This game wasn't about money, points, or trophies. Instead it was played for pride, both personal and national. It was a confrontation twenty years in the making and it marked a turning point in the history of hockey.
On December 31, 1975, the Montreal Canadiens, the most successful franchise in the NHL, hosted the touring Central Red Army, the dominant team in the Soviet Union. For three hours millions of people in both Canada and the Soviet Union were glued to their television sets. What transpired that evening was a game that surpassed all the hype and was subsequently referred to as the greatest game ever played. Held at the height of the Cold War, this remarkable contest transcended sports and took on serious cultural, sociological, and political overtones. And while the final result was a 3-3 tie, no one who saw the game was left disappointed. This exhibition of skill was hockey at its finest, and it set the bar for what was to follow as the sport began its global expansion.Prologue   PART ONE – THE HISTORY 1. A Rude Awakening 2. The Father of Russian Hockey 3. The Godfather and the Goaltender 4. A Gift from God 5. You’ve Got to Die to Be Born Again 6. Changing of the Guard 7. The Summit Series 8. A Little Piece of All of Us Died Today 9. The Team within the Team 10. A Dynasty Delayed   PART TWO – THE DARK AGES 11. The Wild Bunch 12. The Lost Boys 13. War On and Off the Ice 14. The Russians Are Coming 15. The New Breed   PART THREE – THE GAME 16. The Preamble 17. The Curtain Rises 18. The Game   PART FOUR &ndaslÓF
![The Greatest Game: The Montreal Canadiens, the Red Army, and the Night That Saved Hockey [Paperback]](/itemImage/2/8/9/0/2_6895491.jpg "The Greatest Game: The Montreal Canadiens, the Red Army, and the Night That Saved Hockey [Paperback]")