The original broadcast tapes of an eight-game series in 1974 between the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and a Canadian team comprised of players from the World Hockey Association, thought to have been accidentally destroyed years ago, have been recovered, digitally restored and resurrected in a DVD set that is now available for purchase.     “Team Canada 1974: The Lost Series” is being sold by Toronto-based Video Service Corporation (www.sportsonvideo.com). The suggested retail price for the four-disc set, which contains 14 hours and 20 minutes of hockey games and related footage, is $79.98.

 “We (VSC) found a collector in Colorado who had the only [television broadcast tapes of the series] in existence,” says Jonathan Gross, president of VSC. “Seven of the eight games were usable so we decided to go forward with a limited edition set.” Game Five isn’t on the DVD set for a very good reason: The Colorado collector didn’t have it in his collection.

The USSR team won the series four games to one, with the opther three games ending in ties. Games One, Two, Three and Four were played in Quebec City, Toronto, Winnipeg and Vancouver, respectively. The last four games were played in Moscow’s Sports Palace.

Team Canada’s star players were goalie Gerry Cheevers, who played in seven of the eight games (Don McLeod played in the other game); Paul Henderson, the hero of the famous 1972 Summit Series between Canada and the USSR, when he scored the game-winning goals in the last three games; Gordie Howe, whose appearance in the 1974 series marked the only time that he played for Team Canada in an international hockey tournament, and Bobby Hull, who led all goal scorers in the series.

Among the Soviet players were netminder Vladislav Tretiak, defenseman Valeri Vasilijev and forwards Boris Mikhailov Vladimir Petrov, Alexandr Maltsev and Alexandr Yakushev.
   
The quality of the DVD set is mostly superb. There are moments when the audio or video quality is sub-par.

The entire series was filmed by Hockey Canada using a unique, high-vantage point, full-zone camera so Team Canada’s management and players could study and understand the Soviets’ strategy. The Soviet style of passing, forechecking and defense are clear to the viewer.

Apparently, Team Canada didn’t study the tapes enough, as the Canadian squad was pulverized by the Russians. Other than Game Two, played in Toronto and won 4-1 by Team Canada, the Canadians looked sluggish relative to the USSR team. The Soviet squad was comprised of better all-around hockey players and athletes.
   
In a TV interview before Game One, Pat Stapleton, the hard-hitting defenseman for Team Canada, said, “We have the experience of going back and looking at the [1972 Summit] series and looking at the films.” But Team Canada only had 16 training days together before the start of the series.
   
International hockey referees were used in all eight games. When the Canadian and Russian players began to play rough, tough -- and, in some cases, penalty-filled -- hockey, the referees from European countries lost control of the games.

Some of the more interesting bonus features in the “Lost Series” DVD set are a reprint of the original series program and an audio commentary track featuring Howe, who was 47 years old at the time, and future Hall of Famer Frank Mahovolich.