A Wild Stab for It: This Is Game Eight from Russia

On the 40th anniversary of the 1972 Summit Series, a personal and poetic journey into the heart of hockey in Canada As summer turned to fall in 1972, Canada was redefining itself and its place in the world. Politically, a spirited election campaign asked probing questions about the nations past, present, and future the nationalist pride of recent centennial celebrations contrasted with the stressed relationship between English and French Canada post-FLQ crisis. In a very different arena, similar issues were raised by the trials and triumphs of the players of Canadas game. On the 40th anniversary of what is arguably the single most important sporting event in Canadian history, Dave Bidini travels back through time to September 28, 1972. By asking Canadians of all stripes athletes, artists, politicians, and pundits to share their memories, whether they were there in Moscows Luzhniki Ice Palace or watching a TV rolled into a classroom, Bidini explores how the legendary CanadaRussia Summit Series changed hockey history and helped shape a nations identity. Doing what John McPhees Levels of the Game did for tennis and American culture, Bidini asks: did something about being Canadian influence the outcome of the series, or did the outcome of the series change what it means to be Canadian?