Summit ‘Road’ Series
This series of caches follows the new path of Summit Road from Saskatchewan Ave to Sturgeon Rd. These roads use to a lot more visitors back in the day when it was the path to both Optimist Park (an athletic park with baseball fields, soccer pitches and even a BMX race track) and a major landfill site.
With the new Centre Port highway, it has been relegated to a road to nowhere. While this road may have been forgotten though, the ‘72 Summit Series will be remembered in Canada for years to come!
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The Summit Series
Canada had spent years dominating International competitions until the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) ruled that professional players would not be allowed to play in it’s competitions. THis paved the way for the Russians to become an unstoppable force in international play as their players were not considered pros.
After some debate, a contingent of hockey people led by much maligned Alan Eagleson was able to make a famous series of best on best between the Canadians and Russians. Making this even an even more engaging event was that it was during the height of the Cold War creating a huge sense of nationalism on each side.
Eight games would be played, the first four in Canada and the last four in Russia.
During negotiations for the series, the Russians asked for international rule changes and referees which Team Canada agreed to believing they could win easily under any conditions.
Coached by Harry Sendin and led by numerous Hall of Famers such as Phil Esposito, Serge Savard, Bobby Clarke, Stan Makita and breakout star Paul Henderson, Team Canada quickly found out that nothing was going to be easy.
Game 4 - Vancouver
Team Canada was shocked to enter to a raining of boos from their fellow Canadians after blowing two leads in Winnipeg. The team made two changes that had big consequences, reinserting Ken Dryden who had a terrible game and bringing in Bill Goldsworthy who took 2 bad penalties that the Soviets converted into goals. Almost as important was a pregame injury to Serge Savard who broke his ankle in practice.
Sendin called the game “a beating” and Team Canada never was in it as the Soviets cruised to a 5-3 win. The fans rewarded the team with another round of thundering boos after the game leading to Phil Esposito’s famous post game tirade.
Video Here!
The Cache - Curve Less Turned
Is a curve that turns to nowhere really a curve at all? This is a bison that tube that even the smallest junior cachers can find!