Lake Placid, New York State, February 22nd, 1980, The 1980 Winter Olympic games are in full swing and the all mighty Soviet Union face off against a younger, less experienced and less talented United States hockey team. But what looked on paper to be a runaway contest for the Soviets, turned into one of the most memorable games in the history of Hockey and world sports.
Forty-five years is enough for most historic nights to fade into a fuzzy haze for many people, but for those special occasions that stay with us in our memories, well, they live forever. 45 years ago on a chilly, snow covered day in northern New York State, at the height of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union, 20 college aged American hockey players created a night that will live forever in the history books.
The US Team consisted of exclusively amateur collegiate players such as Jack O’Callahan from Boston University, Rob McClanahan from the University of Minnesota, and Bob Suter from the University of Wisconsin. The average age of the 20 players at Lake Placid was 21 years old, which made them not only the youngest squad in the tournament, but the youngest US Hockey team to ever compete in the Olympics.
Coached by legendary college coach and three time NCAA National Champion at the University of Minnesota, Herb Brooks, The US team set off on its historic path 6 months before the Olympics in Colorado Springs at the Broadmoor world arena where a tryout was held, 26 names were selected but the final roster would be set at 20 players before the tournament. The US team played 61 games in 6 months against other International teams and the WHA All-Star team before the Olympic games began in February, with 42 of the games being away from home.
On February 12th, 1980, the US started its journey at the Olympics with a 2-2 tie against Sweden before earning a shocking 7-3 victory over the silver medal favorites Czechoslovakia. They then picked up wins over Norway, West Germany and Romania to close out the qualifying rounds. These results saw them finish second in the Blue Division of the tournament tied on points with Sweden but behind on goal difference. The Olympic committee scheduled the medal round games after the conclusion of the final games during the opening round, and the US would open their medal round up against the heavily favored and experienced Soviet Union.
The Soviets were led by an experienced core consisting of the likes of Captain Boris Mikhailov, Vladislav Tretiak (considered to be at the time the best goalie in the world), and Valeri Kharlamov. This Soviet team was four- time gold medal winners in 1964, 1968, 1972 and 1976 respectively, and were also undefeated in their last 12 matchups with the US, even outsourcing them during this stretch 117-26. While the hype around the matchup could be felt throughout the Olympic Village, this game had already been seen 13 days prior at Madison Square Garden in New York City, where the experienced Soviets curb stomped the young American team 10-3 in front of a capacity crowd at the Garden.
Despite the obstacle, the United States came into the game riding high and weren’t looking to give up any momentum, and the game was set for a 5:00 pm EST puck drop at the Olympic Fieldhouse in the Olympic Village. Telegrams from around the country flooded into the US locker room before the game, so many that coach Herb Brooks covered an entire wall with them, and Brooks also gave his young team a speech that he had written out on paper the night before saying, “You were born to be a player. You were meant to be here. This moment is yours.” With the stage set, light bright as the sun, and the ABC cameras rolling (Even though the game wasn’t broadcasted live in the United States due to time restraints and the game being at 1 A.M. Moscow time), the US took the ice in Lake Placid ready to shock the world of hockey.
The Game
The opening puck drop was won by the Soviets, who controlled much of the early parts of the game, and it eventually led to a 1-0 Soviet lead from a Vladimir Krutov delection goal off of a slap shot from Alexi Kasatonov with 10:47 left in the first period. But this setback wouldn’t deter the young Americans who had already come from behind in every game at Lake Placid, and with 5:57 left in the first the Americans tied it off a Buzz Schneider wrist shot from the left boards.
Seemingly instantly, the Soviets replied to take the lead back with just over two minutes left in the first period, but again the determination of the American team would prevail as in the waning seconds of the first, Dave Christian fired a slap shot from center ice that was saved by Soviet goalie Vladislav Tretiak, but the rebound was misplayed by Tretiak and Mark Johnson cut through the Soviet defense to put the rebound past a diving Tretiak with one second left on the clock in the first period. The game clock at the Olympic Fieldhouse showed zero seconds left, which confused and enraged the Soviets as the referee gave the signal for good goal and the teams went into the break tied at two with the momentum on the American side.
As the second period began, a shocking change was made, as Soviet coach Viktor Tikhonov pulled Vladislav Tretiak and replaced him with backup goalie Vladimir Myshkin. This move dumbfounded the American and Soviets as Tretiak was considered by many to be the best goalie in the world at the time. Despite the move, Myshkin played a shutout second period and the Soviets outshot the Americans 12-2 in the second period, along with a lead-taking power-play goal two minutes into the period.
The Americans went to the second intermission trailing 3-2 and on their heels on the edge of the proverbial cliff. The Soviets to this point were dominating the United States in terms of shots and despite the US goals, the Soviets had controlled much of the play during the game. US goaltender Jim Craig had stepped up big in the game, making save after save when called upon and shutting down the Soviets compared to other goaltenders who had faced the unstoppable giants up to this point.
Trailing 3-2, the US took the ice for the third period, looking to steal the momentum back from the Soviets and still hoping for the impossible. Seven minutes into the third period, the Americans were gifted a power-play after a Vladimir Krutov high sticking penalty, the Americans pounced on the opportunity 1:52 into the powerplay after Mark Johnson finally beat Myshkin on his low blocker side and tied the game for the Americans with 11:21 left in the game.
With the Americans back in the game and with now with the most deadly weapon in sports, momentum, on their side, they went on the attack. With ten minutes left in the third, Mark Pavelich slid a pass to capitan Mike Eruzione who was left alone in the high slot, with Myshkin being screened by his own player, Eruzione fired a slap shot that beat Myshkin high blocker side and stunningly gave the Americans the lead.
Eruzione’s celebration is the most used image and moment to signify the game as after the goal, Eruzione jumped up and down along the boards before being mobbed by his teammates with a crowd behind him full of American flags. With ten minutes left in the game and now with the lead, the Americans just had to hold on and shut down the Soviets, and the man for the job was none other than the Americans goalie Jim Craig. Craig’s story in itself is truly inspiring. Craig’s mother had passed away seven months before the Olympic games, and one month before the tryouts at the Broadmoor World Arena in Colorado Springs, and her dying wish was for Craig to play for the Americans at Lake Placid.
Craig would consistently check up on his father throughout the six months between him making the team and Lake Placid, with Craig’s roommate and team doctor reporting to coach Herb Brooks that Craig would call his father every night no matter what.
While Craig’s life off the ice was tangled, his play on the Ice was saving the American’s dream left and right. Just seconds after the Eruzione goal, the Soviets hit the left post of Craig’s net, the remaining ten minutes of the game are nicknamed, “the longest 10 minutes in American hockey history.” The Soviets attacked ferociously, firing shot after shot wildly in the direction of the American net. With time winding down, Herb Brooks decided to limit his players to short shifts between 30-45 seconds to keep their legs fresh and to make sure they weren’t beat with stamina or speed.
In later years, Soviet defenseman Sergei Starikov would admit that the Soviets did not know how to handle being behind so late in a game, saying that, “We were panicking.” With the clock now ticking under a minute, the Americans fully expected Tikhonov to pull Myshkin, but to everyone’s surprise Tikhonov left his goalie in net and elected to not take a 6v5 advantage while trailing with a minute left in the game. With 30 seconds left in the game, Craig kicked a shot into the corner of the American zone, as a mad scramble ensued and the Americans cleared the zone, the crowd, now all on their feet and in a near frenzy, began to count down the seconds left in the game. The Soviets scrambled and shot the puck wildly back into the zone, the puck found its way into the left corner boards and back around to American defensemen Ken Morrow, and the clock counted down to five second and that’s when a young Al Michales delivered the most infamous call in International Hockey history,
“Morrow up to Silk, five seconds left in the game! Do you believe in Miracles? YES.”
With that call, the world stood still, the Miracle was completed, the Youngest team in American ice hockey history had done it. The four-time defending gold medalists, and eight- time defending IIHF World Champions had been defeated by a bunch of American kids with a dream. As the clock struck zero, the Americans cleared their bench and mobbed goalie Jim Craig as the Olympic Fieldhouse erupted with raw emotion and American patriotism. Unable to hold in his emotions, head coach Herb Brooks ran back to the American locker room and cried tears of sheer joy and relief. Later when his players joined him in the locker room, it is reported that the locker room broke out into a chorus of “God Bless America” while the players celebrated their win. To this day, the “Miracle on Ice” is by many considered to be the most stunning upset in Hockey history and the best moment in American hockey history.
Aftermath
While the result was shocking, the job wasn’t finished for the 20 roughneck college kids from the states. In 1980, the olympic hockey medals were decided in a round robin style tournament, the other two teams who had qualified for the medal round were Sweden and Finland, Finland and Sweden ended in a 3-3 tie after the US took care of the Soviets. The Olympic rule book stated that the American’s group game against Sweden that ended in a tie was counted as a result for the medal round.
With this format it was still possible for the Americans to finish anywhere from Gold medalists to last in the round robin. The United States faced Finland twodays later, and again like every game at the tournament, fell behind early, they entered the second intermission the same way they had against the Soviet Union, trailing by one.
While entering the dressing room after the second period, its reported the coach Herb Brooks just had a few, short and vulgar words for his team, reportedly telling them that, “If you lose this game, you’ll all take it to your f—ing graves…”, and while walking out of the locker room he turned over his shoulder and repeated again, “…To your F—ing graves” and walked out. With the words of their coach in their mind, the Americans did what they’d done all tournament long, and came from behind to win, snatching a 4-2 win on their final day in Lake Placid, and with it, the first gold medal for the Americans in 20 years. After the final game between the Soviet Union and Sweden ended, the Americans were awarded the Gold medals, and after the anthem played, the team joined capitan Mike Eruzione on the podium that was only meant for one person. A picture of the Americans celebrating after the win against the Soviets made the march cover of Sports Illustrated and the players received a congratulatory phone call from American President Jimmy Carter.
Two movies were made in the aftermath of the event, one in 1981 titled “Miracle on Ice,” featuring Karl Malden, and the second was a 2004 Disney adaptation of the story of the team titled “Miracle, featuring Kurt Russell.
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Today, 45 years later to the date, the story of the “Miracle on Ice” is still as potent as it was on that February night in 1980. To this day, the dream turned into reality of 20 college hockey players from the United States of America is considered the greatest international hockey moment ever, and to this day continues to prove that even though something may seem impossible and that it can’t be done, it can be done with a tough mindset and an even tougher drive for victory. The impossible is always possible, even if it takes a Miracle.
