UAE Celebrates 45th Anniversary of the Epic 1972 Canada-USSR Ice Hockey Series

The greatest sporting event in the history of Canada and the former Soviet Union is being celebrated in the UAE this December. Recognized as the two best ice hockey-playing countries in the world, the Summit Series (as it was called in Canada) or Super Series (as the USSR knew it) is considered one of the greatest events in the history of the sport. As a tribute to the 45th anniversary of this series and to celebrate the sport itself, the Dubai Mighty Camels ice hockey team is organizing a ‘free-to-attend’ friendly ice hockey tournament on Friday, December 8 and Saturday, December 9 at Sheikh Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi from 8pm onwards. The tournament is held under the Patronage of Consulate General of Canada, Embassy of Canada, Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Dubai and Embassy of the Russian Federation in Abu Dhabi. It is also supported by the UAE Ice Hockey Federation and the Abu Dhabi Ice Hockey Sports Club. The friendly games in Abu Dhabi will showcase the highest level of ice hockey in the UAE. Not only will Russian legends from the 1972 Series be on hand, but the team representing the USSR in the friendly game will include Maxim Petrov, son of Vladimir Petrov, who was on the 1972 USSR team. The Russian team will fly in from Moscow to battle it out against the Canadian team, which will be comprised of players from the UAE-based Emirates Hockey League (EHL), which is sanctioned by the world’s ice hockey governing body – the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF).

Between the first and second periods of the game on Friday, there will be competitive events involving some of the UAE’s youngest ice hockey players, who will be representing the Sports Revolution Group. These boys and girls are a proud example of the ice hockey youth programme in the UAE. In addition to this, there will a free to attend Ice Hockey camp for the young aspiring ice hockey players in the UAE hosted between 1pm to 4pm on Friday, 8th December. The kids can get tips and advice first hand from professional ice hockey players including Yan Golubovsky, Evgeny Konstantinov and Andrei Nikolishin

In 1972, the world of ice hockey was transformed by the Series. This was a series of eight games between the national team of the Soviet Union and a Canadian team comprised of professional players from the National Hockey League (NHL). The games were watched by fans around the world, and were regarded as some of the most thrilling ever played. Four games were played in Canada before the Series moved to the USSR for another four. The ultimate goal of the Series was to determine which country had the best ice hockey team. Adding to the tension was that the series was played at the height of the Cold War, and provoked patriotic feelings on both sides. The Canadians won the series (four games to three with one tie) when the winning goal was scored by Paul Henderson with 34 seconds remaining in the eighth game to give Canada a 6-5 victory.

Team Canada, the first international all-star team comprised of professionals, was led by Phil Esposito, the only player from either team to score four points in a game during the series. (He would lead all players in the series and finish with 13 points.) The 1972 Series also introduced the world to several Soviet players, including as Alexander Yakushev, Valeri Kharlamov and goaltender Vladislav Tretiak. Kharlamov and Tretiak have both been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

“We are delighted to honour these legends of ice hockey. We hope that through this tournament, we can help popularize the sport in the UAE,” said Ron Murphy, the captain and head coach of the Mighty Camels.

For more information on the tournament, please contact the Abu Dhabi Ice Ring at Sheikh Zayed Sports City on 02 4034333 and to register for the Ice Hockey Camp call 050 443 5497 or email jessica.finnegan@SportsRG.com

About the Mighty Camels

The Mighty Camels Hockey Club was founded in 1994. This amateur organization was comprised of about 30 skaters and two teams. Today, the club has 250 members representing more than 20 nationalities. The Mighty Camels are recognized worldwide. The Camels host multiple international events every year and have welcomed to Dubai such ice hockey legends as Jari Kurri, Tiger Williams, Alexander Yakushev and Vladislav Tretiak. The top players in the Mighty Camels organization play on the Mighty Camels team in the EHL, which is the highest level of hockey in the UAE. The EHL is organized by the Abu Dhabi Ice Sports Club and is officially sanctioned by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF).

About Sports Revolution Group

Sports Revolution Group (SRG) is new to the Dubai hockey community. The organization provides a positive and competitive hockey experience, with helping players move up to the next level. The coaching staff’s primary focus is on the athletic development of fundamental hockey skills while training in a rigorous environment.