THE GOAL

WHAT YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT THE GOAL read the banner across the top of the front page of the Toronto Star last weekend. For any Canadian over fifty, Paul Henderson’s game winning tally against the Russians in Game 8 of the 1972 Summit Series was the goal of the century.

Memories of that day forty years ago and the series of games leading up to that goal are still as fresh in my mind as last week’s Als win over the Argos.

Game 1 was played on September 2, just three days before the start of my teaching career at Brebeuf College. As Terry and I were newly married, we couldn’t afford a television set so I went to my mom and dad’s to watch the game. My dad was a huge Habs fan. In fact, he was at the game that ended in the famous Montreal riot of 1955.

We were both confident our side would easily win against an unknown quantity like the Russians. We had Dryden in net and stars like Orr, Park, Cournoyer, Gilbert and Clarke up front. My dad cheered heartily as Esposito and Henderson scored in the first seven minutes of the game. However our confidence was shattered by two quick Russian goals before the end of the period and five more in the second and third as the upstart opponents went on to a stunning 7-3 win. Game on!

Like most Canadians, I watched the next three games televised from rinks in Toronto, Winnipeg and Vancouver as well Phil Esposito’s rant after the Vancouver loss. Games 5 through 8 were played in Russia and because of the time difference, they began about 1 o’clock in the afternoon. Game 7 was on a Tuesday and much to my surprise, school was dismissed at twelve noon for the game. My dad had the afternoon off and we shared the magic of Paul Henderson beating four Russians to score the game winning goal with just over two minutes to play, without a doubt the nicest goal of the series.

Once again, classes were dismissed early for game 8 on Thursday. As I drove to my parent’s home, I remembered that my dad had to work that day and that mom said she’d be out for the afternoon. No matter, I’d just use my key. Panic set in when I realized that I had lost their house key weeks before and that my dad had recently barred the laundry room window with a metal rod, an upgrade from my sawed off Hespeler Green Flash. I was caught between a lock and a hard brace.

I returned to our apartment dismayed by this cruel turn of events. Terry had not yet started working as a public health nurse and suggested we go shopping at Fairview Mall. What you didn’t know about the goal of the century is that I missed it. Sure, we heard the cheering from the TV section of Simpson’s but I didn’t mind. I was out with my new bride and that was all that really mattered.