>SNIP
>>
>>During the month of january we had free access to NHL Channel or whatever the name of that specialized channel is. I watched Montreal Canadians against Russia in 1974. WOW I almost forgot how interesting to watch that sport is when it's well played.
>>
>Is that the New Year's Eve game, Denis?
>
>That one rates as by far the GREATEST game of hockey that I have ever watched. It was simply beautiful!
>
>cheers

I'm not much of a hockey fan now, but I grew up watching the Andy Bathgate, Camille Henry, Gump Worsely Rangers. I was lucky enough to be in Madison Square Garden when the Soviet Red Army team first came to the US to play a series of exhibition games. If memory serves, the Rangers scored an early first goal and then got trounced. I had never seen "team" hockey with skating patterns and speed before. Apparantly, neither had the Rangers. It was, as you say, simply beautiful.

The era of the goon and the constant fighting turned me off to hockey a while ago and I haven't watched any on TV in many years. I have gone to three minor league games in recent years - and was pleasantly surprised by the lack of chippiness.