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Edmonton, Alberta January 2, 4 & 5, 1979 The WHA formed an all-star squad to play a three-game set against the touring Moscow Dynamo team, all games to be played in Edmonton. The WHA was displeased that the Soviet Union sent a "second tier" team, which did not include the USSR's biggest stars from past series. The perceived weaker competition, plus a brutal snowstorm, kept the crowd low at the first game. Those who attended saw perhaps the most unique line in hockey history: 17-year-old Wayne Gretzky centering 50-year-old Gordie Howe and his son, Mark Howe. The trio accounted for three goals and five assists as the WHA took the first game. In the second game, the Howe-Gretzky-Howe line put in two goals, while Mike Gartner and Morris Lukowich teamed to account for the other two scores as the WHA won again. Markus Mattsson was in nets, his first victory over any Soviet squad in his career, dating back to his club days as a teenager in Finland, a streak that grew to nearly 30 games. Mattsson was in goal again for the third game, which the WHA won, behind an even attack led by Mike Gartner's two assists. |
Coach: Larry Hillman (Winnipeg). Goaltenders: Dave Dryden (Edmonton), Markus Mattsson (Winnipeg). Defensemen: John Hughes, Paul Shmyr, Claire Alexander (Edmonton), Rob Ramage (Birmingham), Rick Ley (New England), Barry Long (Winnipeg). Forwards: Robbie Ftorek, Mike Gartner, Peter Marsh, Rick Dudley (Cincinnati), Wayne Gretzky, Blair MacDonald (Edmonton), Serge Bernier, Real Cloutier, Marc Tardif (Quebec), Morris Lukowich, Peter Sullivan (Winnipeg), Dave Keon, Gordie Howe, Mark Howe (New England). |
Coach: Vladimir Kiselyov, Pavel Zhiburtovich (assistant). Goaltenders: Sergei Babariko, Vladimir Polupanov. Defensemen: Vasili Payusov, Vitali Filippov, Alexander Filippov, Sergei Gimayev, Alexei Volchenkov, Vladimir Orlov, Mikhail Slipchenko. Forwards: Viktor Shkurdyuk, Vladimir Vikulov, Alexander Lobanov, Alexander Volchkov, Pavel Yezovskikh, Vladimir Popov, Alexei Frolikov, Mikhail Shostak, Vladimir Golubovich, Vladimir Semyonov, Yevgeni Kotlov, Vladimir Devyatov, Sergei Tukmachyov, Vyacheslav Anisin. |
WHA All-Stars 4, Moscow Dynamo 2
1st period: 1. WHA: Gretzky (Mark Howe, Shmyr) 1:35; 2. MD: Frolikov (Tukmachyov, Fillippov) 14:20; 3. MD: Semyonov (Kotlov) 18:08.
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WHA All-Stars 4, Moscow Dynamo 2
1st period: 1. WHA: Lukowich (Ftorek, Gartner) 2:26; 2. MD: Shostak (Filippov, Shkurdyuk) 7:38; 3. WHA: Mark Howe (G. Howe, Gretzky) 9:27; 4. WHA: Gartner (Lukowich, Sullivan) 16:51.
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WHA All-Stars 4, Moscow Dynamo 3
1st period: 1. WHA: Lukowich (Gartner) 1:46; 2. WHA: Ramage (MacDonald, Keon) 6:41; 3. MD: Shkurdyuk (Anisin, Volchenkov) 11:02; 4. MD: Shostak (Slipchenko, Frolikov) 11:43; 5. WHA: Sullivan 18:29.
MVP: None selected.
Moscow Dynamo also played four exhibition games during their tour of North America. The games were played during the last week of December, 1978. The results were:
New England 4, Moscow Dynamo 1
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• Article: Color of Hockey: Alton White (The Hockey News), by William Douglas — March 8, 2020
• Review: US Sports History, by Rick Macales — Feb 6, 2021
• Podcast: Good Seats Still Available, by Tim Hanlon — Feb 28, 2021
• Podcast: Digital to Dice (Youtube), by Dave Gardner — July 3, 2022
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