The men's ice hockey tournament at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, United States, was the 14th Olympic Championship. Twelve teams competed in the tournament, which was held from February 12 to 24, 1980. The United States won its second gold medal, including a win over the heavily favored Soviet Union that became known as the held at the Olympic Fieldhouse (8,000) and the Olympic Arena (2,500).
The IIHF ceased running a World championship in Olympic years. Nations that did not participate in the Lake Placid Olympics were invited to compete in the inaugural Thayer Tutt Trophy in Ljubljana, Yugoslavia.
Going into the games, the teams were ranked and divided into two groups. Teams were ranked based on performance during the 1979 World Ice Hockey Championships. Included were the eight teams in the 1979 top Championship Division (Pool "A") as well as the top four teams in the 1979, second-tier, "B" Pool tournament. While Poland finished 8th place in Pool A, the Netherlands, winners of Pool B, were ranked 8th while Poland was ranked 9th going into the Olympics. The total ranking was: Soviet Union (1), Czechoslovakia (2), Sweden (3), Canada (4), Finland (5), West Germany (6), United States (7), Netherlands (8), Poland (9), Romania (10), Norway (11), Japan (12). East Germany was originally ranked tenth, but declined to participate, with Japan filling their spot.
The Soviet Union had won the gold medal in five of the six previous Winter Olympic Games, and were the favorites to win once more in Lake Placid. The team consisted primarily of professional players with significant experience in international play. By contrast, the United States' teamâÂÂled by head coach Herb BrooksâÂÂconsisted exclusively of amateur players, and was the youngest team in the tournament and in U.S. national team history. In the group stage, both the Soviet and U.S. teams were unbeaten; the U.S. achieved several notable results, including a 2âÂÂ2 draw against Sweden, and a 7âÂÂ3 upset victory over second-place favorites Czechoslovakia.
For the first game in the medal round, the United States played the Soviets. Finishing the first period tied at 2âÂÂ2, and the Soviets leading 3âÂÂ2 following the second, the U.S. team scored two more goals to take their first lead during the third and final period, winning the game 4âÂÂ3. Following the game, the U.S. went on to clinch the gold medal by beating Finland in their last game. The Soviet Union took the silver medal by beating Sweden.
The victory became one of the most iconic moments of the Games and in U.S. sports. Equally well-known was the television call of the final seconds of the game by Al Michaels for ABC, in which he declared: "Do you believe in miracles?! YES!" In 1999, Sports Illustrated named the "Miracle on Ice" the top sports moment of the 20th century. As part of its centennial celebration in 2008, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) named the "Miracle on Ice" as the best international ice hockey story of the past 100 years.
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The third-placed teams in each division played each other to determine fifth place.
<section begin=Final />The top two teams from each group play the top two teams from the other group once. Head to head results from the preliminary round (Soviet Union defeated Finland 4âÂÂ2, Sweden and United States tied 2âÂÂ2) were carried over.
Head-to-head results carried forward from group games:
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Team Japan was the oldest team in the tournament, averaging 30 years. Gold medalists Team USA was the youngest team in the tournament, averaging 22 years and 5 months. Silver medalists Team USSR averaged 26 years and 5 months. Tournament average was 25 years and 5 months.
Hat trick scorers
Goaltenders with 40% or more of their team's total minutes.
<small>These standings are presented as the IIHF has them; however, the IOC maintains that Poland and Romania tied for 7th, the Netherlands and West Germany tied for 9th, and Norway and Japan tied for 11th.</small>