Did you know a Russian saved Canada from losing the 1972 Summit Series?
Game 8: Canadians are nearly disqualified
When forward J.P. Parise loses his cool after a penalty call and swings his stick at referee Josef Kompalla, the game stalls. The other referee, Czech Rudi Bat'a tries to call off (end) the game, essentially handing the series to the Soviets. A Soviet official talks him out of it.
Rudi Bat'a, referee: Parise was crazy, crazy. He didn’t like the call. Kompalla called a misconduct and Parise then skated at us with his stick up and cried 'I’ll kill you.' Kompalla was out (intimidated) for the rest of the game. He didn’t blow his whistle at all after that.
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