Miracle On Ice Hockey Team Roster
In 1980, the United States men's ice hockey team made history by winning the gold medal at the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York. The team, known as the "Miracle on Ice" team, was made up of amateur players, mostly from college teams across the country. To this day, their victory over the heavily favored Soviet Union team is considered one of the greatest upsets in sports history. In this article, we will take a closer look at the Miracle on Ice hockey team roster, including their backgrounds and the roles they played in the remarkable victory.
The Coaching Staff
The head coach of the Miracle on Ice team was Herb Brooks. Brooks was a former player and coach at the University of Minnesota and had a reputation for being an intense and demanding coach. He was known for his unconventional coaching methods, including grueling practices and team-building exercises. Brooks' assistant coaches were Craig Patrick and George "Punch" Lang.
The Goalies
The Miracle on Ice team had two goalies, Jim Craig and Steve Janaszak. Craig was the starting goalie and played a crucial role in the team's victory over the Soviet Union. Craig was known for his calm and controlled demeanor in the net, and his performance in the Olympics was nothing short of spectacular. Janaszak served as the backup goalie and played in one game during the tournament.
The Defensemen
The Miracle on Ice team had six defensemen, including Mike Ramsey, Bill Baker, Ken Morrow, Steve Christoff, Bob Suter, and Jack O'Callahan. Ramsey, Baker, and Morrow were all college players who had been drafted by NHL teams but had not yet turned pro. Christoff was a forward who played defense during the Olympics, while Suter and O'Callahan were stay-at-home defensemen who played physical, hard-nosed hockey.
The Forwards
The Miracle on Ice team had 12 forwards, including Mark Pavelich, Mike Eruzione, Dave Christian, Buzz Schneider, Rob McClanahan, Neal Broten, Steve Janaszak, Eric Strobel, Mark Johnson, John Harrington, Mark Wells, and Phil Verchota. Pavelich and Eruzione were two of the team's top scorers and played on the same line during the Olympics. Christian, Schneider, McClanahan, Broten, Johnson, and Wells were all college players who had been drafted by NHL teams.
The Miracle on Ice Victory
The Miracle on Ice victory was a culmination of months of intense preparation and hard work by the players and coaching staff. The team had been assembled in the summer of 1979 and had spent countless hours practicing and playing exhibition games leading up to the Olympics. Despite being written off by many experts, the players remained confident in their abilities and believed that they could win.
Their first game of the tournament was against Sweden, and the Americans won 2-1. They then went on to beat Czechoslovakia, Norway, and Romania to advance to the medal round. In the medal round, they faced off against the Soviet Union, who had won the gold medal in five of the previous six Olympic Games. The Americans played a near-perfect game and won 4-3, with Eruzione scoring the winning goal in the third period.
The Miracle on Ice victory was a defining moment in American sports history and remains one of the most memorable moments in Olympic history. The players and coaching staff were honored with a ticker-tape parade in New York City and have since become American heroes.
