 Hockey Canada and the Soviet Hockey Federation met in Prague in April 1972 during the IIHF World Ice Hockey Championships . The two sides agreed on the terms : four games in Canada , to be held in Montreal ( Montreal Forum ) , Toronto ( Maple Leaf Gardens ) , Winnipeg ( Winnipeg Arena ) , and Vancouver ( Pacific Coliseum ) and four games in the Soviet Union , all of them to be held in Moscow at the Luzhniki Ice Palace . The Canadians agreed to hold the series in September and play the games under international rules . The Canadians agreed to IIHF amateur referees in the Canada part of the series , and European referees in the Moscow games . The refereeing would use the international two referee system , not the one referee , two linemen system in place in the NHL , and , at the time , being introduced into international play . The Canadian side agreed to the terms under the belief that the Canadians would have no difficulty winning under any set of conditions . Joe Kryczka , president of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association ( CAHA ) , who was present at the negotiations , felt however , that the Soviets had demanded the concessions for their own benefit , believing that their team was already equal to any NHL team . The NHL later requested dates in October or November but the idea was abandoned . 
