Sweden Ice Hockey vs Canada Ice Hockey

Date
Sat 16th September 1972 (UTC)
Sat 16th September 1972 (Local)

Timestamp
1972-09-16T19:00:00

Time

19:00:00 UTC (20:00:00 Local)

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League
Summit Series

Season
1972

Round
1

Status
Match Finished

Location
Stockholm
Sweden
Hovet

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Description

During the two-week hiatus between games four and five, the Canadians visited Sweden and played two exhibition games versus the Sweden national team. The Team Canada management had arranged for the visit to Sweden to get used to the bigger ice surfaces in Europe, and stopping in Sweden would provide some rest for Team Canada before resuming the series in Moscow. The games took place on September 16 and 17 at the Johanneshovs Isstadion arena in Stockholm. Canada won game one 4–1; the second game was a 4–4 tie. The first exhibition game introduced Canada to the two West German referees, Josef Kompalla and Franz Baader. These two referees would figure prominently in games six and eight of the Canada-Soviet Union series.

Sinden considered the first period of the first Swedish game the team's worst since the team was put together, but the team improved and started to take command. Henderson, Clarke, Cashman and Parisé scored. Sinden criticized the German referees: "... they were absolutely terrible. They couldn't even skate. They were miles behind the play all night and don't know the damn rules. Their incompetence helped the game become very bitter." The players were also introduced to the style of play of the Swedes, who were well used to using stick work to throw off their opponents. "They were spearing, holding, interfering, and most of all, backstabbing." The Canadian players would retaliate and be penalized for their retribution. As an example of the referees' incompetence, Sinden pointed out that Esposito had been penalized for cross-checking, and given a misconduct for it. Sinden, who had played international ice hockey, knew that under international rules at the time, you could not give a misconduct for cross-checking.

A dirty incident marred the second game. Cashman was cut in the mouth by Sweden's Ulf Sterner's stick. The cut to his tongue required nearly 50 stitches and forced him to miss the rest of the Summit Series, although he stayed with the team. Sterner was not penalized on the play. During the first intermission, Team Canada and Team Sweden scuffled in the runway to their dressing rooms before being separated by police. Canada took a 2–1 lead in the game, but the Swedes were not in awe of Canada like they had been at the beginning of game one. The Swedish tactics were effective; Canada took 31 minutes in penalties to Sweden's two. Sweden led the game 4–3 before Esposito scored on a 35-foot shot in the final minute. The Swedish defenceman had actually backed into their goaltender, allowing Esposito an easy shot for goal. Sinden also admitted that the tying goal was off-side but the referees had missed the call. Sinden was "thrilled with the tie. I wouldn't be able to stomach their gloating if they beat us."

Team Canada was heavily criticized by the Swedish media for its "criminal"-style play during the two games. Pictures in the newspapers highlighted the blood from a two-stitch cut the Swedish captain Lars-Erik Sjöberg had received on a cross-check from Vic Hadfield. Reports of the games led to criticism from back home in Canada, which incensed Sinden. The team cooled off the next day with a session in Södertälje playing for the employees of a Volkswagen plant. The team played mock games against local teams of youngsters 12 and 13 years in age. The practice improved the mood of the players. The team drank beer on the bus, and started "singing songs like a bunch of kids". Several of the players then went out drinking, impressing Sinden the next day with their best practice session to date. The time in Sweden helped bring Team Canada together as a team and focused them for the final four games.