The Game That Saved the NHL: The Broad Street Bullies, the Soviet Red Machine, and Super Series ’76

Gruver (Joe Louis vs. Billy Conn), in his description of the historic 1976 battle between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Soviet Red Army hockey team, succeeds in capturing the pivotal evolution of playing styles by highlighting the cross-pollination of tactics and techniques between East and West. The timing of the game also fed into its significance, and Gruver does a good job of teasing out the threads of history, politics, and sport. This results in readers gaining a comprehensive understanding of the stakes involved. The book includes numerous firsthand accounts that add an intimate perspective on the strategies, the emotions, and the sheer determination that characterized both teams. Gruver illuminates the cultural and political undercurrents of the time, while also celebrating the passion and dedication of the hockey players involved.