Canada Russia '72 is a 2006 Canadian docudrama miniseries about the 1972 Summit Series, a series of exhibition ice hockey games between state amateurs of the Soviet Union and professional players from Canada. The two-part miniseries was directed by T. W. Peacocke and written by Barrie Dunn and Malcolm MacRury. Canada Russia '72 first aired on CBC on April 9–10, 2006.
Plot
Part 1
The miniseries begins in medias res on September 8, 1972, as Team Canada takes the ice for Game 4 of the series in Vancouver. The team is shocked from the boos they receive from their home crowd and the cheers for the Soviet team. The film then cuts back five months earlier to April 1972 with Alan Eagleson meeting with Gabrielle Fournier, an official with External Affairs Canada, and the heads of the Soviet and Canadian ice hockey programmes (respectively headed by Alexander Gresko and by Joe Kryczka and Charles Hay) in Prague, Czechoslovakia. They finalize the deal for an eight-game hockey series between the USSR and a team compiled of the best Canadian NHL players.
Eagleson travels to Rochester to seek out former Boston Bruins coach Harry Sinden and convinces Sinden to coach the team. Sinden's interview with the Hockey Canada brass does not go well because of Kryczka's doubt of his capabilities and disagreement over wanting John Ferguson as an assistant coach, but Eagleson convinces them to hire Sinden, claiming he's the coach the players want. Sinden announces the roster of "Team Canada" in July at a press conference in Toronto. The roster includes notable players Phil Esposito, Paul Henderson, Ken Dryden, Vic Hadfield, Rod Gilbert, Bobby Clarke, Gary Bergman, Frank Mahovlich and Peter Mahovlich.
Team Canada's training camp begins in August, with many of the players arriving out of shape and not taking the camp seriously. In the weeks before the series begins, it becomes increasingly clear that most Canadians expect an eight-game sweep. Shortly prior to Game 1, Sinden privately confesses to Eagleson that he doesn't think the team is ready. Team Canada's scout reports to Sinden and Ferguson that the Soviets are a slow, poorly skilled team with the exception of one player, Valeri Kharlamov ("Karla-something") and that their goalie, Vladislav Tretiak (mispronounced "Tet-tri-ak"), couldn't stop a bus. Some of the Canadian players attend a Soviet practice and spend it laughing at the Soviet players, until Kharlamov shoots a puck into the stands at them, creating instant hostility between the teams.
Game 1 in Montreal starts out as expected, with Esposito scoring less than 30 seconds into the game. Five minutes later, Henderson scores to give the Canadians a 2–0 lead. However, the Soviets quickly respond back and tie the game 2–2 before the first period is over. The Canadian players become fatigued by the rising temperature in the Montreal Forum, making it continuously more difficult for them to play. Kharlamov scores twice on Dryden in the second period, giving the Soviets a 4–2 lead. Throughout the game, Tretiak proves to be impregnable as a goalie, and the fatigue of the Canadian players is noticeably shown. The Soviets defeat the Canadians 7–3 in Game 1.
Team Canada and the country are left in shock after their defeat, and the team begins to receive large amounts of criticism. For Game 2 in Toronto, Sinden takes Hadfield and his line out of the lineup and replaces them with grinders (Wayne Cashman, J. P. Parise and Bill Goldsworthy). Hadfield does not take the decision lightly and invades Sinden's dressing room to express his disapproval. Also, Tony Esposito replaces Dryden in net. During the practice, Frank Mahovlich notices politician Robert Stanfield in the stands wearing a Team Canada jersey and talking with Alan Eagleson. Frank complains about this to Sinden, claiming they're not playing the series for the politicians. Frank then leaves the practice in protest. Before Game 2, Frank privately confesses to Pete his fear of losing the series to Communists.
Team Canada wins Game 2 4–1, tying the series at 1–1. After the game, frustrated Soviet coach Vsevolod Bobrov invades the officials dressing room, angrily complaining about their officiating and Team Canada's play.