It was more than a hockey game. It was the US, against the world. It was freedom vs. communism. No one gave them a hope or a way to win. It was a sliver of the cold war played out on a sheet of ice. Here you have a bunch of fresh-faced college kids taking on the big bad soviet bear. In the US, in the Olympics, the confluence of events was so extrodanary that it will never happen again. No one paid attention to what Americans said in the world anymore. Our hostages were taken and we couldn't get them back. The Red Army went into Afghanistan, and we couldn't get them out. It might have been the all time low point for American self-esteem. Who knew that these kids would be the vehicle to make Americans excited and proud to wave a flag again? It was a miracle, David slew Goliath. It was the greatest sports moment of the 20th century. This is the story of the 1980 U.S. hockey team and their importance in the world at that time.

America for many, it is a word that conjures up images of a land made of miracles. Where anything is possible, but that's not how it was in the late 70's when a darkness seemed to hang over the nation. It w

The Soviets in fact really didn't have to compete in the first round. They breezed past Japan and the Netherlands with a combined score of thirty-three to four. On the other side, the Americans started off against the heavily favored Swedes. They trailed 2-1 going late into the final period. With 41 seconds left, Brooks pulled Jim Craig, their goalie, out of the net and put on an extra attacker. Then at the top of the face off circle Jim Baker one-timed a pass into the Swedish net to tie the game. Some say that was the key goal for the Americans throughout the Olympics, because if baker didn't score that goal, then they would have already been out of the Olympics. Next they played the Czechs, which was probably the second best team in the world. The Americans dominated them and won the game. After the Czechs came Norway and West Germany, both of which the Americans beat before in previous exhibition games. But there was a key moment in the Norway game that was very important, not just to the games but to American pride. Late in the game number three from Norway gave Mark Johnson a cheap shot and all of America was introduced to Herb Brooks. Brooks said from the bench on live TV to the Swedish player, "You watch it number three or I'll bury that god damn stick down your throat! You eat that god damn Koho, three!"(HBO Doc.). People were ready to hear that in America. It was like Herb Brook was addressing the Itola of Iran, the whole Soviet Union, and all the problems America was facing.

Then there was the Soviet side. The coach of the Soviet team was Victor Tiekanof. He was behind the iron curtain getting his team ready for the Olympics. But, Victor didn't have any of Herb Brook's problems. The Soviets were the best hockey team in the world; they had a dynasty behind them, which spanned 30 years. They even sported the best goaltender of all time, Vladislav Tretiak. They dominated every team they played against, year after year. To them there was no second place.

The day had finally come! In front of a million Americans watching the game, some of which didn't know the difference between an offside and icing, were ready to experience the best game they would probably see in their lifetime. For decades the Cold War had a way of flaring up in all sorts of hot spots around the world. On February 22, 1980, it was a small hockey rink in a little town in the Appalachian Mountains. The Americans were skating with determination, unlike the previous game played between the two at Madison Square Garden. Even Russian players noted years later that they remembered the American team coming out and skating fast and playing very good defense, and to them that was unexpected. But it made no difference, because as it turned out, the Soviets struck first. The Russians took a 1-0 lead at the 9:12 mark in the first period. After their first goal most Americans winced and said to themselves, "Oh, boy! Here it comes!" No sooner did Buzz Snider, from the US team, come down the left side and beat the world's best goalie, Tretiak, from the blue line with a slap shot. The tying goal failed to unnerve the Soviets. Minutes later the Soviets scored again, and it looked like the period would end with the Soviets up 2-1. But with seconds remaining, the methodical team that never made mistakes made the worst kind, a mental error, and it changed the course of the game. With five seconds left in the first period, Bobby Christian took a final shot at net from the red line. As it hit the Russian goalie, both teams were heading towards their benches, except Mark Johnson. With barely three seconds left Mark Johnson went hard to the net, past the Soviet defensemen who thought the period was over, and banged in the rebound with one second to go. With the start of the second period, Soviet coach Victor Tiekanof was showing some concern toward the game as he pulled his best goaltender from the game and put in his back up goalie.

Some common words found in the essay are:
Mike Euruzonie, Herb Brooks, Soon American, Lake Placid, Jim Craig, Mile Island, Army Afghanistan, Americans Soviets, Doc McWhirter, Hockey Team, hockey team, team world, herb brooks, hockey game, mark johnson, soviet team, winter olympics, college kids, lake placid, hbo doc, madison square garden, hockey team world, bunch college kids, captain mike euruzonie,
Approximate Word count = 2789
Approximate Pages = 11 (250 words per page double spaced)