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I by no means subscribed to astrology or numerology or something like that as a result of I all the time chalked it up to human nature and making an attempt to make sense of an enormous mess of knowledge.
We simply type of determined over time that “7” was fortunate and “13” was unfortunate, and all types of different nonsense that actually does not imply something.
But after I discovered that the extremely anticipated Olympic gold medal conflict between the United States and Canada was happening on February 22, I nearly fell out of my chair.
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Jim Craig celebrates Team USA’s win over USSR on Feb. 22, 1980. (Disney General Entertainment Content by way of Getty Images)
It’s nearly too excellent.
While that is not a date that stands out to lots of people, it does for hockey followers. Specifically, American hockey followers.
It’s the anniversary of the “Miracle on Ice.”
We all know the story, and because the years go by, it begins to sound increasingly more like some type of nice American legend.
You had the Soviet Union, a juggernaut on the worldwide stage, dominating the Olympics for almost 20 years.
At the time, the Olympics had been for amateurs, and that classification solely loosely utilized to the Soviets. Names like Boris Mikhailov, Sergei Makarov, and Vladislav Tretiak can be NHL superstars in the event that they performed in one other period.
But once more, they had been “amateurs.”
As for the Americans, they put collectively a Herb Brooks-led group of precise amateurs from the collegiate ranks. They put apart grudges from their NCAA days, and overcame off-ice hardships of their private life — like netminder Jim Craig, who was coping with the lack of his mom — to develop into one cohesive, very proficient group.
Of course, the sport occurred on the top of the Cold War. So, on prime of the usual David and Goliath matchup, you had a wholesome dose of geopolitics thrown into the combo.
That set the stage for the medal spherical on the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York.
On February 22, the Americans and Soviets hit the ice, and, properly… I feel everyone knows the remainder.
That win immortalized names like Eruzione, Craig, Johnson, and Schneider.
American hockey participant Mike Eruzione #21 of Team USA shakes palms with the Russian group throughout an 1980 exhibition recreation in opposition to the Soviet Union on Feb. 9, 1980 on the Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. (Bruce Bennett Studios by way of Getty Images Studios/Getty Images)
The US did not win gold that day due to the round-robin format the Games used again then, nevertheless it meant that in the event that they beat Finland of their subsequent recreation, they had been golden in each sense of the phrase.
KAILLIE ARMBRUSTER HUMPHRIES, JASMINE JONES SECURE BRONZE IN TWO-WOMAN BOBSLED FOR TEAM USA
They did it, however sadly, that was the US’s most up-to-date males’s Olympic gold. One of two, together with a win on the 1960 Games in Squaw Valley, California.
They’ve come shut, particularly in 2010, when Sidney Crosby stole gold from across the Americans’ necks with an OT winner.
However, one Olympic cycle later, NHLers had been out of the Olympics, and that type of cooled the US-Canada rivalry.
Thanks largely to 4 Nations Face-Off, the US-Canada rivalry is as scorching as ever.
And it looks like 1980 as soon as once more. The Americans are the underdogs, regardless of having nearly inarguably probably the most proficient American roster ever.
On the American facet, you have bought Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel, Quinn and Jack Hughes, Charlie McAvoy, Matthew and Brady Tkachuk, and extra, all backstopped by three-time Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck.
Brock Nelson celebrates objective with Matthew Tkachuk and Jack Hughes by his facet within the 5-1 win over Latvia on Feb. 12, 2026 on the 2026 Milan Cortina Games. (RvS.Media/Robert Hradil)
But then you definately’ve bought the Canadians who’ve the very best participant on the planet, Connor McDavid, in addition to superstars like Nathan MacKinnon, Macklin Celebrini, Brad Marchand, Mitch Marner, Cale Makar, and extra. And then there’s netminder Jordan Binnington, who miraculously appears to rise to the event and play his greatest hockey on the worldwide stage.
Oh, and if he is wholesome, they’re going to even have one Sidney Crosby of their lineup, probably the greatest gamers to ever do it.
Just like in 1980 (although not fairly to the extent of 1980, when there have been nuclear warheads pointing in every route), there’s slightly geopolitical animosity between the 2 nations that makes the sport imply simply that rather more.
It’s going to be a wild one.
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February 22 is already the date of the best achievement in American hockey history. Hell, I’d argue American sports activities history full-stop.
So, how about Team USA?
Let’s add to the February 22 legend.
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