this hockey game between the Montreal Canadiens and Russia’s Red Army has been
Canadiens and Russia’s Red Army has been
Canadiens and Russia’s Red Army has been called the greatest game ever played hi
called the greatest game ever played hi
called the greatest game ever played hi I’m Rebecca Brayton and welcome to
I’m Rebecca Brayton and welcome to
I’m Rebecca Brayton and welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’ll be
watchmojo.com and today we’ll be
watchmojo.com and today we’ll be learning more about the New Year’s Eve
learning more about the New Year’s Eve
learning more about the New Year’s Eve classic of 1975 the book delves into the
classic of 1975 the book delves into the
classic of 1975 the book delves into the backstory of the Soviets and the
backstory of the Soviets and the
backstory of the Soviets and the Montreal Canadiens and the years leading
Montreal Canadiens and the years leading
Montreal Canadiens and the years leading up to this game so tell us about that
up to this game so tell us about that
up to this game so tell us about that time this game took place three years
time this game took place three years
time this game took place three years after the 1972 Summit Series and even
after the 1972 Summit Series and even
after the 1972 Summit Series and even before then there had been a gradual
before then there had been a gradual
before then there had been a gradual recognition of the threat of the Soviet
recognition of the threat of the Soviet
recognition of the threat of the Soviet Union to Canada’s role as the
Union to Canada’s role as the
Union to Canada’s role as the all-consuming power in the hockey world
all-consuming power in the hockey world
all-consuming power in the hockey world this game was the culmination of a lot
this game was the culmination of a lot
this game was the culmination of a lot of that and it represented the first
of that and it represented the first
of that and it represented the first time that you had the Montreal Canadiens
time that you had the Montreal Canadiens
time that you had the Montreal Canadiens the most successful team in the NHL
the most successful team in the NHL
the most successful team in the NHL versus the central Red Army the most
versus the central Red Army the most
versus the central Red Army the most successful team in the Russian league
successful team in the Russian league
successful team in the Russian league and this was their first meeting so
and this was their first meeting so
and this was their first meeting so there’s a lot of hype going into the
there’s a lot of hype going into the
there’s a lot of hype going into the game and was one of those rare moments
game and was one of those rare moments
game and was one of those rare moments where the hype was surpassed by the
where the hype was surpassed by the
where the hype was surpassed by the actual events of the game can you give
actual events of the game can you give
actual events of the game can you give us some historical context about the
us some historical context about the
us some historical context about the political atmosphere at this time beyond
political atmosphere at this time beyond
political atmosphere at this time beyond hockey this game also took place during
hockey this game also took place during
hockey this game also took place during the Cold War which was you know us
the Cold War which was you know us
the Cold War which was you know us versus them East versus West democracy
versus them East versus West democracy
versus them East versus West democracy versus communism a whole lot of
versus communism a whole lot of
versus communism a whole lot of political cultural societal factors went
political cultural societal factors went
political cultural societal factors went into this game that went beyond the rink
into this game that went beyond the rink
into this game that went beyond the rink it was very important for both countries
it was very important for both countries
it was very important for both countries much less both teams and the Canadians
much less both teams and the Canadians
much less both teams and the Canadians that night were a team that represented
that night were a team that represented
that night were a team that represented Canada not just the Montreal Canadiens
tell us what some of the players who
tell us what some of the players who took part in this game the game featured
took part in this game the game featured
took part in this game the game featured a veritable who’s who of the Hockey Hall
a veritable who’s who of the Hockey Hall
a veritable who’s who of the Hockey Hall of Fame
of Fame
of Fame just alone even on the Canadians you had
just alone even on the Canadians you had
just alone even on the Canadians you had Ken Dryden Larry Robinson search Savard
Ken Dryden Larry Robinson search Savard
Ken Dryden Larry Robinson search Savard keep the point and keep Lafleur Jacques
keep the point and keep Lafleur Jacques
keep the point and keep Lafleur Jacques Lemaire Steve shot Eve on corn why a Bob
Lemaire Steve shot Eve on corn why a Bob
Lemaire Steve shot Eve on corn why a Bob Gainey all in the Hockey Hall of Fame
Gainey all in the Hockey Hall of Fame
Gainey all in the Hockey Hall of Fame it’s like an all-star team that we’d
it’s like an all-star team that we’d
it’s like an all-star team that we’d never see today and the Russians had the
never see today and the Russians had the
never see today and the Russians had the great Vladislav Tretiak and valerie
great Vladislav Tretiak and valerie
great Vladislav Tretiak and valerie harlem off and they were basically as
harlem off and they were basically as
harlem off and they were basically as well the Russian national team so it was
well the Russian national team so it was
well the Russian national team so it was a true best on best competition is there
a true best on best competition is there
a true best on best competition is there anyone who stood out on the Russian side
anyone who stood out on the Russian side
anyone who stood out on the Russian side Tretiak would clearly be was the first
Tretiak would clearly be was the first
Tretiak would clearly be was the first star of the game and clearly he was the
star of the game and clearly he was the
star of the game and clearly he was the main reason the game was a tie and not
main reason the game was a tie and not
main reason the game was a tie and not perhaps a Canadiens victory in the
perhaps a Canadiens victory in the
perhaps a Canadiens victory in the research for the book Scotty Bowman told
research for the book Scotty Bowman told
research for the book Scotty Bowman told me that treks performance that night was
me that treks performance that night was
me that treks performance that night was as good a game as he’d ever seen anybody
as good a game as he’d ever seen anybody
as good a game as he’d ever seen anybody playing ball which is pretty high praise
playing ball which is pretty high praise
playing ball which is pretty high praise and he was undoubtedly the first star of
and he was undoubtedly the first star of
and he was undoubtedly the first star of the night and it’s really his night and
the night and it’s really his night and
the night and it’s really his night and as dick Irvin said that game more than
as dick Irvin said that game more than
as dick Irvin said that game more than anything else probably put him in the
anything else probably put him in the
anything else probably put him in the Hockey Hall of Fame
now tell us about gameplay the game
now tell us about gameplay the game itself what happened in the game the
itself what happened in the game the
itself what happened in the game the game itself was such a huge event
game itself was such a huge event
game itself was such a huge event television of course beamed it to Canada
television of course beamed it to Canada
television of course beamed it to Canada and it was the first game actually
and it was the first game actually
and it was the first game actually carried live in the Soviet Union at 3:00
carried live in the Soviet Union at 3:00
carried live in the Soviet Union at 3:00 in the morning the game ended in a 3-3
in the morning the game ended in a 3-3
in the morning the game ended in a 3-3 tie and for all those who suggest that
tie and for all those who suggest that
tie and for all those who suggest that the Canadians should have won it’s
the Canadians should have won it’s
the Canadians should have won it’s interesting to note that with a couple
interesting to note that with a couple
interesting to note that with a couple minutes left to go in the game with the
minutes left to go in the game with the
minutes left to go in the game with the game tied that the Red Army actually
game tied that the Red Army actually
game tied that the Red Army actually hits the post behind Dryden so the
hits the post behind Dryden so the
hits the post behind Dryden so the Canadians could easily have lost that
Canadians could easily have lost that
Canadians could easily have lost that game and there was a real sense that if
game and there was a real sense that if
game and there was a real sense that if the Canadians had lost that game somehow
the Canadians had lost that game somehow
the Canadians had lost that game somehow there was a part of hockey in this
there was a part of hockey in this
there was a part of hockey in this country that had been lost to the point
country that had been lost to the point
country that had been lost to the point that I was told by dick Irvin that if
that I was told by dick Irvin that if
that I was told by dick Irvin that if the Canadians had lost that game there
the Canadians had lost that game there
the Canadians had lost that game there was a plan for them to actually bring
was a plan for them to actually bring
was a plan for them to actually bring Roche to set the anthem singer back out
Roche to set the anthem singer back out
Roche to set the anthem singer back out at the end of the game to single Canada
at the end of the game to single Canada
at the end of the game to single Canada again
why is this called the greatest game
why is this called the greatest game ever played
ever played
ever played obviously the term is a very debatable
obviously the term is a very debatable
obviously the term is a very debatable point but maybe my greatest game may not
point but maybe my greatest game may not
point but maybe my greatest game may not be yours but that game in the 35 years
be yours but that game in the 35 years
be yours but that game in the 35 years since it’s been played has been held up
since it’s been played has been held up
since it’s been played has been held up as the standard when people talk about
as the standard when people talk about
as the standard when people talk about the greatest game they talk about
the greatest game they talk about
the greatest game they talk about December 31st 1975 the game had it all
December 31st 1975 the game had it all
December 31st 1975 the game had it all it had politics it had the spectacle it
it had politics it had the spectacle it
it had politics it had the spectacle it was just one of those rare one-off
was just one of those rare one-off
was just one of those rare one-off events that you know transcended sports
events that you know transcended sports
events that you know transcended sports but also exceeded the hype an
but also exceeded the hype an
but also exceeded the hype an expectation that had come before
would you say we’ll ever see another
would you say we’ll ever see another game this significant today when we have
game this significant today when we have
game this significant today when we have a Canada Russia game the game is a big
a Canada Russia game the game is a big
a Canada Russia game the game is a big deal of course but then they go back and
deal of course but then they go back and
deal of course but then they go back and play for their NHL teams and some of the
play for their NHL teams and some of the
play for their NHL teams and some of the Russian players are teammates with the
Russian players are teammates with the
Russian players are teammates with the Canadian players it just doesn’t quite
Canadian players it just doesn’t quite
Canadian players it just doesn’t quite have that us-versus-them mentality
have that us-versus-them mentality
have that us-versus-them mentality anymore that it used to and I think
anymore that it used to and I think
anymore that it used to and I think would be hard to recreate that given
would be hard to recreate that given
would be hard to recreate that given that all the best players as I said play
that all the best players as I said play
that all the best players as I said play in the NHL would you say that we see
in the NHL would you say that we see
in the NHL would you say that we see lasting effects of this game on the NHL
lasting effects of this game on the NHL
lasting effects of this game on the NHL today in that game conclusively proved
today in that game conclusively proved
today in that game conclusively proved even after the deaths of 72 that
even after the deaths of 72 that
even after the deaths of 72 that Vladislav Tretiak was one of the
Vladislav Tretiak was one of the
Vladislav Tretiak was one of the greatest goalies in the world that
greatest goalies in the world that
greatest goalies in the world that Valeri Harlem off was one of the
Valeri Harlem off was one of the
Valeri Harlem off was one of the greatest forwards and led to what we had
greatest forwards and led to what we had
greatest forwards and led to what we had for the next two decades which was a
for the next two decades which was a
for the next two decades which was a wealth of Canada cops challenged cups
wealth of Canada cops challenged cups
wealth of Canada cops challenged cups all these best on best competitions
all these best on best competitions
all these best on best competitions until the late 80s when the Soviet
until the late 80s when the Soviet
until the late 80s when the Soviet players finally start joining the NHL
players finally start joining the NHL
players finally start joining the NHL and today you have a league where all
and today you have a league where all
and today you have a league where all the best players play in the NHL whether
the best players play in the NHL whether
the best players play in the NHL whether they’re Russian Finnish Swedish and you
they’re Russian Finnish Swedish and you
they’re Russian Finnish Swedish and you have a real global NHL and I think you
have a real global NHL and I think you
have a real global NHL and I think you can trace that back to that evening on
can trace that back to that evening on
can trace that back to that evening on December 31st
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