American fans carry the flag across the ice as U.S. players celebrate their "Miracle on Ice" win over the Soviet Union in the background. (Red Grandy/Stars and Stripes)
LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — Would you believe that the Olympics of Eric Heiden have suddenly become "The Conquest of Russia Games?"
While Heiden was out skating 10.000 meters to his fifth straight gold medal Saturday morning, the American people were still savoring the U.S. hockey team's shocking 4-3 victory here Friday night.
And one of the ironies of it all is that Herb Brooks' team of destiny still had not clinched a gold medal.
The Yanks were scheduled to play Finland Sunday, with a win over the Finns guaranteeing them either a gold or silver, depending on what Sweden does in its Sunday match with the Soviet Union.
American fans celebrate during the "Miracle on Ice" game. (Red Grandy/Stars and Stripes)
The 3-3 draw between Finland and Sweden later Friday night prevented the frustrating possibility that the U.S. could finish its Olympic hockey campaign with a 6-0-1 record and still not get the gold if Sweden had a better goal differential.
For the American people, tired of seeing the Soviets prevail in hockey as well as political confrontations, their 1980 hockey squad has gold medal stature already. "It was the greatest American hockey triumph ever in international competition," said coach Brooks.
"Considering that the Olympic field did not include Canada in '72 or '76, and in light of the improvement in European hockey and the enlightenment the Russians and Czechs have brought to the Games, I'd have to rate this win as the greatest."
Brooks, 42, tried not to belittle two other memorable triumphs in Olympic, hockey. "Remember we wore the gold in Squaw Valley and the silver in '72 at Sapporo," he said.
Phil Verchota of the U.S. mixes it up with Vladimir Petrov of the Soviet UNion during the "Miracle on Ice" game. (Red Grandy/Stars and Stripes)
America's only other hockey gold also came on home ice when the U.S. beat the Russians in the finals 20 years ago. Brooks has reason to remember that 1960 success. He was the last player cut from that team. "They must have cut the right guy," said the current University of Minnesota coach, who went on to play for the 1964 and 1968 U.S. Olympic squads.
Brooks' wry humor has been overshadowed here by a continuing press relations battle. He sent his assistant, Craig Patrick, to the previous three post-game conferences here, appeared late at Friday night's session and has steadfastly refused to give the media post-game access to his players.
"I've said it over and over that we stress the team and family concept," said Brooks. "There is no star system on our squad. No one will be singled out."
Under questioning. Brooks did say that his regular goalie, Jim Craig, was "a tower of strength. For an American team to be a success in this type of competition, it must have a catalyst, someone to rally around, and it has to be the goalie."
Craig, a former Boston University star, stopped 36 Russian shots Friday, including 18 in the first period. He has yielded just 13 goals in six games here.
U.S. players celebrate Mike Eruzione's go-ahead goal with 10 minutes left in the third period. (Red Grandy/Stars and Stripes)
Brooks said his strategy for the Russian game was simple. "I stressed to the players that we must stay with our system and tactics. That's what got us this far. Too many teams back off.
"We didn't want to get in a muscle game with the Russians. Few teams have players as strong and as physical as theirs," he said.
"Fortunately, we stayed with our tactics until the last minute. Then I had to call the team over and calm it down."
The Russians had routed the same U.S. team 10-3 in a pre-Olympic showdown at Madison Square Garden. But apparently, they did not play here Friday with their normal poise.
"We didn't play well,' said Russian assistant coach Vladimir Jurzinov. "We made bad mistakes on defense and my feeling was that we were nervous."
Meanwhile, the American fans were thinking of their team as something more than human. "The fans in the arena were simply great," said Brooks. "There's no doubt that their support helped our team. But they were polite, there was no ugliness about it."
The capacity house of 8,500, the only American audience to see the game live (the ABC telecast was delayed for prime time viewing), was on a mini-exit after the final buzzer, as the vociferous spectators whooped it up for another 10 minutes.
On the ice, defenseman John O'Callahan and Mike Ramsey rolled in each other's arms at the blue line while the rest of the delirious U.S. players buried Craig at the goal.
Coaches and blue-blazered officials shuffled in street shoes onto the ice to join the moment of joy.
Brooks said that the "fueling of euphoria" carried into the drafting room, but subsided quickly. "They knew they had another match against Finland Sunday."
The Americans put pressure on Soviet goalie Vladislav Tretiak in the first period. (Red Grandy/Stars and Stripes)
Rob McClanahan carries the puck for the U.S. (Red Grandy/Stars and Stripes)
Soviet and U.S. players get tangled up. (Red Grandy/Stars and Stripes)
