Where were you in ‘72? The crowning moment in the history of Canadian sports..

Though fifty years have passed Fans retain vivid recall

Of exactly where they were When Espo’s shot came back to Paul

I sat in the Chem Lab

With all the rest at Abbey High Glued to the fuzzy screen

Of a diminutive black and white

All across our trembling nation Vancouver, the exception of course, White-knuckled on the edge of seats Canadians had shouted themselves hoarse

Last of an eight game series

The final four played on Moscow’s turf Team Canada had endured a lesson On what the Soviet mettle was worth

Third period, with an even score, Minutes, then seconds running out Canada had to take the win Or Russia handed us the rout

Tretiak, a rock between the pipes, Had become an impenetrable wall Everyone thought him bulletproof …Everyone but Paul

As tension mounted ever higher

Our nation defied impending Doom Reality skewed into slow motion when Eagleson locked Fate in the dressing room Foster Hewitt still led the play-by-play

Though somewhere far off, in a dream, Time quickly snapped back into place As his voice rose to a scream*

Number 19, at the crease, Picked off the loose rebound And fired the puck into the net As mighty Tretiak was going down

Thirty-four seconds left upon the clock Team Canada backed into a hole All heroes who knew no quit

Paul Henderson scored The Goal!

Back home and around the globe The broadcast sizzled through the air Moscow exploded in a frenzy Hockey players were everywhere

Our super team: guts, heart and soul, Never ever giving up

Won fortune above the Holy Grail Even beyond the Stanley Cup

Relief escalated to euphoria

The Chem Lab rocking with our cheers (Listen close, you’ll hear the echoes Even after fifty years)

And, with a slap upon my back O’Leary grinned and said to me

“I’m telling you, right now, Joe, That’s the greatest goal we’ll ever see.”

C.C. Phillips; January, 2022

*“He scores! Henderson has scored for Canada!”Summit Series; September 28, 1972; Game #8; Canada 6 – USSR 5. Phillips is a former resident of Abbey, Sk.