It was supposed to be a “Summit Series” pitting two great international hockey programs. It was supposed to be all so grand – just like 1972.
 For those of you unaware, once long ago under the dark, violent suspicion of the Cold War, the United States fought to preserve freedom and democracy. Canada, for its part, fought to preserve its hockey supremacy. Hey, we dutifully partook in NORAD so get off our backs.

Yup, it too was billed a Summit Series and boy was it enthralling by all historical and eye witness accounts. The usual clichés littered: Us against them. Good versus evil. Good ole Canadian boys leaving their farms to crush the godless commies.  And so on.

It was supposed to be a cakewalk back then. Instead, the world discovered that the Soviets were artistes and auteurs on the ice – only they spoke Russian, not French.

They certainly freaked this country. The bastards could actually play? How dare they?

It was so bad that the legendary Phil Esposito poured his broken emotions to a national audience following a game in which the Soviets spanked Team Canada.
Of course, we didn’t really have our absolute best. Who needed them? We were to send the Soviets back home in CCM hockey bags.
Meh. At least Bobby Clarke delivered a proud two-handed slash that broke Valery Kharlamov’s ankle. You know, those important yet delicate bones that helped the Soviets to skate like eloquent phantoms.

But hey, they were communists. Noted polluted producers of Lenin, Stalin, Khrushev, Drago, the Lada. Yeesh.
By the way, please do not be tempted into believing that this was the last summit series. There was one in 1974 and we lost that one.  It was never to be spoken about again.  Ever.

Fast forward a couple of decades. The Cold War has given way to a war on terror but the terrorists don’t play hockey. It wouldn’t be all that fun, what, with all the martyrdom and such and the I-raq and South Africa and such. Sigh, society and sport have changed quite dramatically.
Cripes, Russia – aka the aforementioned Soviet Union, Commonwealth of Independent States and Unified Team – is no longer a somber communist regime; just a somber pseudo-democratic one.

When it was announced a “Super Series” for our U-20 juniors was being organized, I thought to myself “What’s the point?” If the World Juniors tournament was a sound barometer, this was going to be a blowout in Canada’s favour.

And that’s exactly what’s happening. It’s not even close. The only thing Canada played for by the end was to keep head coach Brent Sutter’s undefeated record intact. He was 12-0 going in. He left 19-0-1 . One lousy tie. To the gallows!

I never thought I’d see the day where Canada would one day have such an edge over the Russians. It was like they tied them to the goal post and hurled pucks at them. Hockey bondage at its finest – I guess. Then again, it’s not surprising. The Russians now know what it’s like to direct a sports program Western style. They no longer have full control of their athletes and their lives.

They’ll just have to cope and learn. The Russians still produce hockey players of exquisite talent and substantial ability but this no longer translates into assured victory.

In the meantime, Hockey Canada’s outstanding “Program of Excellence” has taken full advantage and the results speak for themselves.
It was supposed to be a blowout in 1972. Instead, it came 35 years later in 2007.

And it may very well go down as one of the most lopsided series in the history of international hockey.