The Olympic ice hockey tournament is the most prestigious in the game. It features 12 teams for each gender competing on a NHL-sized rink. The teams are qualified through a series of international competitions. Players wear helmets and goalies wear masks, and the sport follows IIHF rules. The rink is 197 feet long by 98.5 feet wide, with two end zones and a face-off circle. The game began at the 1920 Games in Antwerp, and the sport was included at every Olympics until 1998 in Nagano.
The men’s Olympic tournament has had a long history of drama and upsets. Two of the most notable were the improbable victories over the Soviet Union in the 1960 Squaw Valley and 1980 Lake Placid Games. The latter became known as the “Miracle on Ice” and is considered one of the most significant sports moments in American history.
In those days, there was a round-robin of games and medals were awarded based on the standings. But in 1992, playoffs were introduced. And in 1998, the format changed again so that all teams could play with their NHL players.
In the gold medal game at Lake Placid, the USA trailed 1-0 early in the first period. But forward Buzz Schneider tied the game with a dagger of a slap shot. Then, just seconds before the start of the second period, Mark Johnson caught a deflection off the stick of the Soviet goalie Vladislav Tretiak and put the Americans ahead 2-1. The Soviets responded by pulling Tretiak in favor of a backup, and the Americans hung on to win the game 4-3. The victory over the mighty Soviets would become famous as the Miracle on Ice.