Watching the final five minutes of what was deemed the game of the century for Canadian hockey still raises goose bumps over 38 years later.
That was evident on Feb. 11 when the Paul Henderson jersey tour visited this community and over 200 people came to see it in the parking lot of the Sportsplex. Parks and Recreation Manager Andy Goldie said the tour officials contacted the municipality and asked for permission to bring it to Fergus
Many visitors remembered the series and watching or listening to that final game in 1972, when Henderson completed an unlikely hat trick by scoring the winning goal of the final three games of the series to give Canada a come-from-behind victory over the hated Soviets.
One father explained to his young daughters the importance of the series against one of the most powerful countries in the world and why Canada’s victory is a major part of hockey lore.
The display included a sweater worn by Vladislav Tretiak, the Soviet goaltender, who was a big part of his country’s wins in the series.
Tour field manager Rob Wighton explained the Henderson hockey jersey had been in the United States for over 20 years, and was recently purchased by Canadian Mitch Goldhar, of Smart Centres, and returned home.
Henderson is currently battling cancer, and everyone visiting the multi-media display was asked to sign a book of good wishes that will be presented to him when the tour is complete.
Wighton said the next two weekends the tour will visit Kitchener and London, and he expects thousands of people will be attending those events.
Wighton said Goldhar decided to create a tour so Canadians would have a chance to see the sweater worn by its hockey hero in a special moment in Canadian Sports.
The tour began Jan. 28 in Lucknow, Henderson’s home town, and will stop in 63 different locations as it makes its way to British Columbia and back to Ontario. Then, he said, it will tour Quebec and the Maritimes in mid-September.
“It’s been fantastic,” Wighton said of the response. “The older generation is happy to relive the moment. It’s also been a great job for us,” he said of his team of four.
“The older generation was impressed about how we can compete. The younger generation thinks the tour truck is cool.”
The display features a number of TV monitors, with a large screen presenting a tape loop of the final minutes of the game.
Dan Reeves, a minor hockey coach from Elora, liked what he saw.
“This is something,” he said. “I’m glad I’ve come. I was 11 years old when I watched this on TV.”
Kaylie Dimock, one of the tour workers, also enjoyed the show, even though she gets to see it constantly.
“It’s been really positive,” she said. “It was such an important moment. Our generation will never experience something this important. I’m surprised at how many kids are excited – and know about it.”
And, she said of Henderson’s health, “He’s good. He’s just trying to stay as healthy as possible.”
