@@TR-vr5pzthe Soviet players have said that if Tretiak was in net the whole game they would’ve won he was known for playing better after giving up a bad goal
I love how the Dutch announcer also the word “miracle.” It was universally understood to be a miracle no matter where you come from. I actually grew up respecting many of the Soviet players. I realized the miracle on ice wouldn’t have been a miracle if the opposition wasn’t great. They were magnificent, but for one day, we were the best.
I was just gonna say the same thing... Except (stupid me) I didn't know the play by play guy was Dutch....I assumed it was a Swedish broadcast... Of course, the only Tre Kronor I know, was from that Swedish Chef guy... that & Ikea ;)
The US had one chance only- and that was to skate their absolute best, have the Soviets not do the same, and capitalize on any breaks they earned. All happened that night. As Herb himself said- cue it up ten times in a row- and all the above probably only happens once. That was the time...
No, they were not. Most countries did never have their best players. Canada, Sweden and so on did not have their best players. The east countries did have their best players.
@@kennethmoh9042 you obviously know nothing about hockey. The Soviet’s had some of the best players in the world on that team. USA outshot by almost 2-1. Jim Craig had the best game of his life that night. Anyone else in goal that night and the USA is playing for a bronze. I was there. I saw the game. I know players on both sides
@@confucius2616 I did play hockey and followed hockey. Sovjetunionen and Tjeckoslovakien were the only teams who played with their best players. USA, Canada, Sweden and Finland did not have their best players. Canada was the best team, maybe Sweden was the second best. I remember when Polen beat Sovjet 2- 1.
@@kennethmoh9042 the Soviets had beaten the NHL all-star team easily in 1979, and in 1980 the team was even better (basically the same guys only with more experience). It's safe to say it wouldn't have mattered what players were fielded from Canada, Sweden, etc.
@@mrog5481. Not important. Much more difficult to beat Team Canada. Soviet, they were practising all the time together. If other teams had done the same they would also have played better.
I wouldnt say "all class" but thats the thing, if you want to be a multi time champion you cant really be all class, thats how hockey is, a tough game.
Didn't play well in '80 Olympics as Canada scored 4 goals also. So in 4 periods gave up 6 goals. In 1978 Worlds, the US pumped 4 by him first half of game to make it 4-4 and scored 5 goals. Tretiak was a good goalie but not top 5 all time. Hasek, Roy, Plante, Dryden and Vasilevsky were and are better. I would put him with Brodeur.
1:15 fabulous goal off the rush by the Soviets. That one really highlighted exactly why the Soviets were so good. Their transition game and passing was so lethal. Little to no room for mistakes against them and hockey is a game of mistakes no matter how good your team is.
From a perspective of a Canadian I saw something different and special about that American Team after watching them beat Czechoslovakia 7-3. It wasn't as noticeable during the Sweden 2-2 final but after that game they appeared to play better and better each game together as a Team through adversity right up to the Soviet Union game. I really believe the same Team that beat the Soviet Union would have beaten Sweden 4-2 instead of ending 2-2. USA played much better after the 10-3 thrashing against the Soviet Union in the Pre-Olympic Game and 2-2 Sweden game. The 7-3 Czechoslovakia game win appeared to be the confidence momentum turning point in that Olympics.
As a fellow Canadian that watched these games, I agree....the turning point for me as a viewer to take the American team seriously was the wipe out of the Czechoslovakian team which was at that time considered the 2nd best team in the world.....that is when you started to think just perhaps the Americans could do the unthinkable.
I think it was brilliant of US group to plan that Russian game a week before at MSG. Get a taste of what they are like on the ice. Would make it easier to not be in so much awe of them when it counted. You’ve seen the stories. The Americans were watching the Russians warm up they were so enthralled by them. Getting that taste of USSR actual game time instead of videos and film...and the a$$ kicking made the game when it counted a little more realistic. My opinion.
I agree completely. I played a little goal myself in high school, and that Czech game was the real eye-opener; that's when I began paying attention. And then the night of the USSR game I was stuck doing inventory at a college bookstore. Sheeeeyyyet.
I have been a big NCAA fan since BC lost in the 1965 NCAA Tourney when I was 10. At the end of the 1979 NCAA season Brooks was named US coach for the 1979 IIHF Worlds. He selected 8 NCAA players that would play in the 1980 Olympics and 3 more NCAA players (Mullen, Korn and Ramp Cox). That team tied Czechoslovakia 2-2 with Craig in net. That game to me was a harbinger of what was to come in 1980. If you were a NCAA fan you knew that group of NCAA Players in 1978-79 was EASILY the most talented to that point. Joe Mullen became a HOF player. Rod Laneway had he finished college would have graduated in 1979 so another HOF from this group. I thought a Silver though unlikely was absolutely possible. SI picked them to win Bronze. Probably based on home ice and beating the USSR\CSSR B Teams who were excellent Teams. The 21-40 best players in those countries were still terrific players. Think what a Canadian B Team from 1979-80 season would have looked like. Think what a US B Team from 2019-20 would look like. So there was definitely a small sample of play against really good teams.
Everyone knows Tretiak was one of the best Goalies ever. Our US team winning that game and him getting sent off the ice will never change that. An Amazing Hockey player and a great talent. All the Soviet players were, that's part of the reason why it's a Miracle. The international competition for hockey has been a fierce one, and the most exciting I think in any global sport.
@@kevinmorrice many people agree benching tretiak was what clinched it. I am one of them. Though I still like to think those boys would have still won.
@@kevinmorrice That's really how it becomes a miracle... Even scoring on Tertiak I think was a huge accomplishment, scoring on him twice and getting him off the ice was HUGE!! Coming back to win in the third even watching it now you feel tense like the Soviets can turn it around at any second. (because they could have)
Thank you for this video. As an American I've really only been given our side and the Soviets to some degree. It is refreshing to add another perspective to enrich the story, to give it more depth. So again, thank you.
absolutely. I'm fascinated about the Soviet perspective during this time, especially the pulling of Tretiak after period 1. It's the ultimate what could have been case. Would Tretiak have shutout the Americans had he stayed in? Maybe! We will never know and thats what makes it fascinating to me.
Yeah this was a really cool video from the perspective of an American. I always assumed we hype the results of that game but this suggests the legend of that game is justified.
Probably more than just an argument - I'd say a probability. Tretiak was absolutely awesome - maybe the best goalie in the history of the game. Hard to imagine him giving up two more.
Think about this............a group of college kids who played together less than one year come together to beat the World’s Best Hockey Team made up of “Professional Players” whose average age was 8 - 10 years older and had played together for many, many years! When you think about this game in those terms it truly is a “Miracle” that the U.S. won!
Scott, 9 of the 20 players played TOGETHER on 1979 NCAA CHAMPION UMINN. EVERY PLAYER other than Christian had a NCAA teammate on the team. So, they knew each other pre 1979-80 schedule. Stop propagating myths.
@@KMK7355 Cont. - “BRAINIAC”, don’t miss my point……..our team, “The American Team”, had players from several different colleges on it and that particular group played together less than one year ALL TOGETHER! Many players played for Herb Brooks for the first time in their lives, again for less than one year! These were college kids, not “Professional Athletes” employed by the Russian Military who were paid and whose job was to play hockey 11 months per year, living in a barracks together without seeing their families hardly at all during that time! IT WAS THEIR JOB! Also, the Russians average age was 8 to 10 years higher than the American college kids! A few of the players were 15 years OLDER than the Americans! Most of the Russians played for Viktor Tikhonov for several years together vs. the one year with Brooks for the Americans! I would think that even you are “intelligent” enough to see the HUGE DISPARITY between these two teams! Last, Tikhonov had won the previous 3 Olympic Gold Medals! If you think I’m “Embellishing the Truth” then I would say you are A COMPLETE IDIOT who has lost sight of REALITY! You are a DUMB SHIT for sure! Have fun trying to “tie your shoes”!
"Can you imagine if this really happened?" says a kid who watched Miracle, thinking it was a fictional movie. Thing is, he happened to say this to the real-life Jim Craig, when the latter was giving a speech, stopped to talk to the kid at random.
If the USSR was so fantastic explain how they list 2 out of 6 Olympics from 1960-1980 to the US? Why couldn't they beat Canada in '72 or '76? Lots of really shitty teams in Olympic hockey like Holland, Romania, Japan and Norway that literalky the 1983 Team Massachusetts HS All Stars could have beaten...lol. You don't know WTF you're talking about.
Man I wish Tretiak could have played with an NHL team before he retired. I got to watch the Russian 5 play for my Red Wings what a joy it was to see them make fools of the other NHL teams night after night..
They were also supplemented with great players such as Yzerman and Lidstrom. Its debateable if they would have won either Cup without those two players, one a Canadian and the other a Swede.
They were really just past their prime as well. Had they been in the NHL say 4 or 5 years earlier, I shutter to think of the damage they would have wrought.
In Canada I practiced in a Vladislav Tretiak jersey .. Mentor and hero to my young self he was. 14 heart attacks later I still play 37yr in the lonely pipes eh. Chin up and all that...
I think the closest we came to seeing anything like this was when NC State went on that incredible run during March Madness and beat Houston in the Championship game.
No, not greatest goalie or team of all time. Hasek, Vasi, Roy, Plante and Dryden all better. None of those guys got beat by like this. Incidentally in the '78 Worlds Team USA pumped 4 goals by Tretiak first 30 minutes which at that point was 4-4. Game ended 9-5 USSR but they had to score SIX GOALS TO BEAT A THROWN TOGETHER TEAM OF NHL\NCAA PLAYERS INCLUDING '80 OLYMPIANS JOHNSON\MORROW.
Tretiak was and will always be one of the greatest goaltenders of all time. Highly skilled, in outstanding physical condition and a great student of the game. The 1980 Men's Hockey Team pulled off "The Miracle". STIILL after all these years, it's my favorite sports memory in my life. I've played and been a fan of alot of sports and watched that game from start to finish. It came at a time when America was down. The Iranian Hostage crisis, gas shortages and a President who was completely lost! Coach Herb Brooks did a masterful job in bringing "These Boys" to get together and Kick the hell out of the world! As with every American, I was very proud of "OUR COUNTRY" once again!
It wasn't about Tretiak failing to stop the goal, it was about the rest of the team not scoring more than two in the first. I think that answers his question, shock the rest of the team to do better.
Both goals Tretiak gave up were hideous goals. Buzzie Schneider beat him from 40 feet at a bad angle, and Mark Johnson faked him out of his jockstrap. You don't get much uglier than that. You gotta remember, too, that Tikhonov felt that Myshkin was his ace in the hole. He had shut out the NHL All-Stars just a few months before, 6-0. And the two goals he gave up to Johnson and Eruzione weren't nearly as ugly as the two Tretiak gave up.
@@broadstreet21 Short answer is this: You have good days, and you have bad days. But the whole team also set itself up for failure by being lulled to sleep, partly by Herb Brooks, and partly by their own success. Brooks sent his young guys into the exhibition as MSG a bit tired (on purpose). The resulting 10-3 blowout bred disrespect on the part of the Russians, and a sense of urgency on the part of the Americans. But if the Russians had really paid attention to that game, they scored all their goals pretty much in the first two periods. The Americans played them pretty evenly in the third, due to their superior conditioning. But the Russians didn't notice. Then again, the first two games the Soviets had in the Games were against the Netherlands and JAPAN, for heaven's sake. They demolished both by a collective score of 34-3. Recipe for complacency right there. Their loss to the U.S. in the Miracle game was definitely a team effort.
We'll never know whether Tretiak was really the best goalie at the time. Dryden retired young and was IMO his equal. Billy Smith was also a great goalie overlooked because of the Islanders dynasty. Tony O in his prime was also very close to him.
Tretiak is not only a class act, but without a doubt the greatest Goalie of all time. Tikhonov panicked by pulling Tretiak. Eruzione gets all the headlines, but Jimmy Craig and Mark Johnson are reasons #1 & #2 why the US beat the Soviets.
Tretiak is probably #6\#7 behind Hasek, Roy, Plante, Dryden and Vasilevsky and the equal of Brodeur. I am 70 and have literally seen everyone of those goalies though Plante was a bit past prime by even 1964-65.
If you look at various sporting events over the years where the result was one that made people think “there’s no way that should’ve happened,” this is number one on the list. The 69 Mets, 69 Jets, Villanova beating a powerhouse Georgetown team to win the 1985 NCAA tournament, etc. None are as improbable as this one.
I've never seen that dump-in in slow-mo, or from that angle, but it looked like that puck deflected off the defenseman and then bounced? maybe I'm wrong, but if that was the case, Tretiak made a great save, the de didn't block Johnson out
Tretiak forever will be my most favored goalie. He was simply at another level. I remember the Miracle on Ice- could not believe the Russians pulled him after the first period. Cost them the game and a piece of history. Respect for the Russian team though- on an average day they could shred the U.S. college level team.
He wasn't "at another level," for that game. He and 19 other Russkis were dead asleep and WAY overconfident. I used to play goal in high school, and I can safely tell you that the two goals he gave were beyond horrible. A sharp-angle slapper from Buzzie Schneider that he saw all the way? Please. And Mark Johnson faked him out of his jock when Tretiak's head was already in the dressing room. He was as great as you say he was, agreed. But that game, he was a baaaad goalie.
@@blackhawkswincup2010 one game does not define. Vladislav Tretiak was an amazing goaltender all around, probably one of the greatest during the Russian Olympic rule.
@@blackhawkswincup2010Tretiak would’ve came out in the 2nd period and played much better. Was he and the other USSR team overconfident? Ohh no doubt they were and he even said it himself that we took the USA team way to lightly and that’s something that you cannot do and keep in mind two weeks prior they played the Soviets in Madison Square Garden and got their asses spanked. Even guys like Mark Johnson said that they were in awe of some of the goals that they scored to a point where they were just spectators watching the game like fans and Tretiak knew it, but what Tretiak failed to remember was that was this is now and the US we’re ready for them.
Sometimes you're flush and sometimes you're bust, and when you're up, it's never as good as it seems, and when you're down, you never think you'll be up again, but life goes on.
According to the 30-30 film that played on ESPN and showed it from the Soviet point of view, the USSR hockey team was not housed in the Olympic village. They were housed in an old prison, which was cold and at night when doors closed it was very noisy (the sound carried). Shots of the prison were showed. Nobody will ever know if their lack of comfort affected the team for the USA game, as they won all the others, but we'll never know for sure.
It was the Olympic village, but was destined to be converted to a prison after the games. One of the conditions of Olympic sites is that the facilities are supposed to be put to use after the Games, and this was the best idea anyone could come up with since Lake Placid has neither the population to fill it as housing nor a University that could use it as dormitories. Athletes from many countries did stay there, but nobody would claim it was the most comfortable experience.
@@54raynor Got it. But the Russians complained it was cold and the sound carried all through the night (they'd be woken up every time someone went to the bathroom. I have no way of knowing if the Russians were overstating the discomfort to explain why they lost to the Americans, but the film appeared to back them up.
I've never seen a Soviet player interviewed who didn't give the Americans credit. USA just caught them at the right time. Epic win over the best hockey team ever.
James Fields, Not going to argue how good Soviets were as they beat the NHL All Stars in 1979. However they controlled their player placements with CSKA getting the more elite players. So familiarity made an impact. Its what helped the US Team as 8 UMinnesota players played together and only 5 NCAA schools made up the 1980 US Olympic Team. The Soviets had an extremely young D CORP as Fetisov and Starikov were 21\22 years old and Kasatonov was 20. Morrow, and Baker were more than 2 years older than Kasatonov and 1.25 older than Fetisov and Starikov. O'Callahan was also older than those 3. In addition the Soviets had lack of depth of elite of players born 1955-58. On D their best players born between 1955-58 was Fetisov with 55\56 Pervukhin and Bilayaletidinov. Compare that to a hypothetical US D Corp from the 1955-58 D pool and then Forwards D - O'Connell - Langway Morrow - Roberts Larson - Dunn Brownschidle - Norwich I would rate players like this Fetisov - Langway - Larson Morrow - O'Connell - Bilayaletidinov- So 4-2 USA C - Howe - Johnson- Miller-Debol W - Fidler - Jensen - Rowe - Holmgren - Mullen - Gorence Silk-Carlson Soviets only had 1 forward born between. 1955-58 in Makarov on their 1980 Olympic Team and 5 on the 1984 Olympic Team and 3 on their 1981 Canada Cup Team. USA would have had one or two more forwards on a combined 1955-58 NCAA age team. C - Howe - Shepelev- Johnson- Miller W - Makarov - Mullen - Drozdetsky Holmgren- Kohznevkov-Rowe- Tyumenev -Fidler
I’m gonna say this now but if Tikhonov didn’t pull the greatest goalie ever Tretiak at the end of the first period then I think that the Russians win that game. Viktor Tikhonov made the gravest mistake ever by doing that. But you gotta love and respect Tretiak for how he respects the US and even said that the movie miracle was outstanding after he watched it. I’m glad that he comes to the US and takes in an NHL game every now and then and the American hockey fans stop him and take pictures with him out of respect
The one thing not discussed is that we (The Americans) were GOONS. We beat the crap out of the soviets. Everytime they touched the puck, they knew somebody was going to hit them and hit them hard. We even would ignore the puck to get the hit. That is not the european style of play. But to play that style on big ice requires fitness on another level. Brooks knew the kids would never have the stick work and puck handling of the Soviets. So he made it a physical and mental game. Not a skill game. Brilliant coaching and them winning remains one of the best memories of my youth.
That's for US. Here is what a best of NCAA aged players from 1982-83 season would have looked like: USA G - VanBiesbrouck - Casey D - Chelios - Hirsch Fusco - Ludwig Housley - Kurvers C - Carpenter - Fergus - Brooke Fusco W - Mullen-Bjugstad - Bourque-Miller-Millen Brickley- Kumpel - Guay
From a Canadian this was truly a magical moment. But it’s sad to see when they pan to the stands after a big goal or even after the win and 60% of the crowd is sitting down lol. Wtf. Especially the fact this was during the Cold War. Goes to show Americans don’t have hockey in their blood. Go Canada Go baby!
Why were the Dutch so good at speed skating but never an ice hockey nation? I'm an American who speaks German as a second language. I noticed that if I listen long enough, I can catch the similarities between Dutch & German.
tretiak was good. But remember one thing. People forget to mention this. And give tretiak more credit than deserved in my opinion...tretiak only played international games/ tournaments...he had weeks months and sometimes a year to analyze,prepare and train for those games....if tretiak was in the nhl with a hectic schedule, travelling, injuries and fatigue...plus players getting to know his "weak spot" do you think tretiak would of been the goalie we all praise nearly 50 years now? Nope.
Very good point but we will never know but give the man some dignity he was a legend in his time plenty of great players faced him and did not fair well
@@joshuaburris6805 he was good, but the great players he faced didnt know him..russia back then was a total secret to nhl players...i still think tretiak in the nhl would be good , but not great like we think without him actually playing there! Fatigue, travelling, injuries, hectic schedule would of worked against him
Tretiak along with all the other USSR players played in what is today's KHL regular season. The USSR "hot housed" the best players on The Red Army to give them familiarity for Olympics and World Tourneys. However Grecian played a regular Soviet season.
@@pyatig 4:27 - The Russian broadcaster excitedly calls this game a miracle. Heh, he probably was tired of seeing Russians winning, wanting a worthy competitor for the Russians.
The MVP for the Americans was Coach Tikhonov. No way they would’ve won if Tretiak was left in goal. He must’ve thought letting up 2 goals to the Americans was an embarrassment but not a threat. That’s why you never underestimate the little guy.
Tretiak had a very off night, but he sure wasn't alone. The whole Russian team was sound asleep. You would be, too, if you'd beaten these guys 10-3, then stomped on the Netherlands and freaking JAPAN by a combined score of 34-3.
@@blackhawkswincup2010 it was the perfect storm. If the Americans hadn't played the Soviets earlier and gotten absolutely waxed, I'm sure the Soviets would have come ready to play. Instead, they treated the game like a joke, and only started getting serious when it was too late. Just proof that literally anything can happen in sports.
Japan and Netherlands were not even AHL quality. The Soviets should have known by the performance of the US against Czechoslovakia they would need a decent effort. Craig, Tretiak, Johnson, Eruzione, Bilyaletidinov, Pervukhin and Starikov were the primary reasons the US won that game.
I was 12 yrs old and sick.with the mumps...so I missed a.week of.school...but my dad and I sat up late to watch the USA hockey team...we didn't know shiite about hockey..to me the turning point of the tournament was when a.romanian player(or maybe Czech player) cheap shot 1 of our players and the cameras caught brooks mouthing some expletives...I think right then the players knew he had their backs
That's a great story. And your exactly right. I was watching the game with my brother and I was 9 at the time and I can remember my brother picking me up and throwing me up in the air and the everyone in the house going insane. Wonderful moments all around. Thank you for your story.
Tretaik was benched the same reason Patrick Roy got benched against red wings after letting 9 goals he was having a bad night not as bad coach tikhonov pulled him because he was looking sluggish wich is fine all goaltenders have them now and then
It is not a sure thing that the Russians would have won with Tretiak but it was a very bad look to pull him like that after just two goals. Or ever. It just wasn't proper to pull Tretiak.
wait....did the russians actually pull Tretiak out of the game when it was 2-2 and he didn't play the rest of the game??? lol that's not a "miracle on ice", the coach sabotaged his own team more like it. I had no idea this is what actually happened; no wonder they lost.
@@mrog5481lol 😂 ohh they absolutely despised him. Some of the Russian five players from the red wings said they absolutely hated him and asked about Scottie Bowman they smiled and said hockey was fun underneath his leadership and we not only got to do something we all loved but got paid millions of dollars and played for a Stanley cup.
The 1979 Islanders lost 3-2 to the Soviets and the 1980-84 Islanders with Butch Goring and Bossy and company in their prime would have mauled them and DID maul the Brooks-coached Rangers two years later.
Tretiak wants to believe he would have been the difference ..... he would not have ! The Americans lost to them ten days before in an exhibition game at Madison Square Garden ... 10 to 3 .... it was an arse whoopin ! In the medal round game THEY WERE INDEED a little careless and too assured in not working hard, hustling and playing to the last moment of the period - all these things cost them dearly. The shots beating Mishkin (Goalie) would have beaten Tretiak as well. The defense was not able to keep up with the faster and relentless play of the Americans .... simply put IT WAS DESTINY ...via a MIRACLE !!!! GBjj
Jeff, Two years prior in the 1978 Worlds the USA WITH 20 YEAR OLD MARK JOHNSON and 21 YEAR OLD KEN MORROW pumped 4 goals past Tretiak just half way they lost 9-5. Between the '78 Worlds and '80 Olympics Tretiak gave up a total of 7 goals in 4 periids. Sorry people that isn't goaltending worthy if being called the greatest of all time.
Tikhonov was embarrassed on how Tretiak performed in that first period and that last second goal pissed him off and at the heat of the moment pulled him and put Myshkin in net who was a very talented goalie, but oops 😬 that probably wasn’t a good idea.
It was a considered a "miracle" because everyone knew Russia had the superior hockey team. If your Russian, there's your respect. If it was a best of 7 the US would have likely lost in 5 games.
He didn't panic he was trying to motivate the other Russian players by letting them know no one on their team was going to not play hard and stay in the game the Russians expected an easy win like 10 days earlier and it shows the first period
Tikhonov took the secret to his grave? What secret? Tretiak was shaky in the previous game against Canada and was no better against the US. He let in two softies and was deservedly pulled. Years later he is still whining and insisting that they would have won. He obviously believes he was a lot better than he actually was.
Tretiak is full of horse manure. Both goals were beyond embarrassing. I used to play a little goal in high school, and he would have needed to look in the next time zone to find his jockstrap after that fake that Johnson gave him. The goals Myshkin gave up were so-so. He did okay, but both pucks had eyes. Tretiak has never been able to admit to himself that he simply had a bad game. But he also had 19 teammates who could have said the same thing. They were way overconfident and dead asleep.
@NBCeeUs! Well, you're right, but then again, I can't say I ever expected anybody to care that I played. However, to those of us who care to look just a bit deeper into the matter, as opposed to those who are simply looking for someone to put down, might get that my point was that I have some small experience in how Tretiak played that day. Cheers!
You got your a$$ handed on a silver platter. You Russians were professional players. You got beat by college young men. You were cheating all them years saying you weren't professional.
BULLSHIT...Tretiak is my hero, huge Russian hockey fan here in the USA....YES...USA. The REAL "Miracle on Ice" was the 1976 First game of the World Champions when Poland defeated Soviet Union 6-4. Collectively as a team the 1980 USA team won 5 Stanley Cups and players played in over 1600 NHL games. The next day Poland lost 12-0 to CSSR. SO PLEASE enough with the USA Propaganda
all due respect, no. The context of it being a medal round game instead of an early group game is much, MUCH different. Ken Morrow had 4 of those Stanley Cup rings, landing on the last true Dynasty in the NHL, and while he played a role on that team, Bossy, Trottier, Potvin, Smith, Nystrom,and Tonnelli had a lot more to do with that run of success than did Morrow. Yes, that US team had a bunch of talent on it, but remember too that the USSR outshot the USA in the game in Lake Placid 39-16. That Poland team was outshot as well but just 37-30. It was also a very young team, with eight players aged 23 or under - and youth can and does lead to flat performances. The Polish win was impressive. But the Soviets were not the same team at the 1976 World Championships that they were at the 80 Olympics. Not by a long shot. All that said, the reason the upset happened in 80 was 100% the decision to pull Tretiak. That was a move that was incredibly arrogant and no doubt helped lead to the win for the US team.
The USA was a bunch of college kids taking on the professional athletes of the Soviet Union. There is no comparison. Some of those kids went on to have NHL success, but they certainly were not NHL greats when they played that game. It was the equivalent of those kids playing against the Montreal Canadians in their prime.
@@shadytnu24 well its arguable by analysts and other coaches that the 2010 to 2016 Blackhawks were a legitimate dynasty. 3 of 5 Stanley Cups were theirs. From 2010 to 2015 and were a feared powerhouse in years they didn't take the cups all the way up to 2018. Then their fall began.
@@wadesworld6250 the equivalent would be comparable to Providence College taking on the 1944-1951 Toronto Maple Leafs. Toronto won 5 cups in that span. This game would be the equivalent of Providence beating the Leafs in that time
@@anakinskywalker8610 are you really arguing that a team who lost in the first round TWICE during their run is on par with a team that won 19 straight playoff series?
This is why Tretiek is a legend
I see a lot of class in Tretiek.
Tretiak choked in the big games/series--72 Summit Series 80 Olympics
@@TR-vr5pz he played 1 period, USA got lucky the USSR coach remove him imo it was him who choked honestly
@@TR-vr5pz you have got to be joking lol
@@TR-vr5pzthe Soviet players have said that if Tretiak was in net the whole game they would’ve won he was known for playing better after giving up a bad goal
I love how the Dutch announcer also the word “miracle.” It was universally understood to be a miracle no matter where you come from. I actually grew up respecting many of the Soviet players. I realized the miracle on ice wouldn’t have been a miracle if the opposition wasn’t great. They were magnificent, but for one day, we were the best.
I was just gonna say the same thing... Except (stupid me) I didn't know the play by play guy was Dutch....I assumed it was a Swedish broadcast... Of course, the only Tre Kronor I know, was from that Swedish Chef guy... that & Ikea ;)
And so much had to go right for the US to win the game. They played well but they got the breaks too. It was a miracle.
The US had one chance only- and that was to skate their absolute best, have the Soviets not do the same, and capitalize on any breaks they earned. All happened that night. As Herb himself said- cue it up ten times in a row- and all the above probably only happens once. That was the time...
The whole soviet team was a class act not to mention phenomenal hockey players
No, they were not. Most countries did never have their best players. Canada, Sweden and so on did not have their best players. The east countries did have their best players.
@@kennethmoh9042 you obviously know nothing about hockey. The Soviet’s had some of the best players in the world on that team. USA outshot by almost 2-1. Jim Craig had the best game of his life that night. Anyone else in goal that night and the USA is playing for a bronze. I was there. I saw the game. I know players on both sides
@@confucius2616 I did play hockey and followed hockey. Sovjetunionen and Tjeckoslovakien were the only teams who played with their best players. USA, Canada, Sweden and Finland did not have their best players. Canada was the best team, maybe Sweden was the second best.
I remember when Polen beat Sovjet 2- 1.
@@kennethmoh9042 the Soviets had beaten the NHL all-star team easily in 1979, and in 1980 the team was even better (basically the same guys only with more experience). It's safe to say it wouldn't have mattered what players were fielded from Canada, Sweden, etc.
@@mrog5481. Not important. Much more difficult to beat Team Canada. Soviet, they were practising all the time together. If other teams had done the same they would also have played better.
That Soviet team was all class. They were a true championship team of my lifetime….except for one magical night. RIP Herb.
I wouldnt say "all class" but thats the thing, if you want to be a multi time champion you cant really be all class, thats how hockey is, a tough game.
One of the greatest goalies of all time.
No Stanleycup for Tretiak. Sad to say. Would have been nice to see Him in the NHL.
Didn't play well in '80 Olympics as Canada scored 4 goals also.
So in 4 periods gave up 6 goals.
In 1978 Worlds, the US pumped 4 by him first half of game to make it 4-4 and scored 5 goals.
Tretiak was a good goalie but not top 5 all time.
Hasek, Roy, Plante, Dryden and
Vasilevsky were and are better.
I would put him with Brodeur.
Wow what a fantastic video and such a classy take by probably the best goal tender ever to play the game.
1:15 fabulous goal off the rush by the Soviets. That one really highlighted exactly why the Soviets were so good. Their transition game and passing was so lethal. Little to no room for mistakes against them and hockey is a game of mistakes no matter how good your team is.
As an American, I think this guy is class personified
How you accept defeat is at least as important as you accept your wins.
I love to hear the enthusiasm from the Dutch announcer.
From a perspective of a Canadian I saw something different and special about that American Team after watching them beat Czechoslovakia 7-3. It wasn't as noticeable during the Sweden 2-2 final but after that game they appeared to play better and better each game together as a Team through adversity right up to the Soviet Union game. I really believe the same Team that beat the Soviet Union would have beaten Sweden 4-2 instead of ending 2-2. USA played much better after the 10-3 thrashing against the Soviet Union in the Pre-Olympic Game and 2-2 Sweden game. The 7-3 Czechoslovakia game win appeared to be the confidence momentum turning point in that Olympics.
As a fellow Canadian that watched these games, I agree....the turning point for me as a viewer to take the American team seriously was the wipe out of the Czechoslovakian team which was at that time considered the 2nd best team in the world.....that is when you started to think just perhaps the Americans could do the unthinkable.
I think it was brilliant of US group to plan that Russian game a week before at MSG. Get a taste of what they are like on the ice. Would make it easier to not be in so much awe of them when it counted. You’ve seen the stories. The Americans were watching the Russians warm up they were so enthralled by them. Getting that taste of USSR actual game time instead of videos and film...and the a$$ kicking made the game when it counted a little more realistic. My opinion.
Now... what if the Canadians stole the show and somehow won gold?
I agree completely. I played a little goal myself in high school, and that Czech game was the real eye-opener; that's when I began paying attention. And then the night of the USSR game I was stuck doing inventory at a college bookstore. Sheeeeyyyet.
I have been a big NCAA fan since
BC lost in the 1965 NCAA Tourney
when I was 10.
At the end of the 1979 NCAA season Brooks was named US coach for the 1979 IIHF Worlds.
He selected 8 NCAA players that
would play in the 1980 Olympics
and 3 more NCAA players (Mullen, Korn and Ramp Cox).
That team tied Czechoslovakia 2-2
with Craig in net.
That game to me was a harbinger of what was to come in 1980.
If you were a NCAA fan you knew that group of NCAA Players in
1978-79 was EASILY the most talented to that point. Joe Mullen
became a HOF player. Rod Laneway had he finished college would have graduated in 1979 so
another HOF from this group.
I thought a Silver though unlikely
was absolutely possible.
SI picked them to win Bronze.
Probably based on home ice
and beating the USSR\CSSR
B Teams who were excellent
Teams. The 21-40 best players in those countries were still terrific players.
Think what a Canadian B Team
from 1979-80 season would have looked like. Think what a US B Team from 2019-20 would look like.
So there was definitely a small sample of play against really good teams.
Craig played unbelievable good goalies play great when they know thereopponent is unbelievable
Everyone knows Tretiak was one of the best Goalies ever. Our US team winning that game and him getting sent off the ice will never change that. An Amazing Hockey player and a great talent. All the Soviet players were, that's part of the reason why it's a Miracle. The international competition for hockey has been a fierce one, and the most exciting I think in any global sport.
What happens when the best team doesn't play their best and a lesser team plays phenomenally. Football talk -- Any Given Sunday.
imagine if he tretiak wasnt sent off, the miracle may never have happened
@@kevinmorrice many people agree benching tretiak was what clinched it. I am one of them. Though I still like to think those boys would have still won.
@@NotTheWheel ive seen people say that if they hadnt benched tretiak the game would have been tied at best
@@kevinmorrice That's really how it becomes a miracle... Even scoring on Tertiak I think was a huge accomplishment, scoring on him twice and getting him off the ice was HUGE!! Coming back to win in the third even watching it now you feel tense like the Soviets can turn it around at any second. (because they could have)
Thank you for this video. As an American I've really only been given our side and the Soviets to some degree. It is refreshing to add another perspective to enrich the story, to give it more depth. So again, thank you.
absolutely. I'm fascinated about the Soviet perspective during this time, especially the pulling of Tretiak after period 1. It's the ultimate what could have been case. Would Tretiak have shutout the Americans had he stayed in? Maybe! We will never know and thats what makes it fascinating to me.
Yeah this was a really cool video from the perspective of an American. I always assumed we hype the results of that game but this suggests the legend of that game is justified.
the legend has spoken
"Win together today!!! and we walk together forever !!!" - Fred Shero
Proud of my Dutch heritage for this..hoopla Lieden!!0
One could definitely argue That Tikhanov's decision to bench the best goaltender on Earth at that time, cost them that game.
Probably more than just an argument - I'd say a probability. Tretiak was absolutely awesome - maybe the best goalie in the history of the game. Hard to imagine him giving up two more.
@@mrog5481 I'm sure Patrick Roy could give him a run for his money.
He clearly panicked under pressure which is the reason why he took it to his grace.
Myshkin was the goalie in G3 when the USSR beat the NHL
All Stars in the 1979 Challenge Cup. Tikhonov probably had complete confidence in
Myshkin.
@@broadstreet21highly doubt it.
Think about this............a group of college kids who played together less than one year come together to beat the World’s Best Hockey Team made up of “Professional Players” whose average age was 8 - 10 years older and had played together for many, many years! When you think about this game in those terms it truly is a “Miracle” that the U.S. won!
Scott,
9 of the 20 players played TOGETHER on 1979 NCAA
CHAMPION UMINN.
EVERY PLAYER other than Christian had a NCAA teammate
on the team. So, they knew each other pre 1979-80 schedule.
Stop propagating myths.
@@KMK7355 OK Kevin, several players had “some” experience playing with other players on the team! Point taken! HOWEVER “
@@KMK7355 Cont. - “BRAINIAC”, don’t miss my point……..our team, “The American Team”, had players from several different colleges on it and that particular group played together less than one year ALL TOGETHER! Many players played for Herb Brooks for the first time in their lives, again for less than one year! These were college kids, not “Professional Athletes” employed by the Russian Military who were paid and whose job was to play hockey 11 months per year, living in a barracks together without seeing their families hardly at all during that time! IT WAS THEIR JOB! Also, the Russians average age was 8 to 10 years higher than the American college kids! A few of the players were 15 years OLDER than the Americans! Most of the Russians played for Viktor Tikhonov for several years together vs. the one year with Brooks for the Americans! I would think that even you are “intelligent” enough to see the HUGE DISPARITY between these two teams! Last, Tikhonov had won the previous 3 Olympic Gold Medals! If you think I’m “Embellishing the Truth” then I would say you are A COMPLETE IDIOT who has lost sight of REALITY! You are a DUMB SHIT for sure! Have fun trying to “tie your shoes”!
"Can you imagine if this really happened?" says a kid who watched Miracle, thinking it was a fictional movie.
Thing is, he happened to say this to the real-life Jim Craig, when the latter was giving a speech, stopped to talk to the kid at random.
If the USSR was so fantastic
explain how they list 2 out of 6
Olympics from 1960-1980 to
the US? Why couldn't they beat Canada in '72 or '76?
Lots of really shitty teams in Olympic hockey like Holland, Romania, Japan and Norway
that literalky the 1983 Team Massachusetts HS All Stars
could have beaten...lol.
You don't know WTF you're talking about.
Hello to Russia, you played respectably and I appreciate you.
Had a great view from the bench for most of it 😂
Man I wish Tretiak could have played with an NHL team before he retired. I got to watch the Russian 5 play for my Red Wings what a joy it was to see them make fools of the other NHL teams night after night..
They were also supplemented with
great players such as Yzerman
and Lidstrom. Its debateable if they would have won either Cup
without those two players, one a Canadian and the other a Swede.
They were really just past their prime as well. Had they been in the NHL say 4 or 5 years earlier, I shutter to think of the damage they would have wrought.
In Canada I practiced in a Vladislav Tretiak jersey .. Mentor and hero to my young self he was.
14 heart attacks later I still play 37yr in the lonely pipes eh. Chin up and all that...
I think the closest we came to seeing anything like this was when NC State went on that incredible run during March Madness and beat Houston in the Championship game.
Greatest goalie and team of all time.
No, not greatest goalie or team of all time.
Hasek, Vasi, Roy, Plante and Dryden all better.
None of those guys got beat by
like this.
Incidentally in the '78 Worlds
Team USA pumped 4 goals by
Tretiak first 30 minutes which at that point was 4-4. Game ended 9-5 USSR but they had to score SIX GOALS TO BEAT A THROWN TOGETHER TEAM OF NHL\NCAA
PLAYERS INCLUDING '80 OLYMPIANS JOHNSON\MORROW.
Tretiak was and will always be one of the greatest goaltenders of all time. Highly skilled, in outstanding physical condition and a great student of the game.
The 1980 Men's Hockey Team pulled off "The Miracle". STIILL after all these years, it's my favorite sports memory in my life. I've played and been a fan of alot of sports and watched that game from start to finish. It came at a time when America was down. The Iranian Hostage crisis, gas shortages and a President who was completely lost! Coach Herb Brooks did a masterful job in bringing "These Boys" to get together and Kick the hell out of the world! As with every American, I was very proud of "OUR COUNTRY" once again!
Twas a beautiful thing!
It wasn't about Tretiak failing to stop the goal, it was about the rest of the team not scoring more than two in the first. I think that answers his question, shock the rest of the team to do better.
Both goals Tretiak gave up were hideous goals. Buzzie Schneider beat him from 40 feet at a bad angle, and Mark Johnson faked him out of his jockstrap. You don't get much uglier than that. You gotta remember, too, that Tikhonov felt that Myshkin was his ace in the hole. He had shut out the NHL All-Stars just a few months before, 6-0. And the two goals he gave up to Johnson and Eruzione weren't nearly as ugly as the two Tretiak gave up.
@@blackhawkswincup2010 Fair enough. How does the world's best goalie give up goals like that, you wonder?
@@broadstreet21 Short answer is this: You have good days, and you have bad days. But the whole team also set itself up for failure by being lulled to sleep, partly by Herb Brooks, and partly by their own success. Brooks sent his young guys into the exhibition as MSG a bit tired (on purpose). The resulting 10-3 blowout bred disrespect on the part of the Russians, and a sense of urgency on the part of the Americans. But if the Russians had really paid attention to that game, they scored all their goals pretty much in the first two periods. The Americans played them pretty evenly in the third, due to their superior conditioning. But the Russians didn't notice. Then again, the first two games the Soviets had in the Games were against the Netherlands and JAPAN, for heaven's sake. They demolished both by a collective score of 34-3. Recipe for complacency right there. Their loss to the U.S. in the Miracle game was definitely a team effort.
We'll never know whether Tretiak was really the best goalie at the time. Dryden retired young and was IMO his equal. Billy Smith
was also a great goalie overlooked because of the Islanders dynasty.
Tony O in his prime was also very close to him.
@@KMK7355 Well he was the best in the Olympics. Dryden and Smith never played there.
Tik took Trech off because he knew they were going to loose.
He did it because he was his favourite.
Wanted to preserve his perfect Olympic record.
3:30 the way the announcer pronounces “Mike Eruzione” is like be suddenly became Italian for 2 words 😂
Interesting perspective! (I have to say 0:55 "Let em know you're there" - Reg Dunlop player/coach of the Charlestown Chiefs)
Even the Swedish broadcaster called it a Miracle, and I'm sure he wasn't listening to Al Michaels in his headphones lol
They're Dutch, you idiot. Thanks for making our country look bad.
Tretiak is not only a class act, but without a doubt the greatest Goalie of all time. Tikhonov panicked by pulling Tretiak. Eruzione gets all the headlines, but Jimmy Craig and Mark Johnson are reasons #1 & #2 why the US beat the Soviets.
Tretiak is probably #6\#7 behind
Hasek, Roy, Plante, Dryden and Vasilevsky and the equal of Brodeur.
I am 70 and have literally
seen everyone of those goalies
though Plante was a bit past prime by even 1964-65.
If you look at various sporting events over the years where the result was one that made people think “there’s no way that should’ve happened,” this is number one on the list. The 69 Mets, 69 Jets, Villanova beating a powerhouse Georgetown team to win the 1985 NCAA tournament, etc. None are as improbable as this one.
1963 NCAA All Stars beat Lombardi's Packers with one month of practice.
Dzanier,
1963 NCAA All Stars beat
Lombard it's Packers in Chicago.
Second biggest upset ever!!!
I've never seen that dump-in in slow-mo, or from that angle, but it looked like that puck deflected off the defenseman and then bounced? maybe I'm wrong, but if that was the case, Tretiak made a great save, the de didn't block Johnson out
Tretiak forever will be my most favored goalie. He was simply at another level. I remember the Miracle on Ice- could not believe the Russians pulled him after the first period. Cost them the game and a piece of history. Respect for the Russian team though- on an average day they could shred the U.S. college level team.
He wasn't "at another level," for that game. He and 19 other Russkis were dead asleep and WAY overconfident. I used to play goal in high school, and I can safely tell you that the two goals he gave were beyond horrible. A sharp-angle slapper from Buzzie Schneider that he saw all the way? Please. And Mark Johnson faked him out of his jock when Tretiak's head was already in the dressing room. He was as great as you say he was, agreed. But that game, he was a baaaad goalie.
@@blackhawkswincup2010 one game does not define. Vladislav Tretiak was an amazing goaltender all around, probably one of the greatest during the Russian Olympic rule.
@@thatoneguynoonelikes1066 What part of my post didn't you understand? I agree, he was a tremendous goalie. Just that game, no he wasn't.
@@blackhawkswincup2010 I disagree. What reasoning would give a coach to pull the greatest goaltender after letting in 2 goals?
@@blackhawkswincup2010Tretiak would’ve came out in the 2nd period and played much better. Was he and the other USSR team overconfident? Ohh no doubt they were and he even said it himself that we took the USA team way to lightly and that’s something that you cannot do and keep in mind two weeks prior they played the Soviets in Madison Square Garden and got their asses spanked. Even guys like Mark Johnson said that they were in awe of some of the goals that they scored to a point where they were just spectators watching the game like fans and Tretiak knew it, but what Tretiak failed to remember was that was this is now and the US we’re ready for them.
And this way I collect Timex & Bostoc watches. They keep on ticking !
Sometimes you're flush and sometimes you're bust, and when you're up, it's never as good as it seems, and when you're down, you never think you'll be up again, but life goes on.
The date is wrong. The game was played on February 22nd, not the 20th.
According to the 30-30 film that played on ESPN and showed it from the Soviet point of view, the USSR hockey team was not housed in the Olympic village. They were housed in an old prison, which was cold and at night when doors closed it was very noisy (the sound carried). Shots of the prison were showed. Nobody will ever know if their lack of comfort affected the team for the USA game, as they won all the others, but we'll never know for sure.
It was the Olympic village, but was destined to be converted to a prison after the games. One of the conditions of Olympic sites is that the facilities are supposed to be put to use after the Games, and this was the best idea anyone could come up with since Lake Placid has neither the population to fill it as housing nor a University that could use it as dormitories.
Athletes from many countries did stay there, but nobody would claim it was the most comfortable experience.
@@54raynor Got it. But the Russians complained it was cold and the sound carried all through the night (they'd be woken up every time someone went to the bathroom. I have no way of knowing if the Russians were overstating the discomfort to explain why they lost to the Americans, but the film appeared to back them up.
The Sviet hockey team also went out and partied the night before because a Soviet figure skater won gold. Not very smart.
All of the teams stayed in the prison. The entire housing facility was built as a future prison.
@@baddhouse3132 All the Russian teams? There was an Olympic Village there.
I've never seen a Soviet player interviewed who didn't give the Americans credit. USA just caught them at the right time. Epic win over the best hockey team ever.
James Fields,
Not going to argue how good Soviets were as they beat the
NHL All Stars in 1979. However
they controlled their player placements with CSKA getting the more elite players. So familiarity
made an impact. Its what helped
the US Team as 8 UMinnesota players played together and only
5 NCAA schools made up the
1980 US Olympic Team.
The Soviets had an extremely young D CORP as Fetisov and Starikov were 21\22 years old
and Kasatonov was 20. Morrow,
and Baker were more than 2 years older than Kasatonov and 1.25
older than Fetisov and Starikov.
O'Callahan was also older than those 3.
In addition the Soviets had lack of depth of elite of players born 1955-58. On D their best players born between 1955-58 was
Fetisov with 55\56 Pervukhin and
Bilayaletidinov.
Compare that to a hypothetical
US D Corp from the 1955-58
D pool and then Forwards
D - O'Connell - Langway
Morrow - Roberts
Larson - Dunn
Brownschidle - Norwich
I would rate players like this
Fetisov - Langway - Larson
Morrow - O'Connell - Bilayaletidinov-
So 4-2 USA
C - Howe - Johnson- Miller-Debol
W - Fidler - Jensen - Rowe - Holmgren - Mullen - Gorence
Silk-Carlson
Soviets only had 1 forward born between. 1955-58 in Makarov on their 1980 Olympic Team and 5 on the 1984 Olympic Team and 3 on their 1981 Canada Cup Team.
USA would have had one or two more forwards on a combined 1955-58 NCAA age team.
C - Howe - Shepelev- Johnson-
Miller
W - Makarov - Mullen - Drozdetsky
Holmgren- Kohznevkov-Rowe- Tyumenev -Fidler
I’m gonna say this now but if Tikhonov didn’t pull the greatest goalie ever Tretiak at the end of the first period then I think that the Russians win that game. Viktor Tikhonov made the gravest mistake ever by doing that. But you gotta love and respect Tretiak for how he respects the US and even said that the movie miracle was outstanding after he watched it. I’m glad that he comes to the US and takes in an NHL game every now and then and the American hockey fans stop him and take pictures with him out of respect
A better question for Tretiak would be whether he felt that it was fair that he, as a professional, was allowed to play in the Olympics to begin with.
The one thing not discussed is that we (The Americans) were GOONS. We beat the crap out of the soviets. Everytime they touched the puck, they knew somebody was going to hit them and hit them hard. We even would ignore the puck to get the hit. That is not the european style of play. But to play that style on big ice requires fitness on another level. Brooks knew the kids would never have the stick work and puck handling of the Soviets. So he made it a physical and mental game. Not a skill game. Brilliant coaching and them winning remains one of the best memories of my youth.
Paul Darling hockey isn't a contact sport, its a collision sport.
US weren't goons at all.
i heard some people have said that this game was fixed thats why tretiak got pulled out of goal. but i dont believe it
1981 год. Кубок Канады. Канада - СССР 1-8!!!🎉😂 Тащи деревня...😅💤⚔️🇷🇺🥇🐻🤩😽
Whats more of a miracle islanders won 19 straight playoff series
White text against a white background????
Tretiak won Gold four years later in Sarajevo.
That's for US. Here is what a best of NCAA aged players from 1982-83 season would have looked like:
USA
G - VanBiesbrouck - Casey
D - Chelios - Hirsch
Fusco - Ludwig
Housley - Kurvers
C - Carpenter - Fergus - Brooke Fusco
W - Mullen-Bjugstad - Bourque-Miller-Millen Brickley- Kumpel -
Guay
He gave lots of credit to the Americans, as did the Russian announcer.
Rightly so.
The announcer wasn't Russian. He was speaking Dutch. Just FYI.
@@blackhawkswincup2010 In the game?
Yes it was a Dutch announcer.
From a Canadian this was truly a magical moment. But it’s sad to see when they pan to the stands after a big goal or even after the win and 60% of the crowd is sitting down lol. Wtf. Especially the fact this was during the Cold War. Goes to show Americans don’t have hockey in their blood. Go Canada Go baby!
So where was Canada in this olympics?
Eliminated in Round Robin.
Why were the Dutch so good at speed skating but never an ice hockey nation? I'm an American who speaks German as a second language. I noticed that if I listen long enough, I can catch the similarities between Dutch & German.
Then in 1981 he totally shut down Canada in Montréal.
tretiak was good. But remember one thing. People forget to mention this. And give tretiak more credit than deserved in my opinion...tretiak only played international games/ tournaments...he had weeks months and sometimes a year to analyze,prepare and train for those games....if tretiak was in the nhl with a hectic schedule, travelling, injuries and fatigue...plus players getting to know his "weak spot" do you think tretiak would of been the goalie we all praise nearly 50 years now?
Nope.
Very good point but we will never know but give the man some dignity he was a legend in his time plenty of great players faced him and did not fair well
@@joshuaburris6805 he was good, but the great players he faced didnt know him..russia back then was a total secret to nhl players...i still think tretiak in the nhl would be good , but not great like we think without him actually playing there! Fatigue, travelling, injuries, hectic schedule would of worked against him
Tretiak along with all the other USSR players played in what is today's KHL regular season.
The USSR "hot housed" the best
players on The Red Army to give them familiarity for Olympics and
World Tourneys.
However Grecian played a regular Soviet season.
You do know every country has a domestic league where their players play right?
Pretty clear he doesn't know that.
Ayeyeye, the Russian broadcasters also tips his hat to America, calling it a miracle.
Cool. Hats off to him.
What Russian broadcasters?
@@pyatig 4:27 - The Russian broadcaster excitedly calls this game a miracle. Heh, he probably was tired of seeing Russians winning, wanting a worthy competitor for the Russians.
@@broadstreet21 He was Dutch.
@@broadstreet21 You mean you don't know that the broadcasters were Dutch, not Russian?
The MVP for the Americans was Coach Tikhonov. No way they would’ve won if Tretiak was left in goal. He must’ve thought letting up 2 goals to the Americans was an embarrassment but not a threat. That’s why you never underestimate the little guy.
Tretiak had a very off night, but he sure wasn't alone. The whole Russian team was sound asleep. You would be, too, if you'd beaten these guys 10-3, then stomped on the Netherlands and freaking JAPAN by a combined score of 34-3.
@@blackhawkswincup2010 it was the perfect storm. If the Americans hadn't played the Soviets earlier and gotten absolutely waxed, I'm sure the Soviets would have come ready to play. Instead, they treated the game like a joke, and only started getting serious when it was too late. Just proof that literally anything can happen in sports.
Mark Johnson had a pretty good game.
Japan and Netherlands were not even AHL quality.
The Soviets should have known
by the performance of the US against Czechoslovakia they would need a decent effort.
Craig, Tretiak, Johnson, Eruzione, Bilyaletidinov, Pervukhin and Starikov were the primary reasons the US won that game.
Ever hockey player knows this story
interesting that the soviet announcer also used the word miracle.
I think it was a Dutch announcer.
I was 12 yrs old and sick.with the mumps...so I missed a.week of.school...but my dad and I sat up late to watch the USA hockey team...we didn't know shiite about hockey..to me the turning point of the tournament was when a.romanian player(or maybe Czech player) cheap shot 1 of our players and the cameras caught brooks mouthing some expletives...I think right then the players knew he had their backs
That's a great story. And your exactly right. I was watching the game with my brother and I was 9 at the time and I can remember my brother picking me up and throwing me up in the air and the everyone in the house going insane. Wonderful moments all around. Thank you for your story.
Tretaik was benched the same reason Patrick Roy got benched against red wings after letting 9 goals he was having a bad night not as bad coach tikhonov pulled him because he was looking sluggish wich is fine all goaltenders have them now and then
1:17 - *Soviets
Sounds like Tichonov simply overreacted when he pulled Tretiak?
It is not a sure thing that the Russians would have won with Tretiak but it was a very bad look to pull him like that after just two goals. Or ever. It just wasn't proper to pull Tretiak.
Tikhonov took Tretiak out because he knew that Mark Johnson had his number.
wait....did the russians actually pull Tretiak out of the game when it was 2-2 and he didn't play the rest of the game??? lol that's not a "miracle on ice", the coach sabotaged his own team more like it. I had no idea this is what actually happened; no wonder they lost.
Tretiak gave up 2 soft goals. Schneider is goal as one he should have stopped also.
I've read Myshkin played as much as Grecian in the 1980 Olympics.
I'm sure it was to send a message. I doubt Tikhanov thought it would actually matter at the time. The Soviet players hated Tikhanov by the way.
@@mrog5481lol 😂 ohh they absolutely despised him. Some of the Russian five players from the red wings said they absolutely hated him and asked about Scottie Bowman they smiled and said hockey was fun underneath his leadership and we not only got to do something we all loved but got paid millions of dollars and played for a Stanley cup.
Pity Tretiak never played in the NHL.
As an American, I'm glad the Russians benched Tretiak. That should tell you all you need to know as to whether it was the right decision...
David & Goliath
The 1979 Islanders lost 3-2 to the Soviets and the 1980-84 Islanders with Butch Goring and Bossy and company in their prime would have mauled them and DID maul the Brooks-coached Rangers two years later.
Tretiak wants to believe he would have been the difference ..... he would not have ! The Americans lost to them ten days before in an exhibition game at Madison Square Garden ... 10 to 3 .... it was an arse whoopin ! In the medal round game THEY WERE INDEED a little careless and too assured in not working hard, hustling and playing to the last moment of the period - all these things cost them dearly. The shots beating Mishkin (Goalie) would have beaten Tretiak as well. The defense was not able to keep up with the faster and relentless play of the Americans .... simply put IT WAS DESTINY ...via a MIRACLE !!!! GBjj
Jeff,
Two years prior in the 1978 Worlds
the USA WITH 20 YEAR OLD MARK JOHNSON and 21 YEAR OLD KEN MORROW pumped 4 goals past Tretiak just half way they lost 9-5.
Between the '78 Worlds and '80
Olympics Tretiak gave up a total
of 7 goals in 4 periids. Sorry people that isn't goaltending worthy if being called the greatest of all time.
Soviets probably would have one if they kept him in.
any other canadians here ever watched the series of the century only to be disgusted by the canadian team
Is this dutch? LOL
Why did he take Tretiak out? Baffles me
Tikhonov was embarrassed on how Tretiak performed in that first period and that last second goal pissed him off and at the heat of the moment pulled him and put Myshkin in net who was a very talented goalie, but oops 😬 that probably wasn’t a good idea.
It was a considered a "miracle" because everyone knew Russia had the superior hockey team. If your Russian, there's your respect. If it was a best of 7 the US would have likely lost in 5 games.
.y firm belief is the US won cause they were better coached plain and simple.
There is no way USA would have won if they left Tretiak in. Tikhanov panicked
Impossible to say.The third goal was a fluke and was definetely not Myshkin's fault.
He didn't panic he was trying to motivate the other Russian players by letting them know no one on their team was going to not play hard and stay in the game the Russians expected an easy win like 10 days earlier and it shows the first period
''hockeyers''
Haha!
Tikhonov took the secret to his grave? What secret? Tretiak was shaky in the previous game against Canada and was no better against the US. He let in two softies and was deservedly pulled.
Years later he is still whining and insisting that they would have won. He obviously believes he was a lot better than he actually was.
Tretiak is full of horse manure. Both goals were beyond embarrassing. I used to play a little goal in high school, and he would have needed to look in the next time zone to find his jockstrap after that fake that Johnson gave him. The goals Myshkin gave up were so-so. He did okay, but both pucks had eyes. Tretiak has never been able to admit to himself that he simply had a bad game. But he also had 19 teammates who could have said the same thing. They were way overconfident and dead asleep.
@NBCeeUs! Well, you're right, but then again, I can't say I ever expected anybody to care that I played. However, to those of us who care to look just a bit deeper into the matter, as opposed to those who are simply looking for someone to put down, might get that my point was that I have some small experience in how Tretiak played that day. Cheers!
The win by the U,S was meant to be. Dont overanalyze. The americans were better That day. Tomorrow maybe the Russians win. That's sports.
You got your a$$ handed on a silver platter. You Russians were professional players. You got beat by college young men. You were cheating all them years saying you weren't professional.
Rigged! sad the Russians got bribed.
BULLSHIT...Tretiak is my hero, huge Russian hockey fan here in the USA....YES...USA. The REAL "Miracle on Ice" was the 1976 First game of the World Champions when Poland defeated Soviet Union 6-4. Collectively as a team the 1980 USA team won 5 Stanley Cups and players played in over 1600 NHL games. The next day Poland lost 12-0 to CSSR. SO PLEASE enough with the USA Propaganda
all due respect, no. The context of it being a medal round game instead of an early group game is much, MUCH different. Ken Morrow had 4 of those Stanley Cup rings, landing on the last true Dynasty in the NHL, and while he played a role on that team, Bossy, Trottier, Potvin, Smith, Nystrom,and Tonnelli had a lot more to do with that run of success than did Morrow. Yes, that US team had a bunch of talent on it, but remember too that the USSR outshot the USA in the game in Lake Placid 39-16. That Poland team was outshot as well but just 37-30. It was also a very young team, with eight players aged 23 or under - and youth can and does lead to flat performances.
The Polish win was impressive. But the Soviets were not the same team at the 1976 World Championships that they were at the 80 Olympics. Not by a long shot.
All that said, the reason the upset happened in 80 was 100% the decision to pull Tretiak. That was a move that was incredibly arrogant and no doubt helped lead to the win for the US team.
The USA was a bunch of college kids taking on the professional athletes of the Soviet Union. There is no comparison. Some of those kids went on to have NHL success, but they certainly were not NHL greats when they played that game. It was the equivalent of those kids playing against the Montreal Canadians in their prime.
@@shadytnu24 well its arguable by analysts and other coaches that the 2010 to 2016 Blackhawks were a legitimate dynasty. 3 of 5 Stanley Cups were theirs. From 2010 to 2015 and were a feared powerhouse in years they didn't take the cups all the way up to 2018. Then their fall began.
@@wadesworld6250 the equivalent would be comparable to Providence College taking on the 1944-1951 Toronto Maple Leafs. Toronto won 5 cups in that span. This game would be the equivalent of Providence beating the Leafs in that time
@@anakinskywalker8610 are you really arguing that a team who lost in the first round TWICE during their run is on par with a team that won 19 straight playoff series?