1980 Winter Olympics

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1980 Winter Olympics
1980 Olympics.png
Tournament details
Host nation  United States
Dates February 12–24, 1980
Teams 12
Venue(s) Olympic Arena,
Olympic Fieldhouse
Lake Placid, New York] (in host cities)
Champions Flag of the United States.svg.png United States (2 titles)
Tournament statistics
Games played 35
Goals scored 308  (8.8 per game)
Scoring leader(s) Flag of Czechoslovakia Milan Nový 15 points

The men's ice hockey tournament at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, U.S.A., was the 14th Olympic Championship. Twelve teams competed in the tournament, which was held from February 12 to 24. The United States won its second gold medal, including a win over the heavily favored Soviet Union that became known as the "Miracle on Ice".[1][2] Games were held at the Olympic Arena and the Olympic Fieldhouse.

Background

The Olympics came at a difficult time for Soviet–U.S. relations, as they were deep in the Cold War. Only months before the games began, the USSR had invaded Afghanistan, and there was speculation that the Soviet Union might not be allowed to compete in these Olympics.[3][4] The Soviet Union did compete in the Lake Placid games, but the United States and 65 other nations boycotted the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow later that year.[5]

The Soviets had won every Winter Olympics ice hockey tournament since 1960, were well-seasoned "amateurs" who were employed by industrial firms or military organizations for the sole purpose of playing hockey on their organization's team. In contrast, the Americans were a collection of amateur college students, most from the rival schools of University of Minnesota and Boston University. The U.S. team did however, feature several highly promising players who went on to successful careers in the National Hockey League in the 1980s.[6]

Three days before the Olympics, Coach Herb Brooks scheduled an exhibition game at Madison Square Garden in New York City against the Soviet team. The Americans lost 10–3,[7] and defenseman Jack O'Callahan pulled a ligament in his knee, though he returned for the medal round of the Olympic tournament. Coach Brooks gave only a few interviews after the game, but blamed his early conservative strategy as a factor.[7]

Despite these setbacks, Brooks managed to unify his players, training them for a year (the core of the team had been assembled since the 1979 World Ice Hockey Championships in Moscow), and lead them to victory.

The IIHF ceased running a championship in Olympic years. Nations that did not participate in the Lake Placid Olympics were invited to compete in the inaugural Thayer Tutt Trophy in Ljubljana, Yugoslavia.

Going into the games, the teams were ranked and divided into two groups. The ranking was: Soviet Union (1), Czechoslovakia (2), Sweden (3), Canada (4), Finland (5), West Germany (6), United States (7), Poland (8), Netherlands (9), Romania (10), Norway (11), Japan (12). East Germany was originally ranked tenth but declined to participate, with Japan filling their spot.

Highlights

The "Miracle on Ice" on a Paraguayan stamp

The USA vs USSR game, called the "Miracle on Ice" in the United States, is the best-remembered game of the tournament and the best-remembered international hockey game in the United States. It was the USA's penultimate game of the tournament's round-robin medal round. The USA's final game, against Finland, was the game which actually won the gold medal for the United States. Finland finished 4th in the overall standings. Another upset which is not always noticed, is when Poland defeated the much better team of Finland 5-4 during the Preliminary round.

1980 USA Olympic team

Blue Division

Top two teams (shaded ones) advanced to the medal round.

Team Pld W L T GF GA Pts
Flag of Sweden Sweden 5 4 0 1 26 7 9
Flag of United States United States 5 4 0 1 25 10 9
Flag of the Czech Republic Czechoslovakia 5 3 2 0 34 16 6
Flag of Romania Romania 5 1 3 1 13 29 3
Flag of West Germany West Germany 5 1 4 0 21 30 2
Flag of Norway Norway 5 0 4 1 9 36 1
  • February 12
    • Czechoslovakia 11-0 Norway
    • Romania 6-4 West Germany
    • Sweden 2-2 USA
  • February 14
    • Romania 0-8 Sweden
    • Norway 4-10 West Germany
    • USA 7-3 Czechoslovakia
  • February 16
    • USA 5-1 Norway
    • Romania 2-7 Czechoslovakia
    • Sweden 5-2 West Germany
  • February 18
    • Norway 1-7 Sweden
    • West Germany 3-11 Czechoslovakia
    • USA 7-2 Romania
  • February 20
    • Norway 3-3 Romania
    • Czechoslovakia 2-4 Sweden
    • West Germany 2-4 USA

Red Division

Canada vs. the Netherlands

Top two teams (shaded ones) advanced to the medal round.

Team Pld W L T GF GA Pts
Flag of Soviet Union Soviet Union 5 5 0 0 51 11 10
Flag of Finland Finland 5 3 2 0 26 18 6
Flag of Canada Canada 5 3 2 0 28 12 6
Flag of Poland Poland 5 2 3 0 15 23 4
Flag of Netherlands Netherlands 5 1 3 1 16 43 3
Flag of Japan Japan 5 0 4 1 7 36 1
  • February 12:
    • Netherlands 1-10 Canada
    • Poland 5-4 Finland
    • Japan 0-16 USSR
  • February 14:
    • Netherlands 4-17 USSR
    • Poland 1-5 Canada
    • Japan 3-6 Finland
  • February 16
    • Japan 3-3 Netherlands
    • USSR 8-1 Poland
    • Canada 3-4 Finland
  • February 18
    • Canada 6-0 Japan
    • Netherlands 5-3 Poland
    • Finland 2-4 USSR
  • February 20
    • Poland 5-1 Japan
    • USSR 6-4 Canada
    • Finland 10-3 Netherlands

Medal Round

The top two teams from each group play the top two teams from the other group once. Points from previous games against their own group carry over, excluding teams who failed to make the medal round. First place team wins gold, second silver and third bronze.

Team Pld W L T GF GA Pts
Flag of United States United States 3 2 0 1 10 7 5
Flag of Soviet Union Soviet Union 3 2 1 0 16 8 4
Flag of Sweden Sweden 3 0 1 2 7 14 2
Flag of Finland Finland 3 0 2 1 7 11 1
  • February 22
    • USA 4-3 USSR
    • Finland 3-3 Sweden
  • February 24:
    • Sweden 2-9 USSR
    • USA 4-2 Finland

Carried over group matches:

  • February 12 Sweden 2-2 USA
  • February 18 Finland 2-4 USSR

5th place game

  • February 22 Czechoslovakia 6-1 Canada

Final ranking

  1. Flag of United States United States
  2. Flag of Soviet Union Soviet Union
  3. Flag of Sweden Sweden
  4. Flag of Finland Finland
  5. Flag of the Czech Republic Czechoslovakia
  6. Flag of Canada Canada
  7. Flag of Poland Poland
  8. Flag of Netherlands Netherlands
  9. Flag of Romania Romania
  10. Flag of West Germany West Germany
  11. Flag of Norway Norway
  12. Flag of Japan Japan

See also

References

  1. ↑ Brown, Frank. "Debacle on ice: Lake Placid ghosts still haunt Soviets", February 11, 1990, p. C14. 
  2. ↑ Swift, E.M.. "The Golden Goal", March 3, 1980, p. 16. 
  3. ↑ Martin, Ralbovsky. "U.S. may ban Soviets from Lake Placid, source says", January 16, 1980, p. 4A. 
  4. ↑ "Soviets set for Summer, Lake Placid", January 28, 1980, p. 1-C. 
  5. ↑ "The Olympic Boycott, 1980". United States Department of State. http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/time/qfp/104481.htm. Retrieved March 14, 2010. 
  6. ↑ Coffey, Wayne (2005). The Boys of Winter, E-book, New York City: Crown Publishers, 318. ISBN 0-307-23731-1. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Soviets thrash Americans", February 10, 1980, p. E7. 

External links


Ice hockey at the Olympic Games
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