The “Miracle on Ice” is a term used to describe the historic hockey game that took place during the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York. The United States men’s hockey team, made up of amateur and college players, faced off against the heavily favored Soviet Union team, which had won the gold medal in the previous four Olympics. One fact about this miracle on ice match, is that it was seen as a David vs Goliath matchup, with the Soviet team being heavily favored to win. This game is considered to be one of the most iconic moments in the Olympic sports history and has been the subject of many books, documentaries, and movies. Read below for more facts about the Miracle on Ice!
5 Miracle on Ice Facts
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- The “Miracle on Ice” game took place on February 22, 1980 during the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York. (source)
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- Herb Brooks the U.S. head coach was the last player cut from the 1960’s Olympic team. (source) He went on to coach many NHL teams like the New York Rangers, the New Jersey Devils and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
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- The final score of the game was 4-3 in favor of the United States. (source) Goalie Jim Craig was the MVP making man incredible saves throughout the game where the Soviets made 39 shots against the Americans 16.
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- The game is considered one of the greatest upsets in sports history. (source) The crowd roared chants of ‘USA! USA!’ throughout the night and threw a wild celebration that lasted for days after in Lake Placid.
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- The U.S. team went on to win the gold medal by defeating Finland in the final game. (source) The score was 4-2 and USA again came from behind to win the gold.
