1976 Czechoslovakia National Team

1976-77

During the 1976-77 season, the WHA began the annual practice of hosting visiting teams from Europe. The inaugural tour was a ten-day, six-game series against the Czechoslovakian Nationals, whose squad was partially depleted with members also playing at the Izvestia Tournament in Moscow. However, lending a hand were two brothers, Peter and Marian Stastny, who (along with a third brother Anton) would defect from Czechoslovakia in 1980 to join the Quebec Nordiques of the NHL.

Game 1 • December 12, 1976 Winnipeg 6, Czechoslovakia 5 The Czechoslovakians, behind three assists from Peter Stastny, jumped to a 4-0 lead going into the third period. The Jets then awoke and scored 5 times to take the lead. A late goal by Jaroslav Mec (assisted by Peter Stastny) tied the score at 5, but a later goal by Peter Sullivan put the Jets ahead, for the exhilirating victory. Czechoslovakia 0 4 1 - 5 Winnipeg 0 0 6 - 6 1st Period: No scoring. 2nd Period: 1. Cze: Bauer (P. Stastny, Novy) 5:21; 2. Cze: Novak (Novy, P. Stastny) 8:49; 3. Cze: Pouzar (P. Stastny, M. Stastny) 9:31; 4. Cze: Sykora (Vejvoda) 10:42. 3rd Period: 5. Wpg: Hedberg (Nilsson, Miller) 4:01; 6. Wpg: Labraaten (Bergman, Lindstrom) 6:22; 7. Wpg: Bergman (Nilsson, Hedberg) 8:01; 8. Wpg: Ruhnke (Hull, Green) 11:47; 9. Wpg: Lindh (Lesuk) 13:45; 10. Cze: Mec (Pouzar, P. Stastny) 15:41; 11. Wpg: Sullivan (Lindstrom, Labraaten) 16:02. Shots: Cze: 12-9-10—31; Wpg: 6-4-10—20 Goaltenders: Cze: Dzurilla, Wpg: Daley Game 2 • December 13, 1976 Edmonton 6, Czechoslovakia 4 Bill Flett, with the Oilers for less than a week, scored twice to lead Edmonton to a surprise victory over Czechoslovakia, who dominated in shots with a 38-20 margin. However, the Czech goaltenders, Miroslav Krasa and Miroslav Termer, were not sharp and the Oilers were able to put six goals behind them. Milos Novak had two goals for the Czechs, who made a game of it with two late third period goals. Czechoslovakia 2 0 2 - 4 Edmonton 4 1 1 - 6 1st Period: 1. Edm: Kirk 2:35; 2. Edm: Flett (Campbell, Sather) 4:31; 3. Cze: Bauer (Kaberle) 12:14; 4. Cze: Novak (Novy, Posposil) 15:19; 5. Edm: Beaton (Russell, Hamilton) 17:59; 6. Edm: Morris (Patenaude, Campbell) 19:47. 2nd Period: 7. Edm: Flett (Sather, Campbell) 15:28. 3rd Period: 8. Edm: Rota (Nevin, Kirk) 2:06; 9. Cze: Pouzar (M. Stastny) 11:48; 10. Cze: Novak (Novy, M. Stastny) 13:36. Shots: Cze: 6-12-20—38; Edm: 10-5-5—20 Goaltenders: Cze: Krasa & Termer; Edm: Broderick & Dryden.

Game 3 • December 15, 1976 Czechoslovakia 5, Calgary 4 The Czechoslovakians won their first game but spent nearly the whole game fending off the Calgary Cowboys, who tied the game twice in the second period, each time on slap-shot goals from defenceman Mike Ford. Milan Novy scored late in the third period to give the Czechs their victory. Marian Stastny had two goals. Czechoslovakia 3 1 1 - 5 Calgary 2 2 0 - 4 1st Period: 1. Cgy: Tannahill (Miszuk) 2:43; 2. Cze: Vejvoda (Sykora, Krivacek) 9:36; 3. Cze: Muller (Krivacek, Pouzar) 13:22); 4. Cze: M. Stastny (Pouzar, P. Stastny) 15:59; 5. Cgy: Connelly (Morrison, St. Sauveur) 18:36. 2nd Period: 6. Cgy: Ford (Miller, Terbenche) 1:20; 7. Cze: M. Stastny (Cernek), 3:55; 8. Cgy: Ford (Terbenche, Chipperfield) 7:59. 3rd Period: 9. Cze: Novy (Novak) 19:26. Shots: Cze: 11-14-13—38; Cgy: 12-8-7—27. Goaltenders: Cze: Dzurilla, Cgy: McLeod Game 4 • December 17, 1976 Minnesota 3, Czechoslovakia 2 Ray Adduono's breakaway in the middle of the third period resulted in a goal, and Ron Ward scored with 27 seconds remaining with the goalie pulled, forcing overtime. In the extra period, Mike Antonovich scored just 45 seconds into the frame, stealing a victory for Minnesota. Czechoslovakia 0 2 0 0 - 2 Minnesota 0 0 2 1 - 3 1st Period:.No scoring. 2nd Period: 1. Cze: Pouzar (P. Statsny) 6:07; 2. Cze: Novak (Posposil) 18:55. 3rd Period: 3. Min: Adduono (Patrick) 12:34; 4. Min: Ward 19:33. Overtime: 5. Min: Antonovich (Keon) 0:45. Shots: unavailable. Goaltenders: Cze: Dzurilla, Min: Curran.

Game 5 • December 20, 1976 Czechoslovakia 4, New England 1 Marian Stastny scored twice and the Czechoslovakian team skated to a 4-0 lead, with Mike Rogers' late second-period goal spoiling Vladimir Dzurilla's shutout. It was the second win for the Czechs on their tour, and their first decisive win. Czechoslovakia 1 3 0 - 4 New England 0 1 0 - 1 1st Period: 1. Cze: Neliba (Krivacek, Vejvoda) 6:35. 2nd Period: 2. Cze: M. Stastny (Vins, Dzurilla) 5:50; 3. Cze: M. Stastny (Pouzar) 13:06; 4. Cze: Novak (Novy) 15:06; 5. NE: Rogers (Webster, Selwood) 18:40. 3rd Period: No scoring. Shots: Cze: 17-12-16—45; NE: 6-9-4—19. Goaltenders: Cze: Dzurilla, NE: Raeder, Abrahamsson. Game 6 • December 22, 1976 Indianapolis 3, Czechoslovakia 2 Rosaire Paiement's two third-period goals gave the Racers a 3-1 lead, and only a late goal by Frantisek Kaberle made the game close, as the Racers defeated the Czechs, who won 2 of the 6 games on their tour. Czechoslovakia 1 0 1 - 2 Indianapolis 1 0 2 - 3 1st Period: 1. Ind: Harris (Clackson, Parizeau) 13:36; 2. Cze: M. Stastny (P. Stastny) 14:20. 2nd Period: No scoring. 3rd Period: 3. Ind: Paiement (Sicinski, Maggs) 0:54; 4. Ind: Paiement (Sicinski, Peacosh) 16:55; 5. Cze: Kaberle (Novy, Bauer) 19:49 Shots: Cze: 8-9-8—25, Ind: 7-11-11—29. Goaltenders: Cze: Dzurilla, Ind: Dion.

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