Thread: NHL history in a 127 years of bite sized pieces.
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Old 05-14-2024, 10:21 PM   #183
CaptainCrunch
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1979-80


Its time to depart from the NHL for a moment, and head over to Lake Placid New York. The American's chances of winning a gold medal were between slim and you have to be kidding me right?

The Soviet Union had dominated the Olympics and World Championship squad. Known for their creative high speed hockey based on 5 man units and the disputed best goalie in the world in Tretiak the Soviets were expected to take the Gold. Its not like the rest of the teams filling out the Olympic tournament were weak. Sweden, Czechoslovakia and Finland all had strong squads stocked with future NHL players. Team USA was predicted to be the 7th best of 12 teams even though this was a home team tournament for team USA.

The United States opened up against Sweden and trailed 2-1 with 41 seconds left, but came back to earn the tie when Herb Brooks pulled Jim Craig and Bill Baker beat Pelle Lindbergh off the draw.

The American's then went into face Czechoslovakia and the fans got into team USA as they bombed the Czech's 7-3. Team USA then routed weaker sisters Norway, Romanian and West Germany to finish with a 4-0-1 record earning a spot in the 4 team medal round.

Unfortunately for the Americans' they faced off against the Soviet Union in the first round, two weeks earlier in an exhibition game the Soviet Bear mauled the American's 10-3, on top of that the Soviets had racked up a perfect 5-0 record outscoring their opponents 51-11. Nobody was taking the American's to do anything.

Just to put this into perspective. Since 1956, the Soviets had won 7 gold medals and 1 bronze in the Olympics, and won 14 World Championships. They boasted a lineup that included Tretiak, future Detroit defenseman Viacheslav Fetisov, Valeri Karlamov, Russia's Wayne Gretzky Boris Mikalov Future Flame Sergei Makarov and lead by coach Victor Tikhonov.

Ten thousand Lake Placid fans filled the arena waving their flags and chanting "USA USA" and hoping against hope. But they saw the Soviets take a 1-0 lead at 9:12 of the first period. But Buzz Schneider fired a routine slapshot that beat Tretiak. The Soviets went up 2-1, but the American's got a fluke goal against a uncharacteristically shaky Tretiak from Mark Johnson. The Soviets went up 3-2 and held that lead until the third period. But Tikhonov who had gambled and replaced his star goalie at the start of the 3rd period with backup Vladimir Myshkin saw his move backfire when Mark Johnson tied the game. Then Mike Eruzione beat a screened Myshkin to complete the miracle on ice as the American's held on and the crowd chanted USA USA and Al Michael's screamed "Do you believe in Miracles? YES".

This should be where the fairy tale ends and the American's collect their gold medal and get pictures on cereal boxes. But the American's still needed to beat Finland's dangerous team two days later.

The American's trailed after 2 2-1 but got a goal from Phil Verchota to tie it, then Rob McCLanahan put the American's ahead and then Johnson sealed the 4-2 win and the gold medal.

People forget how energizing this win was the United States was still recovering from the Vietnam War, was in a economic doldrums. The Miracle on ice began a a re-enegization of the United States.

Trivia


  • The NHL goes to 17 teams as four WHA teams Edmonton, Harford, Winnipeg and Quebec join the NHL.
  • The Hall of Fame inducts 4 including Harry Howell, Henri Richard and Bobby Orr.
  • NHL Draft https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1979_NHL_entry_draft
  • NHL Expansion Draft https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1979_NHL_expansion_draft
  • Colorado picks Rob Ramage of London of the OHA with the first overall pick.
  • Philadelphia loses Bernie Parent who retires as he continues to suffer from an eye injury from several years back.
  • Scotty Bowman with 4 straight Stanley Cups leaves Montreal to become Buffalo's head coach.
  • The Flyers weave together a 15 game undefeated streak to finish first in the NHL and a record of 48-12-20.
  • Kent Nilsson joins the Atlanta Flames and scores 40 goals and 93 points.
  • The Black Hawks finish first in the Smythe Division being strengthened by former WHA stars Rich Preston and Terry Ruskowski. Stan Mikita plays his last NHL season after 22 years.
  • NHL rookie Wayne Gretzky leads the league in assists with 86 and ties for the tops in points.
  • The Winnipeg Jets winners of the last Avro cup, crumble and tie Colorado as the worst team in the NHL with 51 points.
  • The Canadians fire Bernie Geoffrion and is replaced by Claude Ruel. but the Canadians win the Norris Division with a 47-20-13 record.
  • After 8 brilliant seasons Ken Dryden retires at the age of 27. The Canadians go with a goaltending duo of Bunny Laroque and Denis Herron.
  • Pierre Larouche becomes the first player to score 50 goals in two different leagues as he ties Montreal team mate Guy Lafleur with 50 goals.
  • LA's triple Crown Line combines for an unbelievable 146 goals and 328 points.
  • Gordie Howe skates for the Whalers at the age of 51 as he returns to the NHL.
  • Scotty Bowman's Sabres go 47-17-16 to take the Adams division. Goalie Bob Sauve leads the league with a 2.36 gaa.
  • Toronto slides to fourth place as they trade Lanny McDonald to the Rockies for Wilf Paiment.
  • Quebe a WHA powerhouse missing the playoffs despite 42 goals from Real Cloutier and 33 from Marc Tardiff.
  • Atlanta's Gary Unger see's his consecutive game stream end at 914 games.
  • Islanders goalie Billy Smith is credited with a goal against Colorado when a rebound from a save is cleared into the Rockies empty net by one of their players.
  • The NHL's leading goal scorers are Charlie Simmer, Blaine Stoughton and Danny Gare who all score 56 goals.
  • Marcel Dionne and Wayne Gretzky tie for the scoring lead with 137 points.
  • The new playoff format see's 16 teams make the playoffs with 1 playing 16, 2 playing 15 etc.
  • On the best of 5 preliminaries the Flyers crush Edmonton in 3, Minnesota sweeps Toronto, Montreal sweeps Hartford, and Boston beats Pittsburgh in 5. Chicago ends a 16 game playoff leasing streak by seeping St Louis, The Islanders beat LA in 4 games, The Rangers beat Atlanta in 4, and Buffalo beats the Canucks in 4.
  • In the quarter finals, Buffalo brooms Chicago, the Islanders beat the Bruins in 5 games, the Flyers beat up the Rangers in 5 and Montreal's dynasty ends as Minnesota upsets them in 7.
  • Philly handles the North Stars in 5 games in the first semi, The Islanders eliminate the Sabres in 6 games to advance to the Finals.
  • Bobby Nystrom scores in overtime of game 6 as the Islanders win their first Stanley Cup.
  • Bryan Trottier sets an NHL record with 29 points in the playoffs to win the Conn Smythe.
  • Marcel Dionne beats out Wayne Gretzky for the Art Ross Trophy by virtue of more goals (33 to 31).
  • Wayne Gretzky wins his first of 8 straight Hart Trophies, he also wins the Lady Byng. At the age of 19 he's the youngest to win either award.
  • Marcel Dionne captures his second straight Lester B. Pearson Award.
  • Ray Bourque of Boston wins the Calder Trophy.
  • Bob Sauve and Don Edwards of Buffalo win the Vezina Trophy.
  • Larry Robinson of the Habs wins his second straight Norris Trophy.
  • Flyers coach wins the Jack Adam's trophy.
  • Bob Gainey wins his second straight Selke Trophy.
  • Minnesota winger Al MacAdam wins the Masteron trophy based on his years of playing for awful Cleveland and California teams.
  • Herb Brooks leads team USA to the gold medal at the Lake Placid Olympics.
  • Regina's Doug Wickenheiser wins the Canadian Major Junior player of the year. Dale Hawerchuk powers Cornell to the Memorial Cup.
  • North Dakota beats Northern Michigan to win the NCAA Title.

Debuts


Players marked with § previously started their major professional career in the World Hockey Association.


Last Games




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