Miracle on Ice

February 22 1980.

It was a day like any other in the 1980 Winter Olympic Games. The Soviet Union faced the United States of America in the Men's Ice-Hockey tournament medal-round match. The Soviet Union (USSR) was the heavy favorite going in. They had won the gold medal in the four Olympic Games leading up to New York's 1980 edition. With a dominant record of 27-1-1 (wins-ties-losses) in that period, few gave the United States any hope that day. 

The game began with USSR taking the early lead. The game was over by the tenth minute when USSR, after having forced the American goaltender Jim Craig to make several saves, finally broke through by scoring the first goal. The writing was on the wall. USSR would run away with the game defeating USA in domina....Wait what? The USA had tied the score at 1-1. Lightning had struck.

The Soviets however gained their composure back in no time. 2-1 to the USSR. Surely it's over now. Lightning can't strike twi... 2-2! Lightning did strike twice. At the end of the first period, the game was tied at 2-2. What was happening?

The third period began. There were doubts before the game that the USA players would have the stamina to match the Soviets through out the game. USSR would tire USA out and win easil...3-3! The capacity crowd now believed the impossible.

With 10 minutes remaining Mark Pavelich passed the puck to Eruzione, who had just come on to the ice. The American made no mistake, firing past the Soviet keeper. With the scoreline reading 4-3, USA were ten minutes away from creating history.

During the final minute of the game, as the U.S. team tried to clear the zone (move the puck over the blue line, which they did with seven seconds remaining), the crowd began to count down the seconds left. Sportscaster Al Michaels, who was calling the game on ABC along with former Montreal Canadiens goalie Ken Dryden, picked up on the countdown in his broadcast, and delivered his famous call

“

11 seconds, you've got 10 seconds, the countdown going on right now! Morrow, up to Silk. Five seconds left in the game. Do you believe in miracles?! YES!!! ”

David had beaten Goliath.

The USA would go onto win the Gold medal at the Olympics but it is their game against USSR that is remembered the most.

This radio broadcast (linked below) leads to the play-by-play audio commentary for this historic game.