1977 State Final - Is there a full game video?

[Mitch Hawker]

The original miracle on ice?

Has there ever been a bigger upset in the Championship Game based on Shots on Goal? Edina East 39, Rochester JM 12!!! I do not think blocked shots was a kept stat back then but there were A LOT!!

I am not sure if a full video of this game exists. I did see a story that claimed that the team watched the video at a reunion (25?) years later.

Anybody? I would love to watch this game in it's entirety again sometime.

The clips that I have seen include the clinching empty net goal by Todd Lecy. The noise that erupted in the Civic Center as he levitated in a high-stepping dance back towards his teammates sounded like the Beatles taking the field at Shea Stadium! It was said at the time that maybe 15,000 of the 17,000 were cheering for John Marshall (or were some just cheering against Edina??).

Anyway, one of the iconic moments and games in Tournament history.

[Nostalgic Nerd]

https://www.youtube.com/@vintageminnesotahockey/videos

No, but did stumble upon this by accident for other old school games. You'll have to scroll down as there's a lot of NHL stuff at the top. Jeez, has the '88 semi between Edina/Warroad. It isn't even close with the clear boards back then.

https://youtu.be/bZFch6HHFuQ?t=9533

Actually here we go. Got *some* of the '77 game anyway. This has Roseau/Edina, GR/Edina. A mish mash of stuff. If my time stamp worked it will be the later part of the video.

One of the bigger mysteries in tourney history for me is how did Edina shut out Roseau in that qtr final game with Broten on the roster???

Actually the Rocherster JM game does have the empty netter so the game might be in its entirety.

[wbmd]

That was as fun to watch now as it was 48 years ago.

[Mitch Hawker]

Nerd,

Thanks for the link! How great was that?

Opportunistic goal scoring, physical team defense, incredible goaltending, and maybe a friendly bounce or two made for an upset that very few saw coming.

In hindsight it may not seem quite as big a miracle when one considers that 11 Rockets from that team played college hockey, but that was a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy as players in those days sometimes earned college offers based entirely on play at the state tournament.

Bob Johnson did well for the Badgers grabbing so many Rochester kids, especially the Lecys and Johannsons.

Props to Edina for fighting with class until the bitter end.

Hockey gear, hockey players, and hockey broadcasting have come a long way since then, although I thought Lou Nanne was as insightful as ever and an unbiased analyst of that 1977 Championship Game.

Here's hoping this year's Tourney measures up. A lot of community based schools and some teams that have not been to State lately should make for good crowds and spirited games!

[Mitch Hawker]

Small correction: SOG were 39 Edina E to 14 Rochester JM according to the Star Trib write-up.

For reference, in the "Miracle on Ice" game the shots were USSR 39 USA 16.

Also, Edina did get a measure of revenge two years later in beating Rochester JM 4-3 for the 1979 State Title.

[wbmd]

Small correction: SOG were 39 Edina E to 14 Rochester JM according to the Star Trib write-up.

For reference, in the "Miracle on Ice" game the shots were USSR 39 USA 16.

Also, Edina did get a measure of revenge two years later in beating Rochester JM 4-3 for the 1979 State Title.

Edina's revenge in 1979 was also in O.T. after John Marshall tied the game with 1:13 remaining in the third period.

[Mitch Hawker]

1979 was a great final too!

In hindsight, Edina East came that close to a threepeat as they won in 1978 and 1979 after the monumental upset loss in the 1977 Final.

Edina/East has won twice as many titles (14) as any other team but has never accomplished the threepeat. Only Eveleth, International Falls, and Jefferson have done that (Eveleth had 4 in a row).

Speaking of threepeats, the Edina East 6-5 win over Grand Rapids in the Semifinals was perhaps the most symbolic result of the 1977 Tourney. Not only did it end Grand Rapids bid for their own threepeat, it symbolized the changing of the guard from the Northern teams that dominated the first 30 years of the Tourney to the suburban teams that have dominated the last 45 years.

From 1945 to 1968, St Paul Johnson (3 times) was the onlyTwin Cities Metro school to win the title. 1969 to 1980 was about evenly split (6 Metro, 5 Northern, 1 Southern( ) ). In the last 45 tournaments (1981 to 2024) there were only the 3 Roseau titles, 2 Duluth East titles, and single Grand Rapids title amid the Metro dominance.

[O-townClown]

as players in those days sometimes earned college offers based entirely on play at the state tournament.

This is a great point. Recruiting budgets in college were very small. A solid player from a top program was usually afforded more opportunity post high school than many top players on programs buried in obscurity.