Amazing Video of 1980 Olympic Team vs Soviets at MSG NYC

[Mitch Hawker]

I'm sure some will find this video as interesting as I do. I didn't know it even existed.

It is the full game from of the 1980 US Olympic Team against the Soviets from Februry 9, 1980 at Madison Square Garden, just a few of days before the Olympics started and only 13 days before the Miracle on Ice game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdWHxHdzHNo

There is no play by play announcer, just the sounds of the game, crowd, organ, and PA Announcer.

Warning...it is a New York City crowd from 1980 so there are of course some occasional downtown adjectives heard directed at the refs, etc.

For what it's worth, I have seen someone say that they were in attendance and the Garden was only half full for this game.

Spoiler Alert: Don't read below if you don't want to know specifics of the game before watching the video.

I'm sure many know the final score but do you know how it got there?

Obligatory high school hockey relevance: at least 19 of the 20 players on 1980 USA Olympic Team played high school hockey (not sure about Mark Wells) and 12 of them did so in Minnesota.

Also, did you know that the USA only won 6 Gold Medals in the 1980 olympics, all by hockey players.... well, Eric Heiden won the other 5 gold medals and he was on the same Pee Wee team as Mark Johnson.


While the score ended 10-3, I think that the real takeaway for Team USA had to be that they scored three goals on Tretiak in the last 23 minutes of the game and showed some flashes of skating with the Soviets in that last part of the game. Admittedly, the Soviets scored 5 goals in that same span on Janaszak but I saw reason for hope in that third period.

Interestingly, the Eruzione goal in this game was very similar to the one in the Miracle on Ice game (reason enough to think he would have beaten Tretiak on that shot in the Miracle game just as he did Myshkin?).

Also, the Verchota goal was very similar to the Mark Johnson goal at the end of the period in the Miracle on Ice game. Verchota shot it from outside the two defensemen on a solo rush and rushed past them both to get the juicy Tretiak rebound and put it home.

Christoff got the 3rd goal.

In my opinion, there is no chance that Team USA would have beaten the Soviets on Feb 22 if they had not played them on Feb 9.

[JSR]

That is a really cool find, nice... I agree with your sentiments for the most part as well... that said, one other thing I notice is how slow the game is compared to today's game. I mean D1 college plays at a faster more frenetic pace than this game, let alone pro leagues.... not ripping just noticing how times have changed

[Mitch Hawker]

The game definitely started slowly.

This game did speed up in the later going, but I do agree that the game of hockey has gotten much quicker over the years.

Wayne Gretzky said the same thing before he retired....basically he said "now (1999) everyone can really skate, that wasn't the case when I came into the League" (1978)

[barry_mcconnell]

The hockey was unbelievably slow. I think a top end high school team from 2014 could have given either team a good game. Yes, I know how insane that must sound.

Assume the 2014 HS team has a modern hybrid goalie and all the players have composites. Also the HS team is playing mainly their top 2 lines. The 2014 boys would destroy those 2 goalies.

The speed, size, and strength of the current players is so much better than that 1980 team. Plus, the 2014 kids are just used to playing a much faster game. Better vision and strategy.

I think the 2014 state champs would beat that 1980 team 6-2.

[Zamman]

Another interesting note. No on ice or board advertisements or displays. How the game has changed.

[MNHockeyFan]

Another interesting note. No on ice or board advertisements or displays. How the game has changed.

Also, no piped in, blaring music during stops in the action.

[OGEE OGELTHORPE]

I think the 2014 state champs would beat that 1980 team 6-2.

I think you should put down the pipe.

[Mitch Hawker]

Hard to believe that they had only 5 D on the Olympic Roster and one was OC, with his famous injury just before the games.

Today, coaches are much more likely to have 7 D dressed for a game than 5.

[puckbreath]

Even more hard to believe this was 34 years ago !?!? Ugh.

I still remember being in a bar, when they beat them in the actual Olympic game.

No live tv/radio of course, but the music was interrupted by the announcement.

[Cdale]

Another interesting note. No on ice or board advertisements or displays. How the game has changed.

Great point...

[O-townClown]

I think the 2014 state champs would beat that 1980 team 6-2.

I think you should put down the pipe.

Those guys are like 53-55 years old. Buzz Schneider must be 60. I'll take the kids 6-1 with Janaszak, 4-1 if Craig still has that magic.

[Mitch Hawker]

Going with it...

Buzz and Rizzo will both turn 60 this year.

Speaking of "magic", Mark Johnson should be in shape as he has done several Ironman Tiathlons recently.

On a more serious note...13 of the 20 played in the NHL. The two goaltenders did not do well at that level but the others did. Some did not have long careers due to injury, etc. but 8 of the 11 scored at least 20 points in an NHL season (and the three that didn't were all defensemen who played multiple years in the league). The list includes a 100 point (season) scorer, a 90 point scorer, two 80 point scorers, a 50, a 40, and a 30.

Morrow got himself a few rings as a defensive D man

Interesting to note that Bob Suter is the only D from that team who did not play in the NHL.

His kid has played a few and is OK

[JSR]

Going with it...

Buzz and Rizzo will both turn 60 this year.

Speaking of "magic", Mark Johnson should be in shape as he has done several Ironman Tiathlons recently.

On a more serious note...13 of the 20 played in the NHL. The two goaltenders did not do well at that level but the others did. Some did not have long careers due to injury, etc. but 8 of the 11 scored at least 20 points in an NHL season (and the three that didn't were all defensemen who played multiple years in the league). The list includes a 100 point (season) scorer, a 90 point scorer, two 80 point scorers, a 50, a 40, and a 30.

Morrow got himself a few rings as a defensive D man

Interesting to note that Bob Suter is the only D from that team who did not play in the NHL.

His kid has played a few and is OK

His brother, Gary Suter, didn't do too badly for himself either

[JSR]

The hockey was unbelievably slow. I think a top end high school team from 2014 could have given either team a good game. Yes, I know how insane that must sound.

Assume the 2014 HS team has a modern hybrid goalie and all the players have composites. Also the HS team is playing mainly their top 2 lines. The 2014 boys would destroy those 2 goalies.

The speed, size, and strength of the current players is so much better than that 1980 team. Plus, the 2014 kids are just used to playing a much faster game. Better vision and strategy.

I think the 2014 state champs would beat that 1980 team 6-2.

I know I am the one that brought it up but I think you took it too far. I am thinking a good current D1 team would have their way against either of the teams in the video but I don't think a current high school team could beat them, it would still be boys against "men" so to speak regardless of how times have changed.

[Bulldog3489]

Ramsey and Morrow were tall, but overall the 1980 team would be about the same height and weight as a high school team from a large school 34 years later.

Would the 1980 team have to play with wooden sticks and leather pads?

[East Side Pioneer Guy]

Even more hard to believe this was 34 years ago !?!? Ugh.

I still remember being in a bar, when they beat them in the actual Olympic game.

No live tv/radio of course, but the music was interrupted by the announcement.

There was live radio.

I was 13 then. If it were just a couple of years later I would have had a much greater appreciation for what that game meant. I remember that Friday late in the afternoon. My older brother was listening on a crummy stereo in our living room. It was a low power AM Twin Cities station and it was pretty static-y. I listened until the end of the game. I didn't watch the tape-delayed broadcast on TV that night.

Fast forward about twenty years, and I keep hearing people talking about seeing it on TV. I couldn't figure out what they were talking about, because i thought it wasn't on TV. It took me a while to piece it all together. Finally i heard a guy call Soucheray's show and talk about listening to the live radio broadcast, then watching on TV that evening at a bar. He made some easy money, betting on the under dog Yanks.

My wife took advantage of her old man's upbeat disposition that evening by asking him for $200 to buy a piccolo she'd been waiting to ask him about. Timing is everything.

And that's my grand Casino story.

I'll have to see this game when i get a chance. I'd like to see the tape of the Olympic game too, but I've never been able to locate it anywhere.

[alcloseshaver]

Even more hard to believe this was 34 years ago !?!? Ugh.

I still remember being in a bar, when they beat them in the actual Olympic game.

No live tv/radio of course, but the music was interrupted by the announcement.

There was live radio.

I was 13 then. If it were just a couple of years later I would have had a much greater appreciation for what that game meant. I remember that Friday late in the afternoon. My older brother was listening on a crummy stereo in our living room. It was a low power AM Twin Cities station and it was pretty static-y. I listened until the end of the game. I didn't watch the tape-delayed broadcast on TV that night.

Fast forward about twenty years, and I keep hearing people talking about seeing it on TV. I couldn't figure out what they were talking about, because i thought it wasn't on TV. It took me a while to piece it all together. Finally i heard a guy call Soucheray's show and talk about listening to the live radio broadcast, then watching on TV that evening at a bar. He made some easy money, betting on the under dog Yanks.

My wife took advantage of her old man's upbeat disposition that evening by asking him for $200 to buy a piccolo she'd been waiting to ask him about. Timing is everything.

And that's my grand Casino story.

I'll have to see this game when i get a chance. I'd like to see the tape of the Olympic game too, but I've never been able to locate it anywhere.

You tube it.

[northwoods oldtimer]

Even more hard to believe this was 34 years ago !?!? Ugh.

I still remember being in a bar, when they beat them in the actual Olympic game.

No live tv/radio of course, but the music was interrupted by the announcement.

There was live radio.

I was 13 then. If it were just a couple of years later I would have had a much greater appreciation for what that game meant. I remember that Friday late in the afternoon. My older brother was listening on a crummy stereo in our living room. It was a low power AM Twin Cities station and it was pretty static-y. I listened until the end of the game. I didn't watch the tape-delayed broadcast on TV that night.

Fast forward about twenty years, and I keep hearing people talking about seeing it on TV. I couldn't figure out what they were talking about, because i thought it wasn't on TV. It took me a while to piece it all together. Finally i heard a guy call Soucheray's show and talk about listening to the live radio broadcast, then watching on TV that evening at a bar. He made some easy money, betting on the under dog Yanks.

My wife took advantage of her old man's upbeat disposition that evening by asking him for $200 to buy a piccolo she'd been waiting to ask him about. Timing is everything.

And that's my grand Casino story.

I'll have to see this game when i get a chance. I'd like to see the tape of the Olympic game too, but I've never been able to locate it anywhere.

You tube it.

Listed to it on the radio as well, that was 1980!

I think some of the stories are true about watching the game live. If memories serves correct I do believe establishments were airing live feeds through what was called "closed circuit" programming.