'Miracle on Ice' at the Lake Placid Olympics
On this day · 22 February 1980
A roster of American college players stunned the four-time-defending Soviet hockey machine 4-3 in one of sport's great upsets.
On February 22, 1980, at the Lake Placid Winter Olympics, a U.S. men’s ice hockey team built almost entirely of college players met the Soviet Union, four-time defending Olympic champions and widely considered the best team on earth. Days earlier the Soviets had thrashed the same Americans 10-3 in an exhibition.
This time was different. Coached by Herb Brooks, the young U.S. side clawed back from behind, with goaltender Jim Craig turning aside shot after shot. Captain Mike Eruzione scored the go-ahead goal midway through the third period, and the Americans held on to win 4-3 before a roaring crowd of 10,000.
“Do you believe in miracles? Yes!” announcer Al Michaels shouted as the final seconds ran out.
The win did not clinch gold; the U.S. still had to beat Finland two days later, which it did. But the upset over the Soviets, dubbed the “Miracle on Ice,” became a defining Cold War sports moment and was later named the top sports moment of the twentieth century.
Sources & references
2 referencesWell-established. Corroborated by 2 independent sources.
