On February 22, 1980, in front of a spirited American audience in Lake Placid, New York, the “Miracle On Ice” took place.
This was an iconic moment in U.S. Olympic history, and the members of that ice hockey team became legends on that day.
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Here are three facts about the “Miracle On Ice.”
1. This Was The Semifinal Game
Many believe this was the gold medal game; however, it was not.
The gold medal game happened two days later when the U.S. defeated Finland.
The USA vs USSR semifinal game had great visibility because of the Cold War going on in the world.
In addition, the Soviet team was the superior team because it was made up of professional players with international match experience.
U.S. Coach Herb Brooks offered his perspective after the win.
He said:
“One game; if we played them ten times, they might win nine. But not this game, not tonight. Tonight, we skate with them. Tonight we shut them down because we can. Tonight, we are the greatest hockey team in the world.”
“One game; if we played them ten times, they might win nine. But not this game, not tonight. Tonight, we skate with them. Tonight we stay with them, and we shut them down because we can. Tonight, we are the greatest hockey team in the world.” – Herb Brooks 43 years ago today
— Tony Hernandez (@tonydh5) February 22, 2023
2. U.S. Team Was Made Up Of College Kids
The U.S. team consisted of amateur college players, and it was the youngest team in the 12-team Olympic event with an average age of 22 years and 5 months.
Players on the Soviet team, gold medalists in five of the previous six Olympic games, had an average age of 26 years and 5 months.
3. The Game Was Televised On Tape Delay
The game was played at 5:00 PM on Friday evening, February 22.
ABC wanted the game moved to 8:00 PM for the American audience and went to great lengths to make it happen, but the Soviet Union did not agree so it was played at 5:00 PM as scheduled.
Announcer Jim McKay informed viewers that it was not a live event when it aired; however, there was no social media at that time, and media outlets did not spoil the ending for the television audience.
43 years later, this remains one of the greatest moments in U.S. Olympic history, and the Lake Placid Olympic Center ice rink where the “Miracle On Ice” occurred was renamed the Herb Brooks Arena.
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