A tale of two cities, as Montreal and Toronto are fierce rivals, on and off the ice. The two cities couldn't be more different. The Maple Leafs build a tough, defensive team that reflects the character of the city. Players like Tim Horton personify this team. He is strong, plays defence and is from the railway and mining towns of the Canadian Shield. Montreal has style and finesse, as personified by their captain, Jean Beliveau. As part of the 1967 Centennial celebrations, a large number of Canadian towns and neighbourhoods build arenas. These are places for Baby Boomers to play hockey and a sign of the democratization of the game. The arenas also become meeting places important to town life.

The 1972 Summit Series between Canada and the U.S.S.R. started as an exercise in diplomacy. It ended in a war on ice. A defining moment in Canadian history - when hockey became the soul of a nation.