I game I have never seen before since I was hitchhiking in Europe when it was played, and we arrived in Paris not knowing the score. So we bought a copy of Le Monde where there was a story that filled two columns with everything in it describing the atmosphere at the game and the history of Canada-Russia hockey but with no actual score. But there at the end, there was a two-line para that I could barely decipher as saying that Canada had won the game.

I moved to Australia in 1975 so that the Canadian team has all the players I remember. I wouldn’t know a single player on a single team in the NHL, or even on the Leafs, but here I know everyone, including the announcer who was Foster Hewitt, who broadcast the Leaf games for my entire youth.

And of course, it was that last minute of the game where Paul Henderson – a Maple Leaf – scored the goal that has remained undoubtedly the single most thrilling goal in the history of Canadian hockey. Even as I watched it, and for me it was for the first time, I felt the tension, even though I know how it ended. Who could ever forget?

Might add, that my children are ethnic children, both played hockey (not ice hockey, but hockey unlike grass hockey which is a non-existent nothing to me). I also was at the game when Toronto last won the Stanley Cup. Alas, the Leafs are the worst sports franchise in North America and are unlikely to win The Cup anytime in my own lifetime.

Will just finish by saying that I had the enormous pleasure of playing hockey with my sons when we lived in Canberra. These are the memories that really matter, even more than who won between the Russians and the Canadians back in 1972.

In dealing with Daniel Andrews you have to begin with an understanding that he hates normal people going on about their own lives in their own way. If he can bring unhappiness to others, he is front and centre. So we have this: Rabbis’ request denied. And what request was that?

HEALTH authorities have refused a request from Melbourne’s ultra-Orthodox Jewish community to celebrate their holiest day of the year in person.

Let’s see if we can find some additional detail.

Nine Melbourne rabbis and seven medical providers called on Daniel Andrews to allow them to observe Yom Kippur with small gatherings.

Yom Kippur – which begins at sunset on Wednesday – is described as the “holiest day on the Jewish calendar”.

The community leaders – which represent up to 1500 families who observe the Torah – on Monday called to be allowed to run services at synagogues, subject to density quotients and with groups limited to 10 men plus those running the service.

They said gathering would be held outdoors where possible, with pre-registration, Covid-marshals, masks and social distancing all in place.

The leaders even said the services could be limited to inner-east postcodes – including 3162 covering Caulfield, 3183 (Balaclava) and 3185 (Elsternwick and Ripponlea) – with low case numbers.

But the Health Department said chief health officer Brett Sutton could only provide exemptions to the limits on public or private gatherings if they related to end-of-life events.

And a bit more.

In a letter to Mr Andrews, the group argued Jewish people were more “constrained, limited and disconnected” than any other religious group.

“Unlike other denominations and religious groups, we do not have the option of electronic broadcast or the use of any other technology on our Sabbath and Jewish festival days, due to the restrictions of Jewish Laws on these days,” the letter read.

“Needless to mention that this is having a detrimental spill-over effect in many ways on our members and their respective families.

“Our members, in regular times, attend synagogue thrice daily.

“It is, so to speak, our second home.”

The group said Yom Kippur was also the one day that almost every Orthodox Jew would attend synagogue.

“Our members could not fathom the idea of not praying together on this day,” the letter continued.

“It would be fair to state that religious services in a place of worship, on the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, are more essential than a Thai boxing event.”

Andres, of course, ducked out of personal responsibility, but you may be sure he was the one who made the decision.

The supposed joke is that she is wearing a dress that has the following message.