 The 1975–76 series between various NHL teams and two touring Soviet teams, the powerhouse Red Army team and the somewhat lesser Soviet Wings squad, was another pivotal moment in the tenuous relations between the NHL and the Soviet hockey program.The games, like the subsequent Canada Cup Tournaments which also began in 1976, were not treated like exhibitions.Coming into the final match of their NHL series, the Red Army was still undefeated, having tied the Montreal Canadiens and beaten the other NHL teams they faced.