Olympic ice hockey is an intense sport with a fascinating history. It is also one that features a few differences from the NHL version of the game. For example, the rules for overtime are different. In the men’s tournament, for instance, a 20-minute sudden death period followed by a 15-minute intermission is played to decide a winner. But if that doesn’t work out, the teams then go into a penalty shootout.
On the day after Valentine’s Day, Mike Eruzione led the U.S. team into the Blyth Arena for its semifinal game with the Soviet squad. It looked like the Soviets would win, as they had a 2-1 lead at the end of the first period. But midway through the second stanza, Bill Christian – the smallest player on the American team – took a pass from brother Roger and skated down the right side. He then drilled the puck past the Soviet goalie to tie the game.
For the remainder of regulation and the 10-minute sudden-death overtime, the teams remained tied. Then came the modified shootout, in which five players from each time rush the opposing goalie from center ice and try to score. Eric Lindros of the Canada shot first, and he managed to put the puck in the net. But a video review showed that the puck did not completely cross the goal line.
The game has changed considerably since that day in 1980. The NHL stopped sending its players to the Olympics in 1998, and the tournament format has evolved over the years. The Olympic Games still feature a round-robin of games before the medal rounds, but most of the teams – including Canada and the United States – now include NHL players.