1975-76 USSR Red Army ice hockey tour of North America
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A "clash of hockey titans" occurred in December 1975 through the early 1976. HC CSKA Moscow, also called "The Red Army Club" in English and Krylya Sovetov Moscow (Soviet Wings) faced some of the most famous clubs of the NHL. The Red Army defeated the New York Rangers, the Soviet Wings dumped the Pittsburgh Penguins.
On New Year's Eve 1975, Red Army was scheduled to play the Montreal Canadiens. Red Army was the most dominant team in the Soviet League and the Canadiens were the usually the best team in the NHL, both teams went on to win their respective team championships later that year. The game was billed in North America as the de facto world professional championships. The game resulted in a 3-3 tie in a contest that is widely regarded as one of the greatest games ever to have taken place. [citation needed]
The series continued with Buffalo defeating the Soviet Wings and the Wings coming back to beat the Chicago Blackhawks. The Red Army defeated Boston, and the Soviet Wings beat the Islanders. The defeat to Buffalo was their only blemish while the Red Army's record has a similar 4-1 defeat at the hands of the defending Stanley Cup champion Philadelphia Flyers.
At the end of the tour, the Red Army's final tally was 2-1-1 tie and the Soviet Wings finished 3-1.
