British Soccer fan reacts to Ice Hockey - The Miracle On Ice Greatest American Sports Moment Of All

[@georgewodicka4839]

The entire country STOPPED that night to watch that game. Brings chills to this day, almost 40 years later.

[@TheAes86]

The thing is it was tape delayed. It was played in the afternoon and Jim Mckay was doing mid day coverage and all these people were running around behind him with American flags and yelling.

[@georgewodicka4839]

@@TheAes86 I realize that, it was about 4-5 hours tape delayed, but most of the viewing public was not aware, without social media, etc., and there was a concerted effort by all the networks to keep the result quiet until the primetime showing. Some did know of the outcome, but most of the country was captivated.

[@buffalomafia7162]

Do you know how much tickets were to that game?

[@georgewodicka4839]

@@buffalomafia7162 Really don't know, was 18 at the time, I remember going to N.Y. Rangers games at the time for less than $20 for a decent seat. This was the Olympic semi-finals, so it may have been a little more.

[@keithdean9149]

@@buffalomafia7162 I think if you listen to the voices in the background someone said the tickets were $67 each and being scalped for 3 times that much.

[@stonewall01]

Yes you are right. This game had more political and social aspects than normal. After all this game was played in Lake Placid, New York. So for a group of amateur college kids who had only been playing hockey together as a team for a few months to beat by far the best hockey team in the world, on American soil, this was definitely a turning point in American society. This didn't solve anything. The fuel crises continued, the hostages were still in Iran, etc.. but it did make alot of us feel better, we started to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Not everyone, but for alot of Americans this was the case. Also this wasn't the gold medal game. The USA had to play Sweden for gold. They did beat the Swedes as well and won Gold.

[@Zenon0K]

They had to beat Finland to win the Gold, not Sweden.

[@stonewall01]

@@Zenon0K You're right my mistake. Thank you for the correction.

[@tomas22432]

@@Zenon0K as a fan of the philadelphia flyers fan - i sadly never forget that fact rip Pelle Lindbergh

[@kdawg2446]

@Zenon Kowaliczko it was Sweden that blue flag with the Yellow Nordic cross is Swedens flag finlands flag is white with a blue Nordic cross.

[@stonewall01]

@@kdawg2446 Sweden won Bronze but the US defeated Finland to win the Gold.

[@nathanpitek3177]

This is coach Herb Brooks pregame speech written down, and I encourage u to watch the movie speech, one of the best ever given "Great moments are born from great opportunity, and that's what you have here tonight, boys. That's what you've earned here tonight. One game; if we played them ten times, they might win nine. But not this game, not tonight. Tonight, we skate with them. Tonight we stay with them, and we shut them down because we can! Tonight, we are the greatest hockey team in the world. You were born to be hockey players-every one of you, and you were meant to be here tonight. This is your time. Their time is done. It's over. I'm sick and tired of hearing about what a great hockey team the Soviets have. Screw 'em! This is your time. Now go out there and take it!"

[@wtfisgoingonhere1076]

@Nathan Pitek I had the National Anthem playing in my head while reading that. Lol So proud 🤘🏻🇺🇸

[@moormanpa]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/qpXQqqKDmpmcfq8

[@petrowskya]

Better speech was the one Herb made in the 1st intermission of the Finland game (which was the one that actually gave the US the Gold): "If you lose this game, you'll take it to your fucking graves. Your fucking graves."

[@zg1000dru1]

@@petrowskya 2nd intermission IIRC, but the point is taken

[@amyhodge7977]

"1980's a long long time ago" knife to the heart man. Knife to the heart🤣🤣

[@susanhubbart5494]

That did hurt, I was only 8 at the time but I do remember this😁

[@wtfisgoingonhere1076]

Lmao! I was born in ‘73. I’m so with you. 😂🤣😂

[@jamesware5100]

@Sandman Huffmaster I remember this like it was yesterday.blew my mind. Glad weve never had a Hot waras a kid we did air raid drills randomly God Bless the World !

[@jamesware5100]

I wasabout 25

[@robhugh535]

Currently active players in the NHL are; Canadian 383, USA 225, Swedes 102, Finns 45, Russians 44, Czechs 31, Swiss 14, Slovaks 12 and a bunch of other European countries in single digits.

[@keithmack4213]

So basically even if Canadian teams lose the cup we still technically won it🤷🏽‍♂️

[@wiltonater]

Only 44 Russians but there some of the best in the league with Ovechkin & Tarashenko

[@bugvswindshield]

Better have tons of Canuks...they invented the game lol

[@byaldsa684]

the OP was talking about the NHL and so was the dude you're calling a dumbass. you're a dumbass

[@treyvacovsky7347]

Adam Wilton I thought ovechkin was Czech not Russian

[@Chatta-Ortega]

Keep in mind a couple of weeks before this game the Soviets beat USA 10-4 in an exhibition game at Madison Square Garden in NYC. They simply destroyed us.

[@definitelydwayntherockjohn7058]

Harry Novick it was 10-3

[@Chatta-Ortega]

@@definitelydwayntherockjohn7058 I stand corrected

[@bradyrhodess]

Harry Novick lol

[@martinsonmike3]

the Soviet national team had routed the NHL All-Stars 6-0 to win the Challenge Cup.

[@bradyrhodess]

Mike Martinson yea

[@baldy943]

*Correction: USSR went to space first, but the U.S got to the moon first*

[@peppers1587]

Baldy Russia was first in space with everything except the moon😀

[@peppers1587]

Baldy ever heard of Luna2 in 1959? That was first ship to orbit the moon. USSR also was first in orbitin space, first human in space. First satellite in space, Venra7 was the first touchdown on another planet. It landed on Venus. USSR was first in space for a long long time. Interesting history, you can tell why President Kennedy pushes so hard to land on moon. That was our first to be first of anything in space.

[@shindari]

@@peppers1587 The untold side of that story... Russia was first to dominate space in almost every significant category. But all of those accomplishments, all of those historical accolades, they were the worst thing the Soviet Union could have poured money into, because the USSR's space program BANKRUPTED the USSR. The Soviets wasted less money on their military and their nuclear programs than they did on dominating outer space. And what do they have to show for it? Nothing. Because the Soviet Union no longer exists, and space pretty much belongs to the United States at this point. So I don't care what they were first at. I really don't. I care which country is STILL doing it. That's the only part that matters.

[@ryanmounce2850]

@@shindari and now NASA is a shell of its former self, forcing US astronauts to hitch rides on Russian rockets. May not be the Soviet Union any more but they still compete.

[@shindari]

@@ryanmounce2850 It's all about money, not about who is actually good at what. The US Government refuses to fund NASA for anything anymore, which is stupid. When America won the "Space Race," we acted as if space was no longer important, other than to put satellites in orbit, so we can have our "internet." We just need "motivation." Once we have that, NASA will suddenly have billions of dollars pouring into it, and it suddenly won't be a shell of its' former glory anymore. If China gets a manned mission to Mars before we do, trust me... WE'LL BE MOTIVATED TO OUTDO THAT!

[@dibutler9151]

I remember being 14 and watching this live and sobbing. I didn't care anything about hockey, but I knew what it meant.

[@terrancebrown87]

As a Canadian who loves Hockey, I think I can say for all us Canadians when I say we love seeing America kick ass!

[@oxfordmontello3281]

Thanks man, we love all you Canadians as well!!!!

[@lorenjackson8961]

I was 18 years old and lucky enough to be in the arena with my dad that day for the game. The building only held around 7700 for ice hockey. The crowd noise for the last minute of play was absolutely deafening. The U.S. team were HUGE underdogs against the Soviet team. Boys against Men.

[@patdonnelly9392]

Oh, I am so jealous! When people ask what I didn't see live ( I've seen a lot) I always tell them I wish I was there for that moment! Always gives me chills!! (second would be the Beatles at Shea)

[@Andres64B]

I was in high school when this happened. A friend and I were at a high school basketball game when this game was on. They stopped the basketball game so that everyone could listen to the hockey game. I remember being in the high school gym sitting in the bleachers with everybody else and listening to the final countdown. When the timer hits zero everyone went crazy.

[@wtfisgoingonhere1076]

@Andrés64B That must have been amazing! I was really little so I don’t remember any of it. Stopping a HS basketball game to listen, to hear the win, had to be nothing short of magical.

[@Andres64B]

@@wtfisgoingonhere1076 it really was.

[@myrevival4325]

I saw this game live. Thank you for bringing back a proud American moment. The American team captain didn’t score a goal the whole Olympics. He is the one who made the go ahead goal. I saw a film on the Soviet team years later. They stayed up drinking late the night before the game because they were cocky they would destroy the Americans. They had just before the Olympics, so they had reason. Our goalie, Jim Craig, took an obscene amount of shots on goal in this game, especially towards the end of the game. They just shot and shot and shot, and he blocked them all. The movie “Miracle” is a pretty good representation of what happened, you might want to watch it. It was an exciting Olympics. They used to show them differently, so you got to see earlier rounds. We weren’t expected to medal. So as we moved through beating teams it sort of gained momentum. All of a sudden it was, could we make it to the quarter final? Win! The semi final? Win! Seriously? We are going to the gold medal round with the indisputable best team in the world? Unimaginable win. The commentator, Al Michaels, who coined the phrase “Do you believe in miracles?” at the end of the game was also the commentator during the 1989 World Series when they had the earth quake. The screen went black but they still had audio so he kept broadcasting.

[@anthonyfuqua6988]

You had to be there to see it live. ABC showed it that night.

[@Dr.Acula76]

Not just American sports, greatest moment in sports history period

[@keithdean9149]

The Russians would probably try to claim their win over the USA in Basketball at the 1972 Olympics was greater. Of course the 1980 US Hockey team didn't need the head of International Hockey to interfere in the game to give them the win.

[@CriticalRoleHighlights]

To be fair, there was a little bit more to it that just "U.S.A. vs. USSR". The soviets had an old tired team that was at the in-between stage of "old vs. new", just before they got the most dominant soviet lineup of all time, namely the "KLM Line" with Fetisov, Makarov, Larionov, Kasatonov, and Krutov that went on to win all but three tournaments over the next decade. The USSR main line at the time of the 1980 Olympics had three old players and three young players where the old players were just about on their way out and the team had been through a comparatively difficult 1970's with quite a few losses. In terms of Olympic gold medals they were on an insane streak, yes, where they won 5 of the last 6 Olympic games, but they were very much in a rough patch as a team. The U.S. had young hungry players that had nothing to lose and they played on home turf. The win wasn't really a surprise to anyone who knew anything about hockey at that time. It's just been over-hyped and blown way out of proportion because of the Cold War propaganda nature of the win. Russia had been beaten by older national teams before the U.S. win in the 1980 Olympics, most notably by Sweden (5-1) in the 1977 World Championships and by Czechoslovakia (3-3, ultimate win for Czechoslovakia on total games won) in 1976.

[@VarrgasBodgerton]

no, Canadians beat the Russians 8 years before at the Summit Series. This was a great moment in American sports history, but you were just following the Canadian's footsteps through the snow yet again.

[@CPny65]

@@CriticalRoleHighlights An old tired team? The Soviets beat Team USA and a few NHL teams only weeks before the Olympics. They were not tired at all they were on top of their game and got beat. In case you missed it The Soviets took the gold in the Olympics from '64 until 1980

[@CPny65]

@@VarrgasBodgerton Really. Don't recall them beating the Soviets in '80, or the Americans for that matter.

[@jamesallen5591]

Old joke: I went to a boxing match the other night, and a hockey game broke out.

[@dansrod5952]

Best joke ive read all year, goodstuff

[@bgizzy1088]

James Allen 👍

[@justinfalzon6854]

Kurt Russels speech in Miracle always gives me goosebumps.

[@clintsummers2704]

That group of college kids United the country.. it was amazing to live through. They are all legends.

[@josephvandiver6912]

About 8 years later, Soviets started defecting to the USA to play in the NHL, see SERGIE FEDEROV.

[@Michelle-ce1qh]

HELL YEAH!! I'm from Detroit. We had the Russian Five in the Red Wings. They were unstoppable. Miss those days. Sergei was our favorite. lol.

[@whispersinthedark88]

@@Michelle-ce1qh Yeah I lived in Grand Rapids back then and would watch those games at my local dive bar, the Wings were on fire it honestly felt like they couldn't be beaten...lol Those Russian guys were insanely good and so much fun to watch...if you weren't to drunk to follow the damn puck. Sometimes it seemed like half the on ice team were Russian, and it was always their names on the announcers lips. Its kind of funny because I generally don't like any sports, but I loved watching the Wings play.

[@HeyIts_B_A_618]

Hockey and Soccer are incredibly similar. The three biggest differences are 1. the number of players on the ice/pitch, 2. hitting is perfectly legal in hockey, and 3. the offsides lines (blue lines) are static in hockey instead of moving with the defensemen like they do in soccer.

[@jacketstime]

The interesting thing is that this was actually a semi final. USA ended up beating Finland to win gold.

[@TheJerseyNinja]

Elliott Stanek it wasn’t a semi final, the format was a round robin and whoever had the most points won gold, that’s why Finland didn’t win Silver

[@jacketstime]

@@TheJerseyNinja That's true. What I meant was it was the second to last game for Team USA. Not a gold medal clincher.

[@TheJerseyNinja]

Elliott Stanek ah yes. Good thing we came back and tied Sweden in the prelims huh? If we lost, we would have tied with USSR in points and lost gold due to goal differential lol

[@redstateforever]

I was a little kid in the American south when this happened. We had no idea of any of the rules, we never watched hockey, but it was the Olympics, and it was us against the Bad Guys. My extended family all watched this together, aunts, uncles, cousins, we all lost our minds when we won, it was crazy. I just have glimpses of memories, but even as a little kid, I knew it was a big deal.

[@shaneyarnell2648]

Nope! This is the right one, this was before pro players could be in the olympics so these were college and amateur kids

[@philipcoggins9512]

Pro players could always be in the Olympics, this Russian team were professionals. The main reason why they weren't was a USOC unofficial ban and NHL teams wouldn't release their players from their contracts, which was why NHL players didn't participate in the last Olympics. The NHL and IOC are currently fighting over payment of travel costs and insurance for players, which might keep them out of the next Olympics. Hopes for seeing NHL players return might rest on the NHLPA when it comes to negotiations of a new CBA, which expires after next season, but I doubt the owners or players would lockout or strike over it...

[@susandale5767]

@@philipcoggins9512 I never heard this and I've been around more than 60 years. I always heard that the Lympics was for amateur athletes. The way the Soviets got away with sending "professional" teams to the Olympics is by putting them in the army. That way they could train all year every year being supported by the State.

[@philipcoggins9512]

@@susandale5767 The IOC has never banned professional athletes from competing in the Olympics. For instance, Jim Thorpe was originally disqualified but the USOC, not the IOC, for being a professional athlete. Starting in 1984, NHL teams regularly sent their prospects and younger players to the Olympics, and other international tournaments, until 1994. In 1995 the NHLPA and NHL signed a new CBA that allowed players greater freedom to play for their international teams in IIHF tournaments.

[@JT-Rebel]

Football/Hockey: Goals Baseball: Runs American Football/Basketball: Points

[@pedantic79]

American Football and Basketball have several different ways to score points, each worth different points. While goals and runs are just 1.

[@johnforgrave7125]

@@pedantic79 Yep. A touchdown is worth 6. An extra point is worth 1 (but you can also go for 2 with a fake). A safety is also worth 2, and a field goal is worth 3. The event of someone making a touchdown or getting the safety are said as such, but then we just report out the total score as 'points'. I've never thought so much about the linguistics of football before.

[@JT-Rebel]

@@johnforgrave7125 us Americans really know how to over-complicate things....Think of American Sports as Premier League VAR (Oh no I didn't just go there)

[@sjchxhtriskit3025]

The NHL has always been the best professional league through the existence of professional Ice hockey, but up until this, the best national team was generally the USSR. It initially was Canada and then the USSR in the olympics but then it’s now a mix of the two, with Sweden and the US being perennial challengers but not usually winners. For your sake, the UK did one it once. Here’s the link to all the World Cup men’s hockey winners en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Olympic_medalists_in_ice_hockey

[@donnaoleske6804]

I remember this so vividly. Our whole family was huddled around our TV together, screaming and yelling.

[@liamdillon7155]

There’s a really neat movie called “miracle on ice” and if you have Netflix or Disney + it is on both of them~ keep up the amazing work, love the vids

[@hagamapama]

I think it's just called "miracle" actually

[@JPMadden]

@@hagamapamaThere is also the 1981 made-for-TV movie "Miracle on Ice." It starred Karl Malden and Steve Guttenberg. It's a docudrama. I prefer it to the more over-the-top, Hollywood-style of "Miracle."

[@nostracobb4814]

"WHO DO YOU PLAY FOR" best movie of all time. gives me chills everytime

[@brownbenplumm9027]

I remember watching this movie as a kid in a hotel in Lake Placid with my whole youth hockey team. Even at that young age, it was surreal to play a tournament on the same ice that these guys did when they shocked the world

[@mattmccarthy3964]

BrownBenPlumm played in that tourney too won in all favorite tourney

[@TheJerseyNinja]

Played there twice in tournaments, loved having the championship game on the 1980 ice, the 1932 ice was kinda crappy lol. Won both tournaments I played there, surreal

[@ryanm5578]

Hey brother. You're a freaking legend. Much love from across the pond!

[@Chatta-Ortega]

This was David vs Goliath on ice.

[@troylaudette7804]

To steal a line, it was David vs. Goliath's whole family!

[@bobstewart8032]

This game and the Olympics are one of the reasons hockey has been growing in America. Hockey started to become popular in The United States. I had goosebumps of pride when I was watching this. I still get them watching this.

[@Ycekhold]

9:08 The muted audio is almost certainly due to that segment containing some background music that is, of course, under copyright. (It's "Tom Sawyer" by Rush, if anyone's curious.)

[@craigmanning2439]

Did not notice that. Thanks for pointing that out. PS I have two sons, Neil and Alex.

[@efreshwater5]

@@craigmanning2439 need a third. Lol

[@scottyo911]

I enjoyed this, and yes 1980 was a long time ago. But 1960 was even longer ago - the original Miracle on Ice. My dad was on that team when they won Gold that year. Thank you for sharing this. Scott Olson, son of Weldy.

[@kentgrady9226]

Context means everything to understanding the full significance of this moment. First of all, it was a monumental upset. The Americans had no earthly business on the ice with the Russians. More important, the US was emerging from a turbulent decade. To recap: America had lost a war for the first time in its history. An American president had been taken down and resigned in disgrace for the first and only time. Two separate OPEC oil embargoes had crippled industry, infrastructure, transportation, and the American auto industry. There was runaway inflation, more than 12%/ year. Interest rates on home loans reached nearly 20%. For the first time in history, fewer than 50% considered themselves "proud to be American". The US embassy in Tehran had been overrun, with US nationals taken as hostage for over a year. The Soviet union had just invaded Afghanistan as a pretext to threatening oil fields in the mid East. The Soviets had hosted the 1980 summer Olympics. President Carter boycotted the games in protest of the Afghanistan invasion. American prestige abroad is at an all-time low. The Russians agreed to participate in the winter Olympics specifically to humiliate the Americans in hockey, on American soil. I was a child during these events and remember them all well. To put it mildly, this was far more than a game.

[@greghabicht3838]

Great way to explain it. This game represented the struggle between America and the USSR during the cold war and America winning it with amateur players up against Russian pros was huge.

[@docbearmb]

Perfect explanation.

[@longstrider2734]

Except it wasnt the first time. The U.S. lost the war of 1812... But shh we don't talk about that

[@kentgrady9226]

@@longstrider2734 I understand some people conclude that because the U.S. failed to take Quebec City and Montreal, leaving the British imperial presence on the North American continent. Yes, I remember "54-40 or fight!". On the other hand, the first objective was achieved... A British invasion of sovereign US territory was repelled. The Royal Navy would never press gang another American sailor. The western hemisphere was left as the exclusive domain of the United States, as would become formal policy (Monroe Doctrine, 1823), enduring to present day. So, intelligent people of good conscience can disagree. Setbacks aside, I consider the War of 1812 to be an American victory.

[@cba4389]

Vietnam was not a declared war, get your history right. USA won the Tet Offensive and every other battle. You can't name a battle the Viet won because they didn't win any. The War of 1812 doesn't count since its was just some Americans got drunk and invaded Canada and the Brits backed out of our waters ever after so it ended good for USA.

[@facts-jack5107]

Good video brother. God bless ya over there on the other side of the pond, and the rest the world as well. Sports transcend all lines of division and teach life lessons that stay with you your whole life. Gotta love it

[@jeffburdick869]

"Lets get to 2020 and hopefully its a good year." You jinxed us.

[@melissaharris6210]

I was 3 years old when this happened. I’d love to go back in time and watch this in person as an adult. What a proud moment for Americans 🇺🇸

[@SAVikingSA]

NASA didn't make it to space first, the Soviets did. We ended the space race, though, by landing on the moon first.

[@dcmc7383]

Thanks for reviewing this footage. I was a kid (hadn’t even begun school yet) but I remember everyone being glued to TV for it. So much on the line...the good vs bad guys (over simplification). The youthful idealistic guys against the underhand professionals. There was a lot riding on the game from an emotional standpoint...way more than the norm even for the Olympics. One of your early observations was spot on, however. The American team wasn’t more talented or even equally as talented...but they weren’t smug either. They were hungry and they didn’t give up. The movie Miracle that many others recommend to you is well worth watching because tactics, strategy, emotions, and work were covered very well in that movie. It was a good account of the era and what lead up to those games.

[@robhugh535]

There's a Hollywood movie about this, which is pretty well done. Kurt Russell plays Herb Brooks, the coach. "Miracle on Ice" it's called. What usually gets forgotten though is that this wasn't the gold medal game, rather it was the semi final. The USA still had to defeat Finland for the gold.

[@Blizzard0fHope]

It's just called miracle

[@RoyalMela]

It was not a semifinal and there was no gold medal game. Tournament structure was different. It was a round robin medal round with top four teams playing each other once and team with most points won gold. If USA lost to Finland on the final day, they could have finished even 4th and not get a medal.

[@lizzie5919]

I remember watching this like it was yesterday. It was amazing.

[@michaelforbes4547]

I'm sorry if I've repeated anything that has been said, but it was such a different time then. Russians (Soviets) weren't allowed to play anywhere except their league as they weren't allowed to leave their country. That included East Germans, Czechs, Slovaks, Hungarians or anyone under Soviet rule. The only way you could do it is if you defected here or Canada. The Stastny Brothers from Slovakia did it in the late 70s, and I believe a handful of Russians started to come in the late 80s. When The Wall came down, most of the really good Russian players came and we have had them ever since, and elevated the NHL in terms of skill level. Please correct me if I'm wrong with that, youtube posters. as hockey is not my #1 game, but I'm older and this is all recollection.

[@SAVikingSA]

I'm older, too (Gen X) and you're correct.

[@Scootermcgruder]

Check the video of Alexander Mogilny. Pretty chilling what those guys had to go through to come play here. The dude was almost whacked by the Russian mob

[@michaelforbes4547]

@@Scootermcgruder I forgot about Mogilny. He went through hell......

[@Macdelaven]

I was in college and grew up in Detroit. We were able to see the game live on CTV from Canada. Then went to the bar to watch it "live" again in Ann Arbor. Awesome memory.

[@austinblock954]

"Lets get to 2020 and have a great year." 😂😂😂 we had no idea what was coming

[@firefox8505]

Oh my gosh you did end up doing this one, I suggested it a few weeks back, thank you! :)

[@Tarzan91303]

There are several good sports movies to recommend for your consideration: Rudy. Miracle On Ice. We Are Marshall. Secretariat (horse racing). Hoosiers. And my personal favorite, Girl Fight. (women boxing)

[@lindaloo5980]

I remember watching this game, I was 19. The thing you need to understand about the US and USSR rivalry in the Olympics, was that the worst kept secret in the history of the Olympics, both summer and winter, was that the Soviets were not amateurs, everyone knew they were professionals in every way but their Soviet titles. The vast majority of American olympians were students. Not just college, even a handful were high school students. A lot were just average Americans who were good at an obscure sport and just loved the competition and returned to the Olympics time after time. The fact that the Soviet team were consistently the best on the world as far as the Olympics were concerned, and we were pinning our hopes on this rag tag group of college kids, well, it’s the stuff dreams are made of. Yes, we believe in miracles...

[@ba.diecast24]

A goal is a goal man, only thing is that there’s two assists in hockey, the primary and secondary.

[@janetseidlitz5976]

It was really fantastic to watch. Definitely a high note in our story as a country.

[@-EchoesIntoEternity-]

Hockey was invented in Canada, and the NHL has always been the premier league in the world even prior to the 1980 Olympics.

[@Stumbler2001]

That's true, but that 1980 USSR team was the best team in the world. They were better than any NHL team at the time. They were the equivalent of an NHL all star team that trained & played together all the time. They might be the best hockey team of all time.

[@stt5v2002]

Great reaction. 2020 did not work out, but reaction videos are getting me through it ten minutes at a time.

[@uhohhh7857]

wow you’re growing fast

[@user-gk8ss6mt1d]

i was born 16 years after this game, only started playing hockey a few years ago when the knights started in vegas. and this shit still makes me wanna cry, singlehandedly the greatest sports moment in the history of ever.

[@MICHAELSMITH-ys8ek]

This game was to get to the gold medal game. They beat Finland to win the gold. Russians do commonly play in the NHL. It is called a goal.

[@eaglesyt8591]

Sweden*

[@rounder8329]

@@eaglesyt8591 No, they beat Finland

[@RoyalMela]

This was not a semi-final, since there was no finals. Finland finished 4th so that couldn't have been a final. Four teams from two preliminary groups advanced to medal round, playing against top two teams from other group and the points from meeting the one remaining team carried over, so no team played again against the team from their preliminary group. Sweden and USA met in group game and tied 2-2, so their one point carried over to medal games. Soviets and Finland were the top two from other group, where Soviets won Finland 2-4. So Soviets had two points and Finland zero. So when USA won both Soviets and Finland, they finished with five points, Soviet Union won Sweden and lost to USA, so with the two points from group game against Finland, they finished with four points. Sweden tied Finland so they finished with two points and got bronze. Finland got only one points and finished fourth.

[@MICHAELSMITH-ys8ek]

@@RoyalMela Look it up. USA beat Finland in the gold medal game. Points be damned.

[@tobinhays652]

I was nine years old when this happened. There was a rumble across the country that something amazing had happened, and it was on TV delay. I remember phone calls from relatives asking if we'd seen this, and the game hadn't started on TV yet!

[@nathanpitek3177]

Russian players were not allowed to be in the NHL at this time. Soon after these olympics some were allowed over. The NHL all stars played the soviets and lost like 6-0 and in a scrimmage between the US Olympic team before the games they beat the US like 12-1, making their win all the more remarkable

[@davidpost428]

Amazing !

[@From-North-Jersey]

The soviets beat an NHL all star team by like 10 goals, but all star teams are flawed. They are made of players not used to playing with each other. Everyone forgets about how the soviets got the shit beat out of them both ways by the Philadelphia Flyers AKA:The Broad Street Bullies. Phillies motto back then was "If we can't beat you, we are going to beat you." Meaning if they couldn't out score you they would beat the ever loving shit out of you until your entire team was afraid to go near, let alone handle the puck. The game was so rough the russians pulled their players off the ice at the end of the first period, and again halfway thru the second. When they found out they would not get paid if they didn't finish the game they maned up and took their medicine.

[@anm156]

I remember watching this. What a moment. 😭😭😭

[@TheMcrblues]

Watch biggest hits or scariest moments!! You'll laugh at your footballers after. We've had people pull out their teeth and even have a heart attack and still try to play

[@sda6691]

I watched that game with my dad...it was so exciting!!!!!!

[@bensedg04]

All the best Russian players play in the NHL. Most of the ones that are fringe NHL players just stay the KHL though. During the peak of the Soviet Union the KHL was likely better, but once the nation was in the downfall and eventually collapsed the NHL was and has been definitely better since

[@williammontroy9024]

Make no mistake the khl has never been better than the nhl ..the khl has been around since what 2008?

[@bensedg04]

william montroy I know, I forgot what the name of the league was so I just said the KHL as it's pretty much the same thing just with a different name

[@sabertheglaceon256]

it was called the Super league at the time

[@bensedg04]

Jason Guthro a team in the Swiss league beat the flyers in an exhibition game earlier this year, so by your logic, how is the NHL better than the Swiss league?

[@ryanje8147]

Thanks for sharing your reaction with us.

[@2apur]

The greatest mistake was pulling Tretiak. He was the best goalie of his time and much time after that. I guarantee Tretiak wouldn't have let in 2 more goals. If Tretiak wanted to play in the NHL, he would've had way better numbers than Dryden. Stupid coach.

[@shannonbrigante5764]

I still cry.. every. single. time.

[@sizzledan31]

There are plenty of Russian players in the NHL, Alexander Ovechkin and Nikita Kucherov to name 2 of the best

[@trumphatesyou]

Geno Malkin slip your mind?

[@bobmeyer854]

I just want to give you props for having an open mind about different sports. So many people including many or maybe even most Canadian and American sports fans are really hostile towards other sports especially non North American sports and so many people outside the US and Canada think it's bizarre we don't really watch soccer/football and they hate on us for it.

[@pushpak]

Tons of Russians, Fins, Swedes in NHL

[@jamesware5100]

im not a traitor nothing like that respect to Russia from good ol USA

[@KhamsinFilms]

@0:55 "Let's get to 2020 and hopefully we'll have a good year." I'm from the future. You jinxed us all.

[@rowdy5795]

Yeah man, watch the movie “MIRACLE”...the coach for the USA team was absolutely brutal to those college kids. The movie shows how much he put them through. And yes, Ovechkin is Russian

[@XGhostMedicX]

I freaking love this lad! He’s an honorary American, buy my standards. As a bloke from California I’d love for you to do some episodes on the history of California!

[@guccilibrarian4728]

0:54 Well that comment didn't age well...

[@dieselbourbon3728]

I've only watched one hockey game my whole life and I cried with joy.

[@catastrophicgiraffe6476]

Hockey’s skill is crazy check out some dangles vids

[@ponytrekker9315]

The game that got me into hockey after that I’ve become a big Ranger fan and have been ever since.. thanks to the miracle on ice.

[@rcslyman8929]

12:54 "Is there any Russian players that play in the NHL?" Funny you should ask that. This Soviet team from 1980 had two players, Slava Fetisov and Igor "The Professor" Larionov, who were instrumental in the next few years after this game took place, of opening the Iron Curtain for Russian hockey players to be signed by and play for the NHL. Those same two players, along with Vladimir Konstantinov, Slava Koslov, and Sergei Fedorov, became the Russian Five for the Detroit Red Wings and helped to found one of the greatest dynasties in American sports history. Also, yes, prior to this game, the Soviet team was the best team in the world. They beat an NHL All-Star team, handily. They beat this team in an exhibition match... what was it, two weeks prior to this game? Not even? And it wasn't even close. We got decimated. It was a teachable moment. But yes, the Soviets were the best in the world. While they were technically an amateur team, they were basically professionals. They were "employed" in various industries in Russia, but never reported to their actual jobs. 11 months out of the year, they were skating together, training, and playing. Hockey was their job. Hockey was their life.

[@bigapplebucky]

The Detroit Red Wings had the "Russian Five" in the 1990's and won a couple of Stanley Cups.

[@rcslyman8929]

@@bigapplebucky They won back-to-back Stanley cups in 1997 and 1998 (stressing that because it's not often). Two more in 2002 and 2008. Detroit's playoff streak began in 1990 and lasted until 2018. Granted that after 2010, they were basically just first round knockouts and not quality playoff bids. But that was 25 consecutive seasons. No other professional team in an American sports league (any sport... football, baseball, basketball, etc.) can make that claim. Those that survived the Dead Wing years got rewarded with a quarter century of seeing their team vying for, contending, and winning championships. We're in a lull right now. But we just got The Captain back in the main office. He took a sleeper team in Tampa Bay and turned them into a Stanley Cup winner. If he gets the support here, the Wings will be back after some rebuilding.

[@mosman93]

I was 11 when this took place and was playing hockey. This will always be with me forever.

[@sjchxhtriskit3025]

This wasn’t even to win gold, this was in the semi finals

[@Alan.Endicott]

Yes, they still had to win another game (against Sweden, I think).

[@jonr6401]

Alan Endicott close but was Finland

[@B0tzilla]

Wasnt semi. Back in the day there was no playoffs but a group style stage where the team with most points won gold

[@RoyalMela]

There was no final or semifinal. Four teams from two preliminary groups advanced to medal round, playing against top two teams from other group and the points from meeting the one remaining team carried over, so no team played again against the team from their preliminary group. Sweden and USA met in group game and tied 2-2, so their one point carried over to medal games. Soviets and Finland were the top two from other group, where Soviets won Finland 2-4. So Soviets had two points and Finland zero. So when USA won both Soviets and Finland, they finished with five points, Soviet Union won Sweden and lost to USA, so with the two points from group game against Finland, they finished with four points. Sweden tied Finland so they finished with two points and got bronze. Finland got only one points and finished fourth.

[@HardCoreHockeyPlyr14]

i have gotten to play on that same ice in Lake Placid that this game was played multiple times for tournaments and it’s always the best feeling any US player could ever feel

[@spanny_2722]

The reason why Russia was so good to was cause we couldn’t use any prob athletes Canada to for the Olympics Canada’s pro team actually best the ussr in the summit series

[@paladin313]

I am an American, and I love rugby. I watched the rugby world cup match between SA and Japan at Brighton, and I was fortunate to not know the outcome beforehand. When Japan won, I was ecstatic, and all I could think about was this hockey game as being the same kind of "wow!" I'd put the Brighton Miracle right on the level of this one.

[@Wilco1972]

You should react to "Best of Mic'd Up - Stanley Cup Final" Its the highlights of last seasons Stanley Cup Finals. Similar story to this. The St Louis Blues lead by a rookie goaltender were underdogs to the Boston Bruins. Being a longtime Blues fan I'm biased, but it's a wonderful video to watch.

[@wtfisgoingonhere1076]

@Dr Zoom I’m a long time Caps fan and remember well the joy of winning the Cup for the first time. I’m still proud, and I’m very happy for you & the Blues! I’m going to go look up what you suggested. I’ll probably cry like the girl I am. 😁🤘🏻

[@maxbrunett4405]

2020 will be a great year little did he know

[@paulmcmurtrey932]

REACT TO FOOTBALL HURDLES, OR BASEBALL BEST INFIELD PLAYS OR CATCHES

[@kelhapam]

I remember watching the games in Massachusetts . Everyone was watching The streets were empty. It was so awesome and I wasn’t a hockey fan.

[@NolmDirtyDan]

Theres too many russians to count in the NHL, anywhere they play hockey, theres probably somebody in the NHL from there, the NHL is the most international league in America, baseball has a lot of foreign players from the carribian and Japan aand Korea as well

[@eaglesyt8591]

DanD 1014 Basketball does go abroad as well, that is slowly becoming more international than baseball. Not many European big leaguers, if at all.

[@eaglesyt8591]

Max Kepler is the obvious one.

[@SJPace1776]

MLS has a ton of non US or Canada based players in it.

[@natskivna]

Today, yes there are many Russians in the NHL. But in 1980, during the Cold War there were no Soviet players in the NHL. It's astounding to me so many young folks are ignorant of what communism, the Iron Curtain and the Soviet Union were like from 1945-1990. It was similar to how North Korea is today...a closed society that you didn't just leave, and every bit the enemy to the countries in the west.

[@wowbruh2511]

@@SJPace1776 nobody cares about the MLS though.

[@msmrsro]

I live in Minnesota where many of these players were from. The coach, Herb Brooks, stayed and coached here in MN for years and died here in a car crash. There’s a movie called “Miracle on Ice” about this team. You should check it out.

[@lose.4928]

🇺🇸

[@peterbrown6022]

You have got to get your hands on a copy of the movie called 'Miracle' which will tell you the whole story of the 1980 miracle on ice as it was called. It starts as they assemble the team and goes right through all of their training to those incredible Olympic games where they pulled off the unthinkable.

[@sjchxhtriskit3025]

There’s many Russians in the NHL, arguably the best player, Alexander Ovechkin, is Russian

[@joshhulst3929]

Sjchxh Triskit Im from Michigan and I’ll never forget the Russian five for the Red Wings. Great group of players and even better human beings.

[@AllArmiAllArmi]

Please react to Ovechkin.

[@sjchxhtriskit3025]

josh Hulst solid solid team

[@ChrisLamia]

Ovi hasn't been the best player in a decade

[@sjchxhtriskit3025]

Skylightt I see your logo so if you say Taylor Hall, we’re gonna fight😂😂but I said arguably, it’s rly a debate between him and Crosby both being correct, at least in my opinion

[@brettsmith902]

You gotta watch the movie "Miracle". It depicts the times we were in, and how Herb Brooks chose the team, molded them, and his unorthodox way of motivating his team.

[@docbearmb]

A. You’re right. It is called a goal. B. There are loads of Russians, Finns, Czechs, Swedes, and Americans in NHL in addition to the ever-present Canadians. Players from other European countries are also there but not in great numbers. C. Please don’t compare to soccer. Most of the hits you saw are called checks and are perfectly legal. It is an extremely physical game as well as being played at fever pitch with pretty much non-stop excitement. I’ve been to all the professional major team sports (including soccer) and there is nothing like ice hockey, no matter the level.

[@southpaw17fl16]

Those Olympics were being played in Lake Placid New York. You need to watch Herb Brooks speech before the game, he was the head coach of the team, it will give you goosebumps.

[@vollrathfgc]

There are plenty of Russians/Europeans playing in the NHL Edit, the reason Russia was the best is because I believe the NHL said “our players can’t play in the olympics” OR the olympics said professionals can’t play, I think it was the NHL who said no but idk

[@vollrathfgc]

Alfred Prufrock alright, thanks

[@BC_Geoff]

Please make more NHL videos! As a Canadian hockey fan, I love watching these

[@whataboutrob442]

This Russian team beat all the Canadian and USA NHL teams.

[@samrobi7493]

Should see the movie very inspiring, saw it atleast 20 times as a Child. Im from canada and play hockey since 3 years old and never saw something like that in hockey

[@yesguy245]

EHH react to best dekes and dangles its all skils

[@yesguy245]

right one btw

[@annacostanzo5307]

My parents were at that game...I live in Lake Placid, NY...I drive by that arena every day.

[@thebrand8673]

This was bigger than winning the Stanley Cup!

[@kennayres6132]

Great video, just came across your channel and I must say I love YOUR love for the games along with your sincere, honest commentary. You make an excellent correlation between soccer and hockey about mid-way through the video...Hockey is VERY much like a shrunken down version of soccer, minus the striker and a few other players...and you are correct in calling a score in hockey a "goal". Keep up the great work...you have a new Philadelphia Eagle fan subscriber.

[@jon_knee5]

I think given the events that were current at the time in the world of sports this is the greatest underdog story of all time and it’s not even close. The timeline of this series is as if its shaped every sports movie storyline from then on

[@tatumwerner9677]

You gotta do a reaction on the worst hockey injuries. That is if your stomach can handle it! It’s gnarly.