1979-04-08 - Canadiens at Red Wings - Enhanced WKBD-TV Broadcast - 1080p

Pretty nice cleanup here. Was able to remove a bunch of jaggy noise and compression with Topaz. Used Resolve to get the color more neutral, as the original was shifted more towards the red spectrum. My thanks to Gene Smiley for providing the DVD files used for this enhancement project

[@oldredbarnman]

Was at this game with a friend and his family, two months from graduating high school. This rare regular season home telecast came about because of it possibly being the last game played at Olympia. Luckily for us Red Wings fans, they played 12 home games (I went to 9, including their last game at The Old Red Barn) before moving to The Joe the next season. I have a copy of this game on VHS, and once again you have worked your magic Dave. Thanks!

[@genesmiley9866]

Got any more Wings games on VHS?

[@1959markie1]

I'm pretty sure the only other local telecast of a Wings game from the Olympia prior to this one was a 1970 Saturday night game against the Rangers. The Red Wings victory that night clinched third place and a playoff berth. There were several nationally televised games on CBS or NBC from Olympia that I recall.

[@austinshaw9303]

The first row of the upper deck between the blue lines at Olympia was the best seat in sports.....followed closely by the first row of the upper deck along the first and third base lines at Tiger Stadium.

[@bradbel]

Bless you Dave. I was a 14-year-old rat scamp living in the Detroit area. I remember Bruce Martyn’s voice in my head from all those years ago. My only regret is I never saw a hockey game at Olympia however, I do think I saw a circus there once. Thanks again.

[@davevolskysbackdoor5673]

Pretty nice cleanup here. Was able to remove a bunch of jaggy noise and compression with Topaz. Used Resolve to get the color more neutral, as the original was shifted more towards the red spectrum. My thanks to Gene Smiley for providing the DVD files used for this enhancement project

[@genesmiley9866]

Love seeing this properly! Thanks for all the work, it is much appreciated- Jim Rutherford shuts out the eventual Stanley Cup winners on the final day of the season. I also love the Wings handing out trophies like it's a pee wee league banquet, most of which went to Vaclav Nedomansky, the first player to defect from an Iron Curtain country.

[@davevolskysbackdoor5673]

Thanks for providing the original files Gene!

[@henridevigne1096]

So good. Thanks Dave.

[@henridevigne1096]

Remember this very well. As an Islanders fan I was thrilled to hear the update from Marv Albert on the local NY news that Dale McCourt scored to give the Isles the number one seed.

[@markjones952]

Look at the quality of this restoration! The text pops out on this. Very well done!

[@rileyjackfansmithandjones8238]

Thanks for showing this.....I grew up in Pittsburgh and NEVER got to see the Magical Olympia Wings Home Building. Eventually moved to the Metro Detroit Area, but only knew the Joe as the wings Home Ice.....Now it's the Little Caesars Arena. I started playing hockey in 1978...... Hung up my Pads in 2003.....love seeing 2 goalies with full Fiberglass Masks......and those Damn Northland Round Gazoo Helmets still look RIDICULOUS!

[@sjdrifter72]

Those were my favorite helmets from back in the day. When the L.A. Kings players wore those yellow helmets with the holes on top, it made them look like CheeseHeads

[@rileyjackfansmithandjones8238]

@@sjdrifter72 No Way.....always rocked the CCMs, and when we playing a drop in or laugher game....we pull the ear slings out horizontal, like A Mini Set of Wings, and drive our coaches CRAZY!

[@craigstevens6693]

Always loved the Jofa helmets Of course popularized by Gretzky These were nothing but ball hockey helmets with little to no padding

[@chrispomaylivewithcdpsport5517]

Awesome 👌 thank you from a Wings fan since 1979.

[@cmacdhon]

Thanks Dave. This is awesome. Football is my least favorite sport, so it's great to see hockey getting some love!

[@romelovesdan]

Venues, Arenas, Stadiums, and Ballparks where childhood memories were made become places we all hold dear to our hearts. Preservation of these broadcasts are extremely important, as they allow fans a glimpse back into the past....I know the smells, sounds, and feel of the locale come rushing back.

[@alspencer3826]

I completely agree with you. That's why I started collecting games, because if these games disappear that's it, it all goes away. Do you do any dvd trading of nhl games? I'm always trying to find new traders, if your interested let me know?

[@romelovesdan]

@@alspencer3826 I never delved into collecting Hockey- I am pleased that others did. I am pleased others are sharing their collections to enable wider distribution of preserved broadcasts (now upgraded) among fans.

[@jricoc3475]

As a Rangers fan, my admiration for this, the last of the Habs' dynasties, has grown over time. That the Rangers were able to win the opening game of the Final was amazing to me. The team had greatly overachieved during the playoff run, so there really was no shame in this defeat. As I think back to that time, while maintaining fandom throughout, I cannot believe how talented that Habs squad was. We will never see a team like that again: many a night they dressed half a team of Hall of Famers, and several other players were All-Stars, multiple Cup winners, and major award winners. No disrespect to Red Wings fans, but I can't help but focus on the since unseen talent level of Montreal in this season and game ...

[@SamWesting]

We’ll never see anything like the 1976-79 Habs dynasty ever again. Salary cap was designed to prevent teams from keeping a stacked lineup intact for more than a couple seasons.

[@granttracey4676]

You forget how acrobatic Ken Dryden was. I think of him more as an angles goalie, but wow, some great kick saves in this game. And Jimmy Rutherford, future hockey franchise building genius, in the pipes at the other end and he robs Guy LaFleur on a close-in shot. Enjoyed this immensely. Odd detail: a ceremony between periods in which the brass hands out trophies to the top Red Wing players in a variety of categories. Kind of cool!! Thanks, Dave.

[@katec7033]

This is awesome. End of an era in more ways than one. Last year of the great Canadiens dynasty.

[@sjdrifter72]

Thanks so much. Any full Red Wings games from the Olympia is very valuable. Sad how little footage exists compared to Chicago Stadium.

[@FlintyCobblestone]

You think that's something. Ever tried to find game footage from the old Madison Square Garden? There's exactly one brief clip out there. And, it's a Detroit tv feed.

[@sjdrifter72]

You mean the one before the current Garden that opened in 1968? Hell yes, but it wasn't as intimate as the Olympia, Chicago Stadium, or Boston Garden.

[@FlintyCobblestone]

@@sjdrifter72 That's the one I meant. No, it wasn't the old Stadium, Olympia, or Boston Garden.

[@Writercc]

I must have watched this as a 12-year-old Windsor boy. Definitely remember the Charo commercial!

[@davidpridham9859]

Forgot about Big Ned - the Czech star who came to N. America in 1974 to play in WHA with Toronto Toros.

[@genesmiley9866]

He's a member of four different hockey halls of fame.

[@b17bomber]

Love it. I used to carry a Guy Lafleur trading card with me everywhere i went. I lost it at the movie theater when we saw " Clash of the Titans" lol.

[@DiscipleofHim]

Hats off to the organist ( Art Kwatro spelling ) who, during the awards presentation after the first period,plays the college fight songs of the recipient. For example, Reed Larson gets his award and the Minnesota Gophers fight song can be heard. Shout out to a great thing from the past; the organist. And the organist played " Thanks for the Memories" as the fans left the Olympia( for the last game ever there !) I miss that Olympia. Saw lots of games there .( Wilf Paiment hitting Dennis Polonich with his stick)

[@citizen862]

Classic ! I love the only advertisement on the boards is Krajenke Buick . “Hard to spell, easy to deal with.” That was the motto of Krajenke Buick.

[@mdiver65]

This looks better than my Cox Cable broadcast of the Oilers/Canucks last night. Thank you for all, Dave.

[@bobma6342]

I bet my brother $10 before the season started that the Red Wings would have at least one shut out during the season. They waited until the final game of the season.

[@Goofhead11]

More Hockey! And thank you 😊 😊

[@brianbachmeier34]

The NHL is awesome! Thanks Dave.

[@FlintyCobblestone]

BRILLIANT!!

[@bruin730]

Love the hockey uploads!

[@aggoldstein]

Wow great job

[@mrmercedes8528]

Oh man Dave : this is KILLER …….!!!!!!!

[@DiscipleofHim]

Sid Abel, veteran hockey player and beloved announcer went by the nickname " Boot" because of his nose .

[@MDH2181]

That intro is very disco 🪩🪩

[@deathlessander]

More hockey please !

[@dantheman5745]

The interview of Ted Lindsay by Sid Abel between the 2nd & 3rd periods was great. Both were Red Wings royalty and NHL Hall of Famers. Abel passed away in 2000 at the age of 81, and Lindsay passed away in 2019 at 93.

[@ChristopherHagee]

Late Ted Lindsay died late in 2018-2019 N.H.L. season, while late S'dny ("Sid") Abel died d'rng 1999-Yr. 2000 season in his early-80s just 2 wks. short, his b'day 🎂

[@Jean0987654321]

PBP: Bruce Martyn Color: Sid Abel

[@bobma6342]

Bruce Martyn, the Ernie Harwell of the NHL

[@rebel1154]

Exact day I was born. Creepy lol.

[@earlthelovebug5691]

Sorry you're not a wrestling fan. I respect that. Do you have any more super bowl games in 1080p and or 60fps

[@davevolskysbackdoor5673]

I only really have interest in the first 19 Super Bowls and I've published most of them that I can. The others I haven't done would be blocked for copyright because they are already posted on the NFL's KZbin channel

[@dantheman5745]

Montreal needed a win or tie to finish ahead of the Islanders for home ice advantage throughout the playoffs. Here's your game right here: 41:45 (late 1st period) 2:12:30 (mid-3rd period) 2:22:34 (late 3rd period) 2:33:22 (final minute of game)

[@jaymorgenthal9479]

Imagine a home game shown on a local independent station. The cheap bastards who own msg haven’t shown a Ranger game from msg on free tv since 1969.

[@luv2bbq]

I always wondered as a kid why dale mccourt wore that hockey helmet just like the kids on the shirt bus. For the life of me I couldn’t understand how a guy with mental disabilities was playing hockey. So weird

[@earlthelovebug5691]

Do you have any pro wrestling shoes that you put into 1080p and/or 60fps

[@davevolskysbackdoor5673]

No :) Wrestling is definitely outside my area of interest.

[@dantheman5745]

This is amazing. To be able to clearly see the puck from a video from the 70s is no small feat. SPOILER ALERT... Good time to be a Habs fan, although this game was nearly a disaster for them, as the Islanders won at MSG to finish 1 point ahead of Montreal in the overall standings. But thanks to a huge upset by the Rangers in the semifinals, it wound up being a moot point.

[@brandonwasemiller8713]

Thank you for putting spoiler alert. I learned long ago never to look at comments.