Canada-USSR 1972 Summit Series Game 5

Team Canada arrived in Moscow for the final four games at the Luzhniki Ice Palace, accompanied by 3,000 Canadian fans. Not long after starting practices in Moscow, Team Canada players Vic Hadfield, Rick Martin and Jocelyn Guevremont left the team and went home for what they felt was a lack of playing time. Team Canada used its practice time in the Dvoretz Sporta to learn the differences of the Soviet rinks. While there had been concern about the wider ice surface, what was most strange to the Canadian players was the fish netting draped at the ends of the rink above the boards instead of glass. Considered "in play", the netting was strung tight, and a slap shot to the netting could catapult the puck back as fast as the original shot.

Game five was held on September 22. Luzhniki was filled to its 14,000 capacity, including Communist Party General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev, Soviet Premier Alexei Kosygin and Soviet head of state Nikolai Podgorny and a large contingent of military in dress uniform. The 3,000 Canadian fans were given seats, but a group of 150 Canadian sports figures were left unseated. The players marched out to the rink for the game to loud cheers, accompanied by the song "No Coward Plays Hockey". During the pregame introductions, Jean Ratelle, captain for the night, was given the traditional gift of bread and salt. The players were all given red and white carnations. Phil Esposito was given flowers, but he slipped and fell on a flower stem, landing on his back. Esposito recovered to laugh at his pratfall, and bowed to the delight of all of the spectators.