The
1979 Challenge Cup was an international
ice hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
series of games between the
SovietThe Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
national ice hockey team and a team of
all-starThe National Hockey League All-Star Game is an exhibition ice hockey game that is traditionally held at the midway point of the regular season of the National Hockey League , with many of the league's star players playing against each other...
s from the
National Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
, held in
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. It replaced the NHL's all-star festivities for the 1978–79 NHL season.
The Challenge Cup, unlike its predecessor, the
Summit SeriesThe Summit Series was the first competition between the Soviet and an NHL-inclusive Canadian national ice hockey teams, an eight-game series held in September 1972...
, included non-Canadian born players in the NHL rosters. The games were played on February 8, 10, and 11 at
Madison Square GardenMadison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
. The Soviets defeated the NHL allstars 2 games to 1.
NHL All-Stars roster
Guy LafleurGuy Damien "The Flower" / "Le Démon Blond" Lafleur, OC, CQ is a former Canadian professional ice hockey player who is widely regarded as one of the most naturally gifted and popular players ever to play professional ice hockey...
Larry RobinsonLarry Clark Robinson is a former ice hockey player and coach in the National Hockey League. Robinson was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1995 and is currently the defensive coach for the New Jersey Devils...
Bob GaineyRobert Michael "Le Capitaine" Gainey is the former executive vice president and general manager of the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League . He is also a former professional ice hockey player who played for the Canadiens from 1973 until 1989...
Steve ShuttStephen John Shutt is a former Canadian ice hockey player. He was an integral part of the Montreal Canadiens team that won five Stanley Cups in 1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979.-Early years:...
Gilbert PerreaultGilbert Perreault is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played for seventeen seasons with the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League. He was inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1990. Known for his ability to stickhandle in close quarters, he was regarded as one of the...
Marcel DionneMarcel Elphege "Little Beaver" Dionne is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers...
Darryl SittlerDarryl Glen Sittler is a retired professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League from 1970 until 1985 for the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Philadelphia Flyers and the Detroit Red Wings. He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1989.On February 7, 1976, Sittler set an NHL...
Lanny McDonaldLanny King McDonald is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Colorado Rockies and Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League . He played over 1,100 games during a 16-year NHL career in which he scored 500 goals and over 1,000 points...
Bobby ClarkeRobert Earle Clarke, OC , better known as Bobby Clarke or, in later life, Bob Clarke, is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played his entire National Hockey League career with the Philadelphia Flyers and is currently an executive with the team...
, Captain
Bryan TrottierBryan John Trottier is a retired Canadian-American professional ice hockey centre who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League for the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins. He won four Stanley Cups with the Islanders, two with the Penguins and one as an assistant coach with the...
Mike BossyMichael Dean Bossy is a former Canadian ice hockey player who played for the New York Islanders for his entire career and was part of their four-year reign as Stanley Cup champions in the early 1980s...
Clark GilliesClark "Jethro" Gillies is a retired professional ice hockey player. He is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. He provided both physical presence and offensive punch for the NHL's New York Islanders during their four-year run as Stanley Cup champions. In a career that spanned 958 games, Gillies...
Barry BeckBarry Beck is a retired former professional ice hockey player who was drafted second overall in both the 1977 NHL Amateur Draft and the 1977 WHA Amateur Draft from the New Westminster Bruins. Beck helped the Bruins to the Memorial Cup in 1977. He opted to move to the NHL over the WHA, and began...
Serge SavardSerge Aubrey "The Senator" Savard, OC, CQ is a retired professional ice hockey defenceman, most famously with the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League . He is also a local businessman in Montreal, and is nicknamed the Senator.-Playing career:Savard played minor league hockey with the...
Guy LapointeGuy Gerard "Pointu" Lapointe is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played for the Montreal Canadiens, St. Louis Blues and Boston Bruins in the National Hockey League...
Robert PicardRobert Rene Joseph Picard is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player.-Career:Robert Picard established himself as a highly regarded defensive prospect with the Montreal Juniors and Montreal Bleu Blanc Rouge from 1973 to 1977...
Denis PotvinDenis Charles Potvin is a former defenseman and team captain for the New York Islanders in the National Hockey League and cornerstone for the Islanders' four Stanley Cup championship teams in the early 1980s. His brother, Jean Potvin, was also an NHL defenseman and the brothers were teammates for...
Bill BarberWilliam Charles Barber is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward who played twelve seasons for the Philadelphia Flyers in the National Hockey League . As part of the famed LCB line, Barber helped lead the Flyers to the franchise's two Stanley Cups in 1974 and 1975...
Don MarcotteDonald Michel Marcotte is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player who served his entire National Hockey League career for the Boston Bruins and was noted as a premier defensive forward, while being versatile enough to play any forward position.After playing his junior league hockey for...
Tony EspositoFor the Italian musician, please see Tony Esposito .Anthony James "Tony O" Esposito is a retired Canadian-American professional ice hockey goaltender, who played in the National Hockey League, most notably for the Chicago Black Hawks. He was one of the pioneers of the now popular butterfly style....
Ken DrydenKenneth Wayne Dryden, PC, is a Canadian politician, lawyer, businessman, author, and former NHL goaltender. Dryden is married with two children and four grandchildren and is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame...
Gerry CheeversGerald Michael "Cheesey" Cheevers is a former goaltender in the National Hockey League and World Hockey Association between 1961 and 1980, most famous for his two stints with the Boston Bruins, where he backstopped the team to Stanley Cup wins in 1970 and 1972...
Ron GreschnerRonald John Greschner is a retired professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the NHL for 16 seasons between 1974 and 1990....
Borje SalmingAnders Börje Salming , nicknamed "The King", is a retired Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman. He played for Kiruna AIF, Brynäs IF, the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Detroit Red Wings, and AIK. Salming was one of the first European players to make an impact in the National Hockey League , paving...
Ulf Nilsson
Anders HedbergAnders Hedberg is a retired former professional ice hockey player who was one of the first European-born players to make an impact in North America...
Soviet Union roster
- Sergei Starikov
Sergei Viktorovich Starikov is a Russian ice hockey coach, who competed as defenseman for the Soviet national team....
- Viktor Zhluktov
Viktor Vasilievich Zhluktov is a retired Russian ice hockey player, who competed for the Soviet Union....
- Vasily Pervukhin
- Vladimir Kovin
Vladimir Aleksandrovich Kovin is a retired ice hockey player who played in the Soviet Hockey League. He played for Torpedo ....
- Sergei Makarov
Sergei Mikhailovich Makarov is a Russian former ice hockey right wing and two-time Olympic gold medalist, regarded as one of the greatest players to play the sport...
- Mikhail Varnakov
Mikhail Varnakov is a retired ice hockey player who played in the Soviet Hockey League. He played for HC Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod. He was inducted into the Russian and Soviet Hockey Hall of Fame in 1985.-External links:*...
- Aleksandr Skvortsov
- Vladimir Golikov
Vladimir Nikolayevich Golikov is a retired ice hockey player who played in the Soviet Hockey League. He played for HC Dynamo Moscow...
- Aleksandr Golikov
Aleksandr Nikolayevich Golikov was a Russian ice hockey player, who competed for the USSR. Brother to Vladimir Golikov. He was the top Soviet goal scorer in the 1980 olympic games, scoring a hat trick in the first game against Japan.-External links:*...
- Boris Mikhailov
Boris Petrovich Mikhailov is a former Soviet ice hockey player. He played for Kristall Saratov from 1962–65, Lokomotiv Moscow from 1965–67, and CSKA Moscow from 1967-1981...
, Captain
- Vladimir Petrov
Vladimir Vladimirovich Petrov is a Soviet ice hockey player, two times Olympic Champion , who is currently retired....
- Valeri Kharlamov
- Gennadiy Tsygankov
Gennadiy Dmitrievich Tsygankov was a Soviet and Russian ice hockey player and coach. He trained at the Armed Forces sports society.-Career achievements:* Olympic champion, 1972* Olympic champion, 1976...
- Valery Vasiliev
- Sergei Kapustin
Sergei Alekseevich Kapustin was an ice hockey player who played in the Soviet Hockey League. He played for HC CSKA Moscow, Krylya Sovetov Moscow, and HC Spartak Moscow....
- Yuri Federov
Yuri Fedorov is a retired ice hockey player who played in the Soviet Hockey League. He played for Torpedo which is now known as Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod. He was inducted into the Russian and Soviet Hockey Hall of Fame in 1978....
- Zinetul Bilyaletdinov
- Helmut Balderis
- Irek Gimayev
Irek Gimayev is a retired ice hockey player who played in the Soviet Hockey League. He played for HC CSKA Moscow. He was inducted into the Russian and Soviet Hockey Hall of Fame in 1982....
- Viktor Tyumenev
Viktor Nikolaevich Tyumenev is a retired ice hockey player who played in the Soviet Hockey League. He played for HC Spartak Moscow and Krylya Sovetov Moscow. He also played for the Soviet team during the 1979 Challenge Cup against the NHL All-Stars...
- Sergei Babinov
Sergei Panteleimonovich Babinov is a retired ice hockey player who played in the Soviet Hockey League. He played for HC CSKA Moscow. He was inducted into the Russian and Soviet Hockey Hall of Fame in 1979....
- Vladislav Tretiak
Vladislav Aleksandrovich Tretiak, MSM is a former goaltender for the Soviet Union's national ice hockey team. Considered to be one of the greatest goaltenders in the history of the sport, he was voted one of six players to the International Ice Hockey Federation's Centennial All-Star Team in a...
- Vladimir Myshkin
Vladimir Semenovich Myshkin is a former ice hockey goaltender. He was a goaltender for HC Dynamo Moscow and the Soviet Union national ice hockey team in the 1970s and 1980s....
Game 1
- NHL All-Stars 4 - Soviet Union 2
- Goals:
- Guy Lafleur
Guy Damien "The Flower" / "Le Démon Blond" Lafleur, OC, CQ is a former Canadian professional ice hockey player who is widely regarded as one of the most naturally gifted and popular players ever to play professional ice hockey...
0:16 1st period
- Mike Bossy
Michael Dean Bossy is a former Canadian ice hockey player who played for the New York Islanders for his entire career and was part of their four-year reign as Stanley Cup champions in the early 1980s...
6:22 1st period (pp)
- Boris Mikhailov
Boris Petrovich Mikhailov is a former Soviet ice hockey player. He played for Kristall Saratov from 1962–65, Lokomotiv Moscow from 1965–67, and CSKA Moscow from 1967-1981...
11:25 1st period (pp)
- Clark Gillies
Clark "Jethro" Gillies is a retired professional ice hockey player. He is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. He provided both physical presence and offensive punch for the NHL's New York Islanders during their four-year run as Stanley Cup champions. In a career that spanned 958 games, Gillies...
8:14 2nd period
- Bob Gainey
Robert Michael "Le Capitaine" Gainey is the former executive vice president and general manager of the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League . He is also a former professional ice hockey player who played for the Canadiens from 1973 until 1989...
15:48 2nd period
- Vladimir Golikov
Vladimir Nikolayevich Golikov is a retired ice hockey player who played in the Soviet Hockey League. He played for HC Dynamo Moscow...
3:02 3rd period
- Attendance: 17,438
Game 2
- Soviet Union 5 - NHL All-Stars 4
- Goals:
- Sergei Kapustin
Sergei Alekseevich Kapustin was an ice hockey player who played in the Soviet Hockey League. He played for HC CSKA Moscow, Krylya Sovetov Moscow, and HC Spartak Moscow....
8:10 1st period
- Mike Bossy
Michael Dean Bossy is a former Canadian ice hockey player who played for the New York Islanders for his entire career and was part of their four-year reign as Stanley Cup champions in the early 1980s...
13:35 1st period (pp)
- Bryan Trottier
Bryan John Trottier is a retired Canadian-American professional ice hockey centre who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League for the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins. He won four Stanley Cups with the Islanders, two with the Penguins and one as an assistant coach with the...
18:21 1st period
- Gilbert Perrault 0:27 2nd period
- Mikhail Varnakov
Mikhail Varnakov is a retired ice hockey player who played in the Soviet Hockey League. He played for HC Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod. He was inducted into the Russian and Soviet Hockey Hall of Fame in 1985.-External links:*...
2:05 2nd period
- Larry Robinson
Larry Clark Robinson is a former ice hockey player and coach in the National Hockey League. Robinson was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1995 and is currently the defensive coach for the New Jersey Devils...
5:06 2nd period
- Boris Mikhailov
Boris Petrovich Mikhailov is a former Soviet ice hockey player. He played for Kristall Saratov from 1962–65, Lokomotiv Moscow from 1965–67, and CSKA Moscow from 1967-1981...
17:02 2nd period (pp)
- Sergei Kapustin
Sergei Alekseevich Kapustin was an ice hockey player who played in the Soviet Hockey League. He played for HC CSKA Moscow, Krylya Sovetov Moscow, and HC Spartak Moscow....
17:47 2nd period
- Vladimir Golikov
Vladimir Nikolayevich Golikov is a retired ice hockey player who played in the Soviet Hockey League. He played for HC Dynamo Moscow...
1:31 3rd period
- Attendance: 17,438
Game 3
- Soviet Union 6 - NHL All-Stars 0
- Goals:
- Boris Mikhailov
Boris Petrovich Mikhailov is a former Soviet ice hockey player. He played for Kristall Saratov from 1962–65, Lokomotiv Moscow from 1965–67, and CSKA Moscow from 1967-1981...
5:47 2nd period
- Viktor Zhluktov
Viktor Vasilievich Zhluktov is a retired Russian ice hockey player, who competed for the Soviet Union....
7:44 2nd period (pp)
- Helmut Balderis 8:44 3rd period
- Vladimir Kovin
Vladimir Aleksandrovich Kovin is a retired ice hockey player who played in the Soviet Hockey League. He played for Torpedo ....
10:21 3rd period
- Sergei Makarov
Sergei Mikhailovich Makarov is a Russian former ice hockey right wing and two-time Olympic gold medalist, regarded as one of the greatest players to play the sport...
12:44 3rd period
- Aleksandr Golikov
Aleksandr Nikolayevich Golikov was a Russian ice hockey player, who competed for the USSR. Brother to Vladimir Golikov. He was the top Soviet goal scorer in the 1980 olympic games, scoring a hat trick in the first game against Japan.-External links:*...
14:46 3rd period
- Attendance: 17,545
External links