Hockey is a fast-paced game that’s been an Olympic sport since 1920 and has been a staple at every Winter Games since. The sport’s edge-of-your-seat drama is part of what makes it so popular with fans.
The 1980 Lake Placid Olympics saw the most dramatic upset in the sport’s history when the U.S. team defeated the mighty Soviet squad in a game still known as the Miracle on Ice. More than 10,000 people jammed Blyth Arena for the semifinal, which was shown on tape delay that night for a bigger TV audience back home. The Americans trailed early on, with Soviet forward Vladimir Krutov putting the Soviets up 2-1 at 9:12 of the first period. But midway through the second stanza, American defenseman Dave Christian scored to tie the score at 2-2.
In overtime, both teams remained tied, and for the first time in Olympic hockey history, the gold medal would be decided by a shoot out. Five players from each team would rush the goalie, taking turns until one side led. Tommy Salo, a Swedish player who had never previously won an Olympic medal, saved Canada’s final shot by knocking the puck away with his foot.
Unlike the NHL, Olympic hockey is played on an oversized rink that’s 197 feet long by 98.5 feet wide. That extra space gives players a little more room to maneuver, though it also means that it’s easier for defenders to recover from a skate check.