1979 Challenge Cup (ice hockey)

The NHL vastly simplified their white All-Star uniforms, removing most of the striping and stars. The NHL shield on the front was enlarged, while the logos on the shoulders remained the same. The striping was reduced to two thin stripes, orange over black, separated by a thin white stripe. The names on the back remained in black with orange trim, and the numerals remained orange with black trim.

The Soviet team used their standard red national uniforms, which they also used when touring against the teams of the World Hockey Association (while billed as the "Soviet All-Stars"). The jerseys featured two white stripes at the waistline - one thin stripe over a wider stripe studded with red diamonds. The sleeve stripes followed a similar pattern, but without the diamonds on the wide stripes, and an additional white stripe below the wide band. While the Soviet team normally used the Russian language on its uniforms, the names on the back of the jerseys for the Challenge Cup were romanized for the event. The front of the jerseys retained the Russian СССР initials.

• Date: Thursday February 8, 1979
• Time: 8:00pm
• Location: New York City: Madison Square Garden
• Attendance: 17,438

NHL All-Stars 4 – Soviet Union 2

• Referee – Bob Myers {{flagicon|CAN}}
• Linesman – Ray Scapinello {{flagicon|CAN}}
• Linesman – John D'Amico {{flagicon|CAN}}

• Date: Saturday February 10, 1979
• Time: 2:00pm
• Location: New York City: Madison Square Garden
• Attendance: 17,438

NHL All-Stars 4 – Soviet Union 5

• Referee – Viktor Dombrovski {{flagicon|URS}}
• Linesman – Matt Pavelich {{flagicon|CAN}}
• Linesman – Ron Finn {{flagicon|CAN}}

• Date: Sunday February 11, 1979
• Time: 8:00pm
• Location: New York City: Madison Square Garden
• Attendance: 17,545

NHL All-Stars 0 – Soviet Union 6{{cite web |url=http://webarchive.iihf.com/iihf-home/the-iihf/100-year-anniversary/100-top-stories/story-36/index.html#:~:text=Soviets%20embarrass%20NHL%20All%20Stars%206%2D0%20to%20win%20Challenge%20Cup&text=Canadians%20dismissed%20World%20Championships%20results,game%20showdown%20in%201972%2C%20either. |title=SOVIETS EMBARRASS NHL ALL STARS 6-0 TO WIN CHALLENGE CUP |publisher=International Ice Hockey Federation |access-date=January 22, 2017}}

• Referee – Andy Van Hellemond {{flagicon|CAN}}
• Linesman – Leon Stickle {{flagicon|CAN}}
• Linesman – Claude Bechard {{flagicon|CAN}}

In the United States, Game 2,{{Cite news |last=Eskenazi |first=Gerald |date=1979-02-08 |title=Soviet Six Now Taking N.H.L. Series Seriously (Published 1979) |language=en |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1979/02/08/archives/soviet-six-now-taking-nhl-series-seriously-milliondollar-gate.html |access-date=2023-08-07}} which was held on a Saturday afternoon, was shown on CBS{{cite news|title=Sports BRIEFING|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|publisher=Tribune Publishing|page=W_C3|date=February 10, 1979}} as part of CBS Sports Spectacular.{{cite news |last=Fachet|first=Robert|date=February 8, 1979|title=NHL Stars Challenged By Soviets|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1979/02/08/nhl-stars-challenged-by-soviets/c5330fca-08eb-431f-8072-977a443d1c72/|work=The Washington Post|location= |access-date=}}{{cite news |last=Anderson|first=Dave|date=February 11, 1979|title=The Empty Cup|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1979/02/11/archives/the-empty-cup-sports-of-the-times.html|work=New York Times|location= |access-date=}}{{cite journal|title=Run Over By The Big Red Machine|url=https://www.si.com/vault/1979/02/19/823392/run-over-by-the-big-red-machine-the-soviet-national-team-flew-home-as-champions-of-the-hockey-world-after-making-so-much-borscht-of-the-nhl-all-stars-routing-them-6-0-in-the-finale-of-the-three-game-challenge-cup-series-and-leaving-all-canada-in-shock|author=E.M. Swift|journal=Sports Illustrated|date=February 19, 1979}} The network refused to expand CBS Sports Spectacular to carry the game in full{{cite news |last= |first= |date=January 14, 1979|title=Argus-Leader from Sioux Falls, South Dakota · Page 26|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/238896762/|work=Newspapers.com|location= |access-date=}} so instead, the show came on during the second intermission,{{cite news |last=Quinn|first=Hal|date=February 26, 1979|title=Exploding the myth of hockey supremacy|url=https://archive.macleans.ca/article/1979/2/26/exploding-the-myth-of-hockey-supremacy|work=MACLEAN’S}} showed taped highlights of the first two periods, and then showed the final period live. The lead-in to Sports Spectacular was The World's Strongest Man. The then-CBS affiliate in Boston, the old WNAC-TV, broadcast a local college hockey game that led into Sports Spectacular.

The network, the show and their sponsors had a problem with the rink board advertising{{cite news|title=Sports BRIEFING|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|publisher=Tribune Publishing|page=E3|date=February 15, 1979}} that the NHL sold at Madison Square Garden, and refused to allow them to be shown on television. As a result, CBS viewers were unable to see the far boards above the yellow kickplate, and could only see players' skates when the play moved to that side of the ice. Games 1 and 3 were shown on the NHL Network,{{cite news|title=Soviet 'pupils,' suspicious NHL stars open 3-game war|author=Bob Verdi|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|publisher=Tribune Publishing|page=C3|date=February 8, 1979}} where the advertising was no problem.

Dan Kelly and Lou Nanne called the game for CBS while Dick Stockton served as the host.

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.hhof.com/htmlTimeCapsule/GamesSummaryCHCUP1979.shtml Challenge Cup 1979 on legendsofhockey.net] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210612090455/http://www.hhof.com/htmlTimeCapsule/GamesSummaryCHCUP1979.shtml |date=2021-06-12 }}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110524011342/http://www.legendsofhockey.net/htmltimecap/GamesSummaryCHCUP1979.shtml Challenge Cup 1979 rosters and stats]

{{1978–79 NHL season by team}}

{{NHL All-Star Game}}

{{NHL on CBS}}

{{The NHL Network (1975–79)}}

{{Hockey Night in Canada}}

{{NHL on CTV}}

Category:International ice hockey competitions hosted by the United States

Challenge Cup

Challenge Cup

Category:Soviet Union national ice hockey team games

Challenge Cup

Category:February 1979 sports events in the United States

Challenge Cup

Category:Ice hockey competitions in New York City

Category:1970s in Manhattan