Miracle Page #8

Johnson on Mikhailov. Broten on Petrov.

Pav against whoever-ov.

We just... We don't match up, Patti.

You might want to skip that

when you talk to the boys tomorrow.

Herb. Herb.

There's no disgrace

in losing to this team.

I know.

The important thing is you got this far.

The important thing

is those 20 boys knowing in 20 years

they didn't leave anything on the table.

That they played their hearts out.

That's the important thing.

- Great job. Great day.

- Thanks. Sure is, sure is.

Any chance we can wish the boys luck?

I'm sorry, Bob. You know Herb.

Not a good time right now.

- After the game, all right?

- Craig, hold up.

Herb doesn't want any distractions.

It's understandable.

We just wanted to wish them luck.

You ready to go?

- You serious? Am I playing?

- Suit up.

Great moments...

...are born from great opportunity.

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 them. This is your time.

Now, go out there and take it.

Hold up here a second.

We're just gonna wait for the OK.

- We're all set.

- All right. Go ahead and send them in.

OK. It's time.

Come on, Jimmy.

Come on, Buzzy. Let's hustle.

Come on, Brotz. Let's go, Strobel.

Rizzo.

USA! USA! USA!

The excitement building.

The Olympic Center filling to capacity.

The face value of a top ticket

for tonight's game, $67.20.

Outside they were exchanging hands

at three times the face value.

Hello again. I'm Al Michaels with

Ken Dryden. It should be a great night.

I'm sure there are a lot of people here

who do not know the difference

between a blue line and a clothesline.

It's irrelevant. It doesn't matter.

Because we have the rarest

of sporting events.

An event that needs no buildup,

no superfluous adjectives.

In a political or nationalistic sense,

it is being viewed

with varying perspectives.

But manifestly it is a hockey game.

The United States and the Soviet Union

on a sheet of ice in Lake Placid.

Ken, some of your thoughts.

For the US team, it's discovery time.

It's one thing to be young and promising

and it's quite another to be good.

In the next two and a half hours,

the US players will go through

perhaps the most difficult and demanding

yet exhilarating time of their lives.

They will be playing

against the best team in the world,

a team that's far better than they are,

a team that's dominated world hockey

for the last 15 years.

In the crowd,

Jim Craig's father, Donald Craig.

It's been a difficult time for the

family with the passing of Jimmy's mom.

One of her dreams

was to have her son play on this team.

So this has to be an emotional night

for the two of them.

He doesn't look too nervous down there.

The US team, very young.

Average age, 21 years old.

The Soviets, much more seasoned.

Some of them have been playing

together for the last 15 years.

And this game is about to get under way.

All right. On three, boys.

- One, two, three.

- USA!

Jim Craig in goal for the United States.

Vladislav Tretyak,

considered the best goalie in the world,

in the nets for the Soviet Union.

The US team in white,

skating up to center ice.

The Soviet Union in red, all business.

And here we go.

Face-off won by Mikhailov.

Back to Kasatonov.

Move on him. Move on him.

Carried up ice by Kasatonov

who passes to Petrov.

Puck picked up by Morrow.

Pressured by Mikhailov.

The pass in front of the US net.

A shot deflected by Craig.

- Watch the middle.

- Keep it out of the middle.

Jim Craig tested for the first time.

Dave Silk with the puck along

the boards. Taken away by Kasatonov.

Up ahead to Petrov.

Petrov streaking up the boards.

Powering past Ramsey.

Centering pass to Kharlamov.

He shoots. Saved by Jim Craig.

Puck cleared out of the US zone.

Big hit on McClanahan

by the Soviet captain Boris Mikhailov.

Krutov with a hard shot

from the high slot. Craig with a save.

Golikov across to Petrov.

Again Craig is equal to the task.

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