1976 Canada Cup
Encyclopedia
The 1976 Canada Cup was an international ice hockey
tournament held September 2–15, 1976, in Ottawa
, Toronto
, Montreal
, Winnipeg
and Quebec
, Canada
as well as in Philadelphia, United States
. It was the first of five Canada Cup
tournaments held between 1976 and 1991. It was organized by Alan Eagleson
and sanctioned by the International Ice Hockey Federation
(IIHF), Hockey Canada
and the National Hockey League
(NHL). It was a six-team, round robin tournament with a best-of-three final between the top two teams. Canada finished atop the standings and defeated Czechoslovakia in the final in two consecutive games. Bobby Orr
was named the most valuable player of the tournament, and Viktor Zhluktov
was the leading scorer.
The Canada Cup was the first true best-on-best
world championship in hockey history as it allowed any player to represent their team regardless of amateur or professional status. Consequently, it marked the end of Canada's six year boycott of the IIHF. The success of the event paved the way for greater use of professional players in the World Championship
and Winter Olympics.
(CAHA) had complained for years that Team Canada faced a competitive disadvantage in international tournemnts as it was restricted from using its best players, who were professionals in the National Hockey League
(NHL), while European teams masked the status of their best players. The issue came to a head in 1970 when International Ice Hockey Federation
(IIHF) president Bunny Ahearne reneged on a promise to allow each team to use up to nine professional players at the 1970 World Championship
. In response, the CAHA withdrew Canada from all international competition until the IIHF gave it the right to use its best players as the European teams could.
Around the same time, talks were begun to hold a friendly tournament between Canada's top players and the Soviet national team. These talks culminated in the Summit Series
in 1972 that was narrowly claimed by Canada's NHL all-stars. A second Summit Series
in 1974 saw the Soviets easily defeat the World Hockey Association
's (WHA) top all-stars, but the two series created demand for a true best-on-best
world championship. It was during the 1974 Summit Series that National Hockey League Players Association (NHLPA) executive-director Alan Eagleson
began negotiations with Soviet and European authorities to create such a tournament. The negotiations, which grew to include the IIHF and Hockey Canada
and lasted over two years, resulted in numerous agreements: Canada would return to international competition in 1977, the World Championships
moved to an open format that allowed professionals to play and club teams of the Soviet League would tour North America and face NHL teams in what became the Super Series
. The key agreement was the creation of the Canada Cup
, to be held in 1976.
Having gained international approval, Eagleson then convinced the NHLPA's players to support the tournament with promises of increased pension contributions resulting from their participation. The NHL's owners supported the concept after agreeing that half of the proceeds from the games would go to them. Some teams remained uneasy, however. The Philadelphia Flyers
were afraid their players might suffer injuries in the tournament and vowed that no player from their roster would be permitted to play. They were convinced to back down on their threats after being promised two games would be played in Philadelphia with the Flyers receiving their share of the revenue. Though the tournament was held in September so as not to interfere with the NHL season, league president Clarence Campbell
remained skeptical of the tournament's viability, calling it "wasteful".
. Seeking its best possible roster, the Canadian team put aside the bitter rivalry between the NHL and WHA, selecting players from both leagues, though overwhelmingly from the NHL. Bobby Orr
, plagued by growing knee problems nearly turned down the invitation to play before reconsidering, while goaltender Rogatien Vachon
, who was not initially invited to join the team, wound up playing every minute in the Canadian goal.
While the fans hoped for a Canada-Soviet Union final, analysts ranked the Soviets as only the fourth best team entering the tournament. They chose to leave several top players home for reasons that remain unclear. Officially, Soviet officials said many of their players were suffering from fatigue, though goaltender Vladislav Tretiak
later claimed the omissions were the result of a power struggle between Olympic coach Boris Kulagin and Canada Cup team coach Viktor Tikhonov
and that the former sought to undermine the latter by forcing him to coach a weaker team. The Soviets also sought to downplay the importance of the tournament, claiming their true focus was the World Championship and the Olympics. As a result, they sent a much younger, "experimental" team to Canada. Their star forward Valeri Kharlamov also did not play in the series.
The Czechoslovakian team was predicted to face Canada in the final by most experts as they brought the same team that won the 1976 World Championship
a few months prior. Their goaltender, Jiří Holeček
, was considered the best in the world outside the NHL. Czech coach Karel Gut
anticipated his team would emerge to show the world that there was "more to international hockey than Canada and the Soviet Union". Sweden was ranked third entering the tournament and had a large mixture of amateurs and professionals who were playing in the NHL and WHA. The United States and Finland rounded out the tournament and were not expected to be competitive.
on September 2 as Finland faced a Canadian team focused on avoiding a sense of complacency following defeats against the Soviets in 1974 and 1975. Rick Martin
scored a hat trick
to lead Canada in a rout of the Finns, 11–2. Sweden then defeated the United States, 5–2, on the strength of four first period powerplay
goals. Swedish star Börje Salming
, who played in the NHL for the Toronto Maple Leafs
, was greeted with a five-minute standing ovation by the Toronto crowd prior to the game.
The third game featured the world champion Czechs against the Olympic
champion Soviets. Czechoslovakia justified pre-tournament expectations by winning 5–3 while the Soviets complained about the scheduling, claiming organizers deliberately matched them up against the Czechs in their opening game to set them at an early disadvantage in the tournament. The Soviet complaints grew louder following a 3–3 tie against Sweden. While the Swedish press was hailing Salming as the greatest player in their nation's history after his second consecutive dominant effort, the Soviets threatened to quit the tournament as they were upset about the officiating of Canadian referee Andre Legace. Organizers did not take the Soviet threats to quit the tournament seriously.
The Czechs remained dominant, defeating the Finns 8–0 in a game where they out-shot their opponent 49–15. Czech goaltender Holeček recorded the first shutout
in the tournament's history. The Finns were similarly decimated by the Soviets, who did not withdraw from the tournament, by an 11–3 score. Meanwhile, the Americans, criticized in the media as being "team useless" over their perceived lack of talent, earned a measure of respect when they lost to Canada 4–2 in a game where the outcome was not certain until the final minute of play, then earned a 4–4 tie against the Czechs, and the respect of their coach, in a game played at Philadelphia.
A 4–0 loss to Canada followed by a shocking 8–6 defeat at the hands of their Scandinavian rival Finland eliminated Sweden from contention. The Finns, who overcame a 4–1 deficit, felt the result vindicated their placement in the tournament while the Swedes considered the result an embarrassment. The Soviets remained alive by defeating the United States 5–0 in Philadelphia while Canada faced the Czechoslovaks at the same time in Montreal. The game featured a goaltender battle between Canada's Rogatien Vachon
and the Czech's Vladimír Dzurilla
and was immediately claimed to be one of the greatest games of all time. Milan Nový
scored with less than five minutes to play to lift the Czechs to a 1–0 victory and assured them a place in the final. The result meant that the winner of the Canada–Soviet Union game would claim the second spot in the final.
Three games marked the final day of the round robin on September 11. The United States overcame a 2–0 deficit to defeat Finland 6–3 to finish fifth in the tournament. American co-general manager Tommy Ivan
expressed his pride in his team's tournament, and predicted that this tournament had set the stage for the United States to grow into a contender in hockey. The Swedes, meanwhile, earned a 2–1 victory over Czechoslovakia in a game that had no impact on the standings.
While fans expected Canada and the Soviet Union would meet in the final, ultimately, they squared off in an unofficial semi-final. The two teams played the game at a furious pace, trading goals in a first period from which Canada emerged with a 2–1 lead. Canada extended their lead in the second period then relied on defenceman Bobby Orr
's stellar play to hold off the Soviets and advance to the final. As they had earlier in the tournament, the Soviets complained of biased officiating playing a role in the outcome of the game.
in Toronto. The Czechs started Dzurilla in goal after his brilliant display against Canada in the round robin. Dzurilla was unable to duplicate his success as Gilbert Perreault
opened the scoring one minute into the game en route to a four goal onslaught by the Canadians in the first period. The Czechs were stronger in the final 40 minutes, but were unable to beat Canada's Vachon, who recorded his second shutout of the tournament in a 6–0 victory for Canada. During the game, the Czechs were angered when Canada's Steve Shutt
crosschecked Jiri Novak
from behind. Novak suffered a concussion and was unable to play the remainder of the series. Shutt was apologetic after the game, claiming he had not intended to hit his opponent in the fashion he did.
Game two was played in the Montreal Forum
on September 15. Jiri Holeček, who replaced Dzurilla in goal after the first period of the first game, started game two for Czechoslovakia, while Vachon remained in the Canadian net. As they had in the first game, Canada jumped out to an early lead, scoring two goals in the first three minutes of play. Holeček was quickly pulled and replaced with Dzurilla, who completed the game. The Czechs replied with a second period goal and another early in the third to tie the game. Bobby Clarke
re-established the Canadian lead midway through the period before Josef Augusta
and Marian Stastny
scored goals one minute apart to give Czechoslovakia its first lead, 4–3, with four minutes remaining in the third period. Dzurilla was strong in net as the Canadians put 39 shots on goal in regulation time, but made a critical mistake with less than three minutes remaining. His attempt to clear a puck from his zone went instead to Canada's Bill Barber
, who scored into an open net to tie the game and send it to overtime.
The teams played an intense overtime period filled with end-to-end rushes and brilliant saves by the goaltenders. At one point, Canada's Guy Lafleur
put a shot on net that snuck through the Czech goaltender, but Ivan Hlinka
deliberately shoved the net out of place before the puck crossed the line. He received a delay of game penalty, but prevented a Canadian win. A few moments later, Guy Lapointe
rifled a low shot that again beat Dzurilla, however this goal was also disallowed as the buzzer had sounded to end the first ten-minutes of the overtime period one-tenth of a second before it crossed the line. International rules of the time dictated that play was to be stopped at the ten minute mark of each overtime period and the teams would switch the side of the ice they defended. During the break, Canadian assistant coach Don Cherry
noted to his team that Dzurilla often came far out of his net to defend and could be beaten on a shot from a sharp angle.
Less than two minutes into the second half of the overtime period, Darryl Sittler
received a pass
from Marcel Dionne
as he skated into the Czech zone close to the side boards. As Dzurilla came out to challenge, Sittler faked a shot that froze the goaltender, took two more strides then fired the puck into an open net. The goal touched off a wild celebration amongst the Canadian players on the ice and the fans in the stands. Sittler's championship winning goal remains one of the most famous in hockey history. During the celebrations, the players of both teams traded uniforms; Bobby Orr was presented with the Most Valuable Player award while wearing a Czech jersey. Prime Minister
Pierre Trudeau
presented Canadian captain Bobby Clarke with the Canada Cup.
both rated winning this tournament ahead of winning the Stanley Cup
.
The Canada Cup established a new era in international hockey. It marked Canada's formal return to the international stage after a six year boycott, and was the first true best-on-best world championship in the sport's history. For North American audiences, the tournament established that Czechoslovakia and Sweden could compete with Canada and the Soviet Union, while the Finns and Americans proved they were capable of playing with the sport's elite teams.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
tournament held September 2–15, 1976, in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
and Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
as well as in Philadelphia, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was the first of five Canada Cup
Canada Cup
The Canada Cup refers to several types of professional sporting events held in Canada: It is also the previous name of the World Cup of Golf and the World Cup of Hockey.* Canada Cup for men's professional ice hockey* Canada Cup...
tournaments held between 1976 and 1991. It was organized by Alan Eagleson
Alan Eagleson
Robert Alan Eagleson is a disbarred Canadian lawyer, convicted felon in two countries, former politician, hockey agent and promoter...
and sanctioned by the International Ice Hockey Federation
International Ice Hockey Federation
The International Ice Hockey Federation is the worldwide governing body for ice hockey and in-line hockey. It is based in Zurich, Switzerland, and has 70 members...
(IIHF), Hockey Canada
Hockey Canada
Hockey Canada, formally known as the Canadian Hockey Association, is the national governing body of ice hockey in Canada and is a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation. Hockey Canada controls a vast majority of ice hockey in Canada, with a few exceptions...
and the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL). It was a six-team, round robin tournament with a best-of-three final between the top two teams. Canada finished atop the standings and defeated Czechoslovakia in the final in two consecutive games. Bobby Orr
Bobby Orr
Robert Gordon "Bobby" Orr, OC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Orr played in the National Hockey League for his entire career, the first ten seasons with the Boston Bruins, joining the Chicago Black Hawks for two more. Orr is widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest...
was named the most valuable player of the tournament, and Viktor Zhluktov
Viktor Zhluktov
Viktor Vasilievich Zhluktov is a retired Russian ice hockey player, who competed for the Soviet Union....
was the leading scorer.
The Canada Cup was the first true best-on-best
Best-on-best
"Best-on-best" is an ice hockey term describing a competition that involves most of the elite level of players as possible. Usually it refers to an international men's tournament that allows professional players.-History:...
world championship in hockey history as it allowed any player to represent their team regardless of amateur or professional status. Consequently, it marked the end of Canada's six year boycott of the IIHF. The success of the event paved the way for greater use of professional players in the World Championship
Ice Hockey World Championships
The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation . First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annual international tournament. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the European...
and Winter Olympics.
Background
The Canadian Amateur Hockey AssociationCanadian Amateur Hockey Association
The Canadian Amateur Hockey Association was the national governing body of amateur ice hockey play in Canada from 1914 until 1994 when it merged with the Canadian Hockey Association or Hockey Canada....
(CAHA) had complained for years that Team Canada faced a competitive disadvantage in international tournemnts as it was restricted from using its best players, who were professionals in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL), while European teams masked the status of their best players. The issue came to a head in 1970 when International Ice Hockey Federation
International Ice Hockey Federation
The International Ice Hockey Federation is the worldwide governing body for ice hockey and in-line hockey. It is based in Zurich, Switzerland, and has 70 members...
(IIHF) president Bunny Ahearne reneged on a promise to allow each team to use up to nine professional players at the 1970 World Championship
1970 World Ice Hockey Championships
The 1970 World Ice Hockey Championships was the 37th edition of the Ice Hockey World Championships. 21 nations participated in three different divisions or pools:-World Championship Group A :*Poland demoted to Pool B....
. In response, the CAHA withdrew Canada from all international competition until the IIHF gave it the right to use its best players as the European teams could.
Around the same time, talks were begun to hold a friendly tournament between Canada's top players and the Soviet national team. These talks culminated in the Summit Series
Summit Series
The Summit Series was the first competition between the Soviet and an NHL-inclusive Canadian national ice hockey teams, an eight-game series held in September 1972...
in 1972 that was narrowly claimed by Canada's NHL all-stars. A second Summit Series
1974 Summit Series
The 1974 Summit Series was the second of two competitions between Soviet and Canadian professional ice hockey players. Canada was represented by World Hockey Association players instead of National Hockey League players, as it had been in the 1972 Summit Series. The Soviet team won the series 4-1-3...
in 1974 saw the Soviets easily defeat the World Hockey Association
World Hockey Association
The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...
's (WHA) top all-stars, but the two series created demand for a true best-on-best
Best-on-best
"Best-on-best" is an ice hockey term describing a competition that involves most of the elite level of players as possible. Usually it refers to an international men's tournament that allows professional players.-History:...
world championship. It was during the 1974 Summit Series that National Hockey League Players Association (NHLPA) executive-director Alan Eagleson
Alan Eagleson
Robert Alan Eagleson is a disbarred Canadian lawyer, convicted felon in two countries, former politician, hockey agent and promoter...
began negotiations with Soviet and European authorities to create such a tournament. The negotiations, which grew to include the IIHF and Hockey Canada
Hockey Canada
Hockey Canada, formally known as the Canadian Hockey Association, is the national governing body of ice hockey in Canada and is a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation. Hockey Canada controls a vast majority of ice hockey in Canada, with a few exceptions...
and lasted over two years, resulted in numerous agreements: Canada would return to international competition in 1977, the World Championships
Ice Hockey World Championships
The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation . First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annual international tournament. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the European...
moved to an open format that allowed professionals to play and club teams of the Soviet League would tour North America and face NHL teams in what became the Super Series
Super Series
The Super Series were exhibition games between Soviet teams and NHL teams that took place on each NHL opponents' home ice in North America from 1976 to 1991. The Soviet teams were usually club teams from the Soviet hockey league. The exception was in 1983, when the Soviet National Team represented...
. The key agreement was the creation of the Canada Cup
Canada Cup
The Canada Cup refers to several types of professional sporting events held in Canada: It is also the previous name of the World Cup of Golf and the World Cup of Hockey.* Canada Cup for men's professional ice hockey* Canada Cup...
, to be held in 1976.
Having gained international approval, Eagleson then convinced the NHLPA's players to support the tournament with promises of increased pension contributions resulting from their participation. The NHL's owners supported the concept after agreeing that half of the proceeds from the games would go to them. Some teams remained uneasy, however. The Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
were afraid their players might suffer injuries in the tournament and vowed that no player from their roster would be permitted to play. They were convinced to back down on their threats after being promised two games would be played in Philadelphia with the Flyers receiving their share of the revenue. Though the tournament was held in September so as not to interfere with the NHL season, league president Clarence Campbell
Clarence Campbell
Clarence Sutherland Campbell OBE, QC was the third president of the National Hockey League from 1946 to 1977.-Early life and career:...
remained skeptical of the tournament's viability, calling it "wasteful".
Teams
Six teams competed in the 1976 Canada Cup. Canada was favoured to win as they had brought what was argued to be the strongest team in the nation's history to the tournament – 16 of the 21 players on the roster were elected into the Hockey Hall of FameHockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
. Seeking its best possible roster, the Canadian team put aside the bitter rivalry between the NHL and WHA, selecting players from both leagues, though overwhelmingly from the NHL. Bobby Orr
Bobby Orr
Robert Gordon "Bobby" Orr, OC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Orr played in the National Hockey League for his entire career, the first ten seasons with the Boston Bruins, joining the Chicago Black Hawks for two more. Orr is widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest...
, plagued by growing knee problems nearly turned down the invitation to play before reconsidering, while goaltender Rogatien Vachon
Rogatien Vachon
Rogatien Rosaire "Rogie" Vachon is a retired French-Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the Montreal Canadiens, Los Angeles Kings, Detroit Red Wings, and Boston Bruins in the National Hockey League....
, who was not initially invited to join the team, wound up playing every minute in the Canadian goal.
While the fans hoped for a Canada-Soviet Union final, analysts ranked the Soviets as only the fourth best team entering the tournament. They chose to leave several top players home for reasons that remain unclear. Officially, Soviet officials said many of their players were suffering from fatigue, though goaltender Vladislav Tretiak
Vladislav Tretiak
Vladislav Aleksandrovich Tretiak, MSM is a former goaltender for the Soviet Union's national ice hockey team. Considered to be one of the greatest goaltenders in the history of the sport, he was voted one of six players to the International Ice Hockey Federation's Centennial All-Star Team in a...
later claimed the omissions were the result of a power struggle between Olympic coach Boris Kulagin and Canada Cup team coach Viktor Tikhonov
Viktor Tikhonov
Viktor Vasilyevich Tikhonov is a Russian former ice hockey player and coach. He was the coach of the Soviet team when it was the most dominant team in the world...
and that the former sought to undermine the latter by forcing him to coach a weaker team. The Soviets also sought to downplay the importance of the tournament, claiming their true focus was the World Championship and the Olympics. As a result, they sent a much younger, "experimental" team to Canada. Their star forward Valeri Kharlamov also did not play in the series.
The Czechoslovakian team was predicted to face Canada in the final by most experts as they brought the same team that won the 1976 World Championship
1976 World Ice Hockey Championships
The 1976 World Ice Hockey Championships were the 43rd Ice Hockey World Championships and the 54th European Championships in ice hockey. The tournament took place in Poland from 8 April to 25 April, and the games were played in Katowice. Eight teams took part in the main tournament, with each team...
a few months prior. Their goaltender, Jiří Holeček
Jirí Holecek
Jiří Holeček is a retired ice hockey goaltender who played in the Czechoslovak Elite League from 1964 to 1979, and on the Czechoslovak national team for many years....
, was considered the best in the world outside the NHL. Czech coach Karel Gut
Karel Gut
Karel Gut is a ice hockey player who played in the Czechoslovak Extraliga. He won a three bronze medals on the World Championships. He was inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame in 1998.-External links:*...
anticipated his team would emerge to show the world that there was "more to international hockey than Canada and the Soviet Union". Sweden was ranked third entering the tournament and had a large mixture of amateurs and professionals who were playing in the NHL and WHA. The United States and Finland rounded out the tournament and were not expected to be competitive.
Round robin games
The tournament opened in OttawaOttawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
on September 2 as Finland faced a Canadian team focused on avoiding a sense of complacency following defeats against the Soviets in 1974 and 1975. Rick Martin
Rick Martin
Richard Lionel Martin was a Canadian professional ice hockey winger who played in the NHL with the Buffalo Sabres and Los Angeles Kings for 11 seasons between 1971 and 1982...
scored a hat trick
Hat Trick
Hat trick, hat-trick or hattrick may refer to:* hat-trick — in various sports, achieving three goals, wickets, etc. in a single match* Hattrick — online football management game** Hattrick Limited — producers of this game...
to lead Canada in a rout of the Finns, 11–2. Sweden then defeated the United States, 5–2, on the strength of four first period powerplay
Powerplay
"Power play" is a sporting term used in various games.*In ice hockey, a team is said to be on a power play when at least one opposing player is serving a penalty, and the team has a numerical advantage on the ice...
goals. Swedish star Börje Salming
Börje Salming
Anders Börje Salming , nicknamed "The King", is a retired Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman. He played for Kiruna AIF, Brynäs IF, the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Detroit Red Wings, and AIK. Salming was one of the first European players to make an impact in the National Hockey League , paving...
, who played in the NHL for the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, was greeted with a five-minute standing ovation by the Toronto crowd prior to the game.
The third game featured the world champion Czechs against the Olympic
Ice hockey at the 1976 Winter Olympics
At the 1976 Winter Olympics held in Innsbruck, Austria, the USSR team won the Gold Medal in ice hockey. Star forward, Valeri Kharlamov scored the game-winning goal in the final game. Games were held at the Olympiahalle Innsbruck.-Highlights:...
champion Soviets. Czechoslovakia justified pre-tournament expectations by winning 5–3 while the Soviets complained about the scheduling, claiming organizers deliberately matched them up against the Czechs in their opening game to set them at an early disadvantage in the tournament. The Soviet complaints grew louder following a 3–3 tie against Sweden. While the Swedish press was hailing Salming as the greatest player in their nation's history after his second consecutive dominant effort, the Soviets threatened to quit the tournament as they were upset about the officiating of Canadian referee Andre Legace. Organizers did not take the Soviet threats to quit the tournament seriously.
The Czechs remained dominant, defeating the Finns 8–0 in a game where they out-shot their opponent 49–15. Czech goaltender Holeček recorded the first shutout
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
in the tournament's history. The Finns were similarly decimated by the Soviets, who did not withdraw from the tournament, by an 11–3 score. Meanwhile, the Americans, criticized in the media as being "team useless" over their perceived lack of talent, earned a measure of respect when they lost to Canada 4–2 in a game where the outcome was not certain until the final minute of play, then earned a 4–4 tie against the Czechs, and the respect of their coach, in a game played at Philadelphia.
A 4–0 loss to Canada followed by a shocking 8–6 defeat at the hands of their Scandinavian rival Finland eliminated Sweden from contention. The Finns, who overcame a 4–1 deficit, felt the result vindicated their placement in the tournament while the Swedes considered the result an embarrassment. The Soviets remained alive by defeating the United States 5–0 in Philadelphia while Canada faced the Czechoslovaks at the same time in Montreal. The game featured a goaltender battle between Canada's Rogatien Vachon
Rogatien Vachon
Rogatien Rosaire "Rogie" Vachon is a retired French-Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the Montreal Canadiens, Los Angeles Kings, Detroit Red Wings, and Boston Bruins in the National Hockey League....
and the Czech's Vladimír Dzurilla
Vladimír Dzurilla
Vladimír Dzurilla was a Slovak ice hockey goalkeeper playing for Czechoslovakia....
and was immediately claimed to be one of the greatest games of all time. Milan Nový
Milan Nový
Milan Nový is a retired Czech ice hockey center. He played 16 seasons in the Czechoslovak Elite League, winning six league championships between 1974 and 1980....
scored with less than five minutes to play to lift the Czechs to a 1–0 victory and assured them a place in the final. The result meant that the winner of the Canada–Soviet Union game would claim the second spot in the final.
Three games marked the final day of the round robin on September 11. The United States overcame a 2–0 deficit to defeat Finland 6–3 to finish fifth in the tournament. American co-general manager Tommy Ivan
Tommy Ivan
Thomas Nathaniel Ivan was a NHL head coach for the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Black Hawks. With the Red Wings from 1947 to 1954, he won three Stanley Cups, and would win another while serving as the Black Hawks' GM...
expressed his pride in his team's tournament, and predicted that this tournament had set the stage for the United States to grow into a contender in hockey. The Swedes, meanwhile, earned a 2–1 victory over Czechoslovakia in a game that had no impact on the standings.
While fans expected Canada and the Soviet Union would meet in the final, ultimately, they squared off in an unofficial semi-final. The two teams played the game at a furious pace, trading goals in a first period from which Canada emerged with a 2–1 lead. Canada extended their lead in the second period then relied on defenceman Bobby Orr
Bobby Orr
Robert Gordon "Bobby" Orr, OC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Orr played in the National Hockey League for his entire career, the first ten seasons with the Boston Bruins, joining the Chicago Black Hawks for two more. Orr is widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest...
's stellar play to hold off the Soviets and advance to the final. As they had earlier in the tournament, the Soviets complained of biased officiating playing a role in the outcome of the game.
Final
The 1976 Canada Cup final was a best-of-three series. The first game was played September 13 at Maple Leaf GardensMaple Leaf Gardens
Maple Leaf Gardens is an indoor arena that was converted into a Loblawssupermarket and Ryerson University athletic centre in Toronto, on the northwest corner of Carlton Street and Church Street in Toronto's Garden District.One of the temples of hockey, it was home to the Toronto Maple Leafs of the...
in Toronto. The Czechs started Dzurilla in goal after his brilliant display against Canada in the round robin. Dzurilla was unable to duplicate his success as Gilbert Perreault
Gilbert Perreault
Gilbert Perreault is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played for seventeen seasons with the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League. He was inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1990. Known for his ability to stickhandle in close quarters, he was regarded as one of the...
opened the scoring one minute into the game en route to a four goal onslaught by the Canadians in the first period. The Czechs were stronger in the final 40 minutes, but were unable to beat Canada's Vachon, who recorded his second shutout of the tournament in a 6–0 victory for Canada. During the game, the Czechs were angered when Canada's Steve Shutt
Steve Shutt
Stephen John Shutt is a former Canadian ice hockey player. He was an integral part of the Montreal Canadiens team that won five Stanley Cups in 1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979.-Early years:...
crosschecked Jiri Novak
Jirí Novák
Jiří Novák is a former Czech tennis player, who was born in Zlín, Czechoslovakia but resides nowadays in Monte Carlo, Monaco.-Career:Novák turned professional in 1993 and won 7 singles and 18 doubles titles during his career, winning $7,614,063 in prize money. For six years, he was the...
from behind. Novak suffered a concussion and was unable to play the remainder of the series. Shutt was apologetic after the game, claiming he had not intended to hit his opponent in the fashion he did.
Game two was played in the Montreal Forum
Montreal Forum
The Montreal Forum was an indoor arena located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Called "the most storied building in hockey history" by Sporting News, it was home of the National Hockey League's Montreal Maroons from 1924 to 1938 and the Montreal Canadiens from 1926 to 1996...
on September 15. Jiri Holeček, who replaced Dzurilla in goal after the first period of the first game, started game two for Czechoslovakia, while Vachon remained in the Canadian net. As they had in the first game, Canada jumped out to an early lead, scoring two goals in the first three minutes of play. Holeček was quickly pulled and replaced with Dzurilla, who completed the game. The Czechs replied with a second period goal and another early in the third to tie the game. Bobby Clarke
Bobby Clarke
Robert Earle Clarke, OC , better known as Bobby Clarke or, in later life, Bob Clarke, is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played his entire National Hockey League career with the Philadelphia Flyers and is currently an executive with the team...
re-established the Canadian lead midway through the period before Josef Augusta
Josef Augusta
Josef Augusta was a Czechoslovak paleontologist, geologist, and science popularizer.During 1921 to 1925 Augusta studied at the university in Brno...
and Marian Stastny
Marian Stastny
Marián Šťastný is a former Slovak professional ice hockey right wing who played for five seasons in the National Hockey League from 1981 through 1986....
scored goals one minute apart to give Czechoslovakia its first lead, 4–3, with four minutes remaining in the third period. Dzurilla was strong in net as the Canadians put 39 shots on goal in regulation time, but made a critical mistake with less than three minutes remaining. His attempt to clear a puck from his zone went instead to Canada's Bill Barber
Bill Barber
William Charles Barber is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward who played twelve seasons for the Philadelphia Flyers in the National Hockey League . As part of the famed LCB line, Barber helped lead the Flyers to the franchise's two Stanley Cups in 1974 and 1975...
, who scored into an open net to tie the game and send it to overtime.
The teams played an intense overtime period filled with end-to-end rushes and brilliant saves by the goaltenders. At one point, Canada's Guy Lafleur
Guy Lafleur
Guy Damien "The Flower" / "Le Démon Blond" Lafleur, OC, CQ is a former Canadian professional ice hockey player who is widely regarded as one of the most naturally gifted and popular players ever to play professional ice hockey...
put a shot on net that snuck through the Czech goaltender, but Ivan Hlinka
Ivan Hlinka
Ivan Hlinka was a Czech professional ice hockey player and coach. He was one of the most important figures in Czech ice hockey.-Playing career:...
deliberately shoved the net out of place before the puck crossed the line. He received a delay of game penalty, but prevented a Canadian win. A few moments later, Guy Lapointe
Guy Lapointe
Guy Gerard "Pointu" Lapointe is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played for the Montreal Canadiens, St. Louis Blues and Boston Bruins in the National Hockey League...
rifled a low shot that again beat Dzurilla, however this goal was also disallowed as the buzzer had sounded to end the first ten-minutes of the overtime period one-tenth of a second before it crossed the line. International rules of the time dictated that play was to be stopped at the ten minute mark of each overtime period and the teams would switch the side of the ice they defended. During the break, Canadian assistant coach Don Cherry
Don Cherry
Don Cherry may refer to:* Don Cherry hockey player, coach, and commentator* Don Cherry , trumpeter* Don Cherry...
noted to his team that Dzurilla often came far out of his net to defend and could be beaten on a shot from a sharp angle.
Less than two minutes into the second half of the overtime period, Darryl Sittler
Darryl Sittler
Darryl Glen Sittler is a retired professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League from 1970 until 1985 for the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Philadelphia Flyers and the Detroit Red Wings. He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1989.On February 7, 1976, Sittler set an NHL...
received a pass
from Marcel Dionne
Marcel Dionne
Marcel Elphege "Little Beaver" Dionne is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers...
as he skated into the Czech zone close to the side boards. As Dzurilla came out to challenge, Sittler faked a shot that froze the goaltender, took two more strides then fired the puck into an open net. The goal touched off a wild celebration amongst the Canadian players on the ice and the fans in the stands. Sittler's championship winning goal remains one of the most famous in hockey history. During the celebrations, the players of both teams traded uniforms; Bobby Orr was presented with the Most Valuable Player award while wearing a Czech jersey. Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
Pierre Trudeau
Pierre Trudeau
Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau, , usually known as Pierre Trudeau or Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was the 15th Prime Minister of Canada from April 20, 1968 to June 4, 1979, and again from March 3, 1980 to June 30, 1984.Trudeau began his political career campaigning for socialist ideals,...
presented Canadian captain Bobby Clarke with the Canada Cup.
Legacy
The tournament finale was the most watched television event in Canadian history at the time. 10,700,000 people were estimated to have watched the game, representing nearly half of all Canadians in 1976. The team that represented Canada is still considered one of the greatest national teams to ever represent the nation in a hockey tournament. For many players, winning the Canada Cup was the highlight of their careers. Bobby Orr and Lanny McDonaldLanny McDonald
Lanny King McDonald is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Colorado Rockies and Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League . He played over 1,100 games during a 16-year NHL career in which he scored 500 goals and over 1,000 points...
both rated winning this tournament ahead of winning the Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
.
The Canada Cup established a new era in international hockey. It marked Canada's formal return to the international stage after a six year boycott, and was the first true best-on-best world championship in the sport's history. For North American audiences, the tournament established that Czechoslovakia and Sweden could compete with Canada and the Soviet Union, while the Finns and Americans proved they were capable of playing with the sport's elite teams.
Standings
| Team | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 6 | +16 | 8 | |
| 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 19 | 9 | 7 | ||
| 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 23 | 14 | 5 | ||
| 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 16 | 18 | –2 | 5 | |
| 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 14 | 21 | –7 | 3 | |
| 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 16 | 42 | –26 | 2 |
Round-robin
Final (best of three)
Scoring
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 0 | ||
| 7 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 8 | ||
| 7 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 16 | ||
| 7 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 2 | ||
| 7 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 2 | ||
| 7 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 2 | ||
| 4 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 0 | ||
| 5 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 2 | ||
| 7 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 0 | ||
| 5 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 2 | ||
| 7 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 2 |
Goaltending
| Player | Team | GP | Min | W | L | T | SO | SV% | GAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 432 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 2 | .940 | 1.39 | ||
| 5 | 228 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | .920 | 2.36 | ||
| 5 | 300 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | .912 | 2.80 | ||
| 2 | 120 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .895 | 3.00 | ||
| 5 | 203 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .861 | 3.25 |
- Minimum 120 minutes played
Awards
| Recipient | Team |
|---|---|
| Most Valuable Player | |
| Bobby Orr Bobby Orr Robert Gordon "Bobby" Orr, OC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Orr played in the National Hockey League for his entire career, the first ten seasons with the Boston Bruins, joining the Chicago Black Hawks for two more. Orr is widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest... |
|
| All-Star team | |
| G – Rogatien Vachon Rogatien Vachon Rogatien Rosaire "Rogie" Vachon is a retired French-Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the Montreal Canadiens, Los Angeles Kings, Detroit Red Wings, and Boston Bruins in the National Hockey League.... |
|
| D – Bobby Orr Bobby Orr Robert Gordon "Bobby" Orr, OC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Orr played in the National Hockey League for his entire career, the first ten seasons with the Boston Bruins, joining the Chicago Black Hawks for two more. Orr is widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest... |
|
| D – Börje Salming Börje Salming Anders Börje Salming , nicknamed "The King", is a retired Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman. He played for Kiruna AIF, Brynäs IF, the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Detroit Red Wings, and AIK. Salming was one of the first European players to make an impact in the National Hockey League , paving... |
|
| F Forward (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a forward is a player position on the ice whose primary responsibility is to score goals. Generally, the forwards try to stay in three different lanes, also known as thirds, of the ice going from goal to goal. It is not mandatory however, to stay in a lane. Staying in a lane aids in... – Aleksandr Maltsev Aleksandr Maltsev Aleksandr Nikolayevich Maltsev is a retired Soviet ice hockey right winger.Maltsev played for Dynamo Moscow in the Soviet League for 530 games from 1967 to 1984... |
|
| F Forward (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a forward is a player position on the ice whose primary responsibility is to score goals. Generally, the forwards try to stay in three different lanes, also known as thirds, of the ice going from goal to goal. It is not mandatory however, to stay in a lane. Staying in a lane aids in... – Milan Nový Milan Nový Milan Nový is a retired Czech ice hockey center. He played 16 seasons in the Czechoslovak Elite League, winning six league championships between 1974 and 1980.... |
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| F Forward (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a forward is a player position on the ice whose primary responsibility is to score goals. Generally, the forwards try to stay in three different lanes, also known as thirds, of the ice going from goal to goal. It is not mandatory however, to stay in a lane. Staying in a lane aids in... – Darryl Sittler Darryl Sittler Darryl Glen Sittler is a retired professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League from 1970 until 1985 for the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Philadelphia Flyers and the Detroit Red Wings. He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1989.On February 7, 1976, Sittler set an NHL... |
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| Team MVPs | |
| Rogatien Vachon Rogatien Vachon Rogatien Rosaire "Rogie" Vachon is a retired French-Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the Montreal Canadiens, Los Angeles Kings, Detroit Red Wings, and Boston Bruins in the National Hockey League.... |
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| Milan Nový Milan Nový Milan Nový is a retired Czech ice hockey center. He played 16 seasons in the Czechoslovak Elite League, winning six league championships between 1974 and 1980.... |
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| Matti Hagman Matti Hagman Matti Risto Tapio "Hakki" Hagman is a former Finnish ice hockey professional. Hagman was the first Finnish-born and Finnish trained player to play an NHL game and the first to play in a Stanley Cup final... |
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| Aleksandr Maltsev Aleksandr Maltsev Aleksandr Nikolayevich Maltsev is a retired Soviet ice hockey right winger.Maltsev played for Dynamo Moscow in the Soviet League for 530 games from 1967 to 1984... |
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| Börje Salming Börje Salming Anders Börje Salming , nicknamed "The King", is a retired Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman. He played for Kiruna AIF, Brynäs IF, the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Detroit Red Wings, and AIK. Salming was one of the first European players to make an impact in the National Hockey League , paving... |
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| Robbie Ftorek Robbie Ftorek Robert Brian Ftorek is a former NHL player and coach. He was enshrined as member of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 1991... |
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