscow (also known as "Soviet Wings"). As well the NHL teams involved included the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Philadelphia Flyers and soon-to-be 1976 champion Montreal Canadiens. It should be noted that both Soviet teams were supplemented by other All Stars from their league.

In the early games Red Army trounced the New York Rangers 7-3, while Soviet Wings defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 7-4. On New Year's Eve 1975, the Red Army was scheduled to play the Montreal Canadiens. The Red Army was the most dominant team in the Soviet League, while the Canadiens were the best team in the NHL as they would go on to win the Stanley Cup later that year. The game resulted in a 3-3 tie in a contest being notable for the performance of the Red Army's Vladislav Tretiak in net despite his team being outshot 38-13.

2007 Super Series

The 2007 Super Series (Russian: Суперсерия 2007; French: 2007 Super Série) was an eight-game Under-20 ice hockey challenge between Russia and Canada. The series was won by Canada, who shocked the Russians with seven wins and one tie (there was no overtime in this series). Over the course of the eight games, Canada outscored Russia 39-13. The Series was held from August 27 to September 9 in various venues in both countries. The event commemorated the 35th anniversary of the 1972 Summit Series between the USSR and Canada.

It was reported on March 28, 2007 in a Moscow-based daily newspaper that Russian prime minister Mikhail Fradkov was keen for a third Summit Series to mark the 35th anniversary of the original 1972 series. According to the paper, Fradkov called upon Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper to support consideration for another Summit Series. Journalist Vsevolod Kukushkin, an interpreter for the Soviet team in the 1972 series, reported that the first to suggest a new Series was Hockey Canada president Bob Nicholson. Kukushkin wrote in his article:

Super Series '76-77

Super Series '76-77 was an ice hockey tournament, which saw the team from HC CSKA Moscow, also called the "Red Army" in English, touring North America to play against teams from the World Hockey Association (WHA). The tournament was played from December 27, 1976 to January 8, 1977, in the middle of the regular schedules of the WHA and Soviet league.

Results

Red Army

See also

References

External links