Aislin - The Canada-Russia Summit Series 40th Anniversary Special: Dispatches from Montreal hockey legends Red Fisher and Ted Blackman Featuring illustrations by Aislin

Special thanks to Dr. Erle Schneidman who provided the ticket from game 1 of the 1972 summit series played in Montreal on September 2, 1972 and the ticket stub from game 8 played in the USSR on September 28, 1972.

Other tickets from the summit series as well memorabilia from hockey history can be seen at his website: canadiensmemorabilia.com.

We would also like to acknowledge The Gazette interns, Chris Hanna and Allie Mason, for their tireless transcription of archived newspaper columns.

2012 The Gazette, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. All rights reserved. Unauthorized distribution, transmission or republication strictly prohibited

Game 1 (Sept. 2, 1972) Montreal Forum, Montreal
USSR 7 - Canada 3
A dark day: Sept. 2, 1972; when pride turned to trauma

Game 2 (Sept. 4, 1972) Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto
Canada 4 - USSR 1
Russians make new discovery: Footsteps

Game 3 (Sept. 6, 1972) Winnipeg Arena, Winnipeg
Canada 4 - USSR 4
Soviets equal to Bruins: Sinden

Game 4 (Sept. 8, 1972) Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver
USSR 5 - Canada 3
Esposito booed, raps ungrateful fans

Game 5 (Sept. 22, 1972) Luzhniki Ice Palace, Moscow
USSR 5 - Canada 4
Russia 5, Canada 4: Undone by Super Soviet Rush

Game 6 (Sept. 24, 1972) Luzhniki Ice Palace, Moscow
Canada 3 - USSR 2
Canada edges Russians, refs: Never gonna beat us again

Game 7 (Sept. 26, 1972) Luzhniki Ice Palace, Moscow
Canada 4 - USSR 3
Canada-Russia series: Down to the wire

Game 8 (Sept. 28, 1972) Luzhniki Ice Palace, Moscow
Canada 6 - USSR 5
Henderson had that certain feeling... 6-5, and its all over

Forty years ago, Toe Blakes Tavern was a busy place on any Saturday night. But on the night of September 2nd, 1972, the place was jammed to its fluorescent-lit rafters with patrons wanting to watch the first game of the momentous Canada-Russia hockey series. In fact, the game was being played a few short blocks away in the old Montreal Forum. The best we could do was guarantee ourselves tavern seats by arriving at Toes early. I did just that with my pal Nick Auf der Maur, a notorious local journalist, boulevardier and left-leaning gad-fly who, by the way, proved to be the only person in the room cheering for the Soviets. The mood in the room was like that all over Canadainitial optimistic euphoria that rapidly changed to shock and even anger as the USSR team in very short order gained the upper hand. I sketched the souring faces around me after each successive Russian goal, ending with a final doodle of a beaming Auf der Maur after Russian goal numbers seven!

The following Monday, those drawings ran in my newspaper, The Gazette. Someone then sent them along to the publisher Jack McClelland in Toronto who had commissioned a book on the series that would be written by author, Jack Ludwig. Both Jacks called almost immediately and asked if (a) Id like to illustrate the book and (b) travel to Moscow to do so? A three-way deal between The Gazette, McClelland and Stewart and Macleans Magazine was arranged to pay my way to Moscow.

While details were being arranged to get me to Russia, there was nothing to do but sit down like the rest of Canada and watch the remaining three games over the following week that would be played in other Canadian cities. Below are my notes and cartoons following each successive game.