46 years ago, in Lake Placid, NY, the United States Olympic Hockey team pulled off the impossible by defeating a powerhouse Soviet Union hockey team… and today, the US had the opportunity to win gold again. This time, against our neighbors to the north, Canada.
A funny thing about miracles is that they rarely happen twice… The USA women’s Olympic hockey team just beat the Canadian women to take home the gold. Now, it was the men’s turn to do the same. Could the USA do it again? They had not won Olympic gold in hockey since the 1980 Games when they defeated Finland.
The Miracle on Ice…
February 22, 1980, is a date that most American hockey fans remember. It was the day that the United States made us believe… Going into the 1980 Olympics, the Soviet Union had won four consecutive gold medals in hockey and were heavily favored to win their fifth straight.
Herb Brooks, coach of the US team, held tryouts for the National team, assembled from amateur and collegiate hockey players, while the Soviet team was constructed from seasoned professionals and ran like a finely tuned Soviet machine. Just days before the Olympics, they defeated Team USA 10-3 in an exhibition game at Madison Square Garden… so there was no possible way they could beat the Soviet Union, right? They would need a miracle.
The Soviet Union had dominated in the Olympics, beating its opponents by an average of eight goals per game… Everyone but Coach Brooks had already written off the US, but Coach wrote a letter to his team, which he read out loud: “You were born to be a player. You were meant to be here. This moment is yours.” His words carried out onto the ice. He believed, and the players believed in a miracle.
Lake Placid, NY, 1980…Gold
After the puck dropped, the Soviets pulled out to an early 1-0 lead, before a goal by Buzz Schneider tied it up. The Soviets would score again, taking a 2-1 advantage. As time ticked away in the first period, American forward Dave Christian smacked a slap shot, which was deflected by Soviet goalie Vladislav Tretiak. The puck bounced about 20 feet away before US center Mark Johnson darted to the puck, splitting two defenders and rifling a shot past a diving Tretiak, tying the game at two to end the first period.
To start the second period, the greatest goalie in the world, Tretiak, was pulled out of the goal and replaced by Vladimir Myshkin, who didn’t allow a US goal in the second period. The Soviets dominated the period, outshooting the US 12-2, but only scored once in the period on a power-play goal by Alexandr Maltsev, ending the period with a 3-2 advantage.
Early in the third period, Soviet wing Vladimir Krutov was sent to the penalty box for committing a high-sticking infraction. This gave the US a man advantage. After Myshkin blocked US defenseman Mike Ramsey’s shot, team captain Mike Eruzione fired a wide shot on goal. Late in the power play, US winger Dave Silk was tripped up by a Soviet defender, and the puck slid to Mark Johnson, who flung a shot under Myshkin to knot the game at three.
With ten minutes left of the third, during a line change, US forward Mark Pavelich passed to an undefended and unsuspecting Eruzione, who had just entered the ice, and flicked a shot on goal. Myshkin’s line of sight was obstructed by his own defender, and the puck flew past him as the US took their first lead of the night, 4-3.
For what many Americans call the longest ten minutes of their lives, the Soviets fought back vigilantly. Following Eruzione’s game-stealing goal, Maltsev fired a shot on goal that deflected off the right goal post. Coach Brooks reminded his players to “Play your game…” As time ticked away, the Soviets played with panic, shooting erratically and frantically trying to score.
Many expected the Soviets to pull their goalie and add an extra offensive attacker, but USSR coach Viktor Tikhonov didn’t believe in playing 6-on-5, so they stuck with their guns. After a skirmish for possession, the US wound up with the puck and passed it around as time expired. Sportscaster Al Michaels was calling the game for ABC as he made one of the most well-known calls in sports television history, “Do you believe in miracles…? Yes!”
Following the game, as his players celebrated on the ice, singing “God Bless America”, Brooks vanished into the hallway and cried by himself. He didn’t let them celebrate too much because they hadn’t won anything yet. The goal was to win the gold, not beat the Soviets.
Two days after the United States’ victory over the USSR, the Americans were down 2-1 going into the third period against Finland. Brooks said nothing to the team between periods. He simply left a message on the chalkboard that said, “If you lose this, you will take it to your graves.” The US team scored three goals in the final period to win the gold medal game 5-2.
Miracle in Milan…
Here we are, 46 years to the day since the Miracle took place. The Americans are once again underdogs against a familiar foe, Team Canada, which eliminated the defending champions, Finland, in the semi-finals. Though unlike 46 years ago, this game is not on American soil. It is in Milan, Italy. The rivalry between the USA and Canada has been coming to a boil for the last few years. With the US women winning the gold earlier in the week, it set the stage for a hockey sweep.
In what many expected to be a barn burner, USA vs. Canada did not disappoint. The US got on the scoreboard quickly when Matt Boldy dissected the Canadian defense on a breakaway goal to give the US the early lead heading into the second period.
Canada looked dominant in the second, though the score would reflect otherwise. Unbelievable goaltending by Conner Hellebuyck kept the Canadians out of the goal until late in the second period, when Cale Makar flicked the puck past the imposing American goalie. After two periods, the game was in a 1-1 stalemate.
Shot after shot, breakaway after breakaway, Hellebuyck remained as cool as the other side of the pillow, not allowing Canada’s lone goal to chink his armor. He just kept on defying the odds with a little luck and a lot of pure talent. As rabid as Canada’s offense was, they could not seem to get the puck into the net.
An errant high stick swung by Sam Bennett into the face of Jack Hughes resulted in a couple of broken teeth and Bennett spending four minutes in the box. The Americans were unable to capitalize on the one-man advantage before Hughes returned to the game and offered a high stick of his own to Bo Horvat, killing their own power play opportunity. The third period ended in a 1-1 tie as the teams prepared for bonus hockey.
The game would be decided in 3-on-3 sudden-death overtime… Both teams offer three skaters and a goalie. The first team to score is the winner. One defensive mistake could cost the game. And that is exactly what happened.
With a hustle play of heads-up awareness, US defenseman Zach Werenski fought for the puck, gained control, and connected a pass across the ice to Hughes in the slot. Hughes fired a laser past Canadian goalie Jordan Binnington. The world will forever remember two things from this game. They will remember Hellebuyck’s Olympic 41 saves and the gap-toothed grin of Jack Hughes scoring the golden goal.
Gold…
In one of the best hockey games that I have ever seen, Team USA took the gold. I don’t remember a game that toyed with my emotions more than this one. The joy and excitement that I felt watching Boldy’s opening goal quickly turned to nail-biting anxiety as I watched shot after shot deflected by the human octopus Hellebuyck. Eventually, a sigh of relief as the USA overcame a 5-3-man disadvantage in the second period. Nervousness and excitement when Hughes netted the game-winner in OT for US gold.
By the end of the gold medal ceremony, someone was cutting onions when Johnny Gaudreau’s (popular former NHL star killed by a drunk driver along with his brother in 2024) children joined their late father’s teammates on the ice for the team picture.
Seeing those children, unaware of the significance of something bigger than hockey… I saw more than a team; I saw a family, a band of brothers. Brothers who fought together for one common goal. All sacrificed a piece of themselves for the gold. Some gave all, some gave their teeth… For Gold. For Johnny. For a miracle.
