1972 Summit Series
If there is one moment that sparks “Where were you?” memories among Canadian sports fans, it’s late in the afternoon of Sept. 28, 1972, a day that will resonate forever.
Game 8, Canada vs. Russia in what came to be known as the Summit Series, the first best-on-best hockey series ever, an “Us vs. Them” battle not only of hockey players but of societies.
There was series organizer Alan Eagleson flipping the bird at Russian fans and officials, Phil Esposito chastising Canadian fans for booing the team after a game in Vancouver, Bobby Clarke viciously slashing Russian star Valeri Kharlamov in the ankle.
And there was Paul Henderson, scoring the most famous goal in Canadian hockey history, banging in a loose puck with 34 seconds left in the decisive eighth game to give Canada a 6-5 win.
It was the third straight game in which Henderson scored the winning goal and it etched him in the country’s lore for all time.