Ice hockey at the 1972 Winter Olympics
Encyclopedia
At the 1972 Winter Olympics
held in Sapporo, Japan
, one ice hockey
event was held: men's ice hockey. Games were held at the Makomanai Ice Arena
and at the Tsukisamu Indoor Skating Rink.
" and the 1960 US team had the "Forgotten Miracle
", the 1972 team could be called the "completely overlooked miracle." The U.S. team was expected to finish 5th behind the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, Sweden, and Finland. The Soviet and Czech teams were especially powerful as there was no distinction between amateurs and pros in communist countries; these teams were made up of seasoned professionals and were ranked 1 & 2 in the world. Valeri Kharlamov of the Soviet Union was considered one of the world's best players and experts agree he would have been a star in the NHL. The same can be said for Soviet goaltender Vladislav Tretiak
. In fact, this was basically the same Soviet Team that played a Canadian team composed of NHL All Stars in the 1972 Summit Series that Canada narrowly won, 4-3-1.
After qualifying for Group A by beating Switzerland 5-3, the U.S. lost as expected to Sweden, 5-1. Then they pulled off the upset of the tournament when they beat Czechoslovakia, 5-1. This surprising result was nearly as astonishing as the wins over the Soviets in 1960 and 1980. After losing as expected to the Soviet Union, the young Americans upset Finland. In the final games of the competition, the U.S. beat Poland while Finland beat Sweden and the Soviets beat the Czechs (in the game that decided the gold medal); those results boosted the U.S. from 4th to 2nd for a silver medal that was nearly as miraculous as the 1960 and 1980 gold medals.
1972 Winter Olympics
The 1972 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XI Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from February 3 to February 13, 1972 in Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan...
held in Sapporo, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, one ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
event was held: men's ice hockey. Games were held at the Makomanai Ice Arena
Makomanai Ice Arena
is an indoor ice hockey arena in Minami-ku, Sapporo, Japan. It was built in December, 1970, and holds 11,500 people and has an area of 10,133 m² in total...
and at the Tsukisamu Indoor Skating Rink.
Team USA
While the 1980 team had the celebrated "Miracle on IceMiracle on Ice
The "Miracle on Ice" is the name in American popular culture for a medal-round men's ice hockey game during the 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, New York, on Friday, February 22...
" and the 1960 US team had the "Forgotten Miracle
Ice hockey at the 1960 Winter Olympics
At the 1960 Winter Olympics held in Squaw Valley, California, United States, one ice hockey event was held: men's Ice Hockey. This tournament was also counted as IIHF World Championship and IIHF European Championship. Games were held at Blyth Arena.Canada, the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia and...
", the 1972 team could be called the "completely overlooked miracle." The U.S. team was expected to finish 5th behind the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, Sweden, and Finland. The Soviet and Czech teams were especially powerful as there was no distinction between amateurs and pros in communist countries; these teams were made up of seasoned professionals and were ranked 1 & 2 in the world. Valeri Kharlamov of the Soviet Union was considered one of the world's best players and experts agree he would have been a star in the NHL. The same can be said for Soviet goaltender Vladislav Tretiak
Vladislav Tretiak
Vladislav Aleksandrovich Tretiak, MSM is a former goaltender for the Soviet Union's national ice hockey team. Considered to be one of the greatest goaltenders in the history of the sport, he was voted one of six players to the International Ice Hockey Federation's Centennial All-Star Team in a...
. In fact, this was basically the same Soviet Team that played a Canadian team composed of NHL All Stars in the 1972 Summit Series that Canada narrowly won, 4-3-1.
After qualifying for Group A by beating Switzerland 5-3, the U.S. lost as expected to Sweden, 5-1. Then they pulled off the upset of the tournament when they beat Czechoslovakia, 5-1. This surprising result was nearly as astonishing as the wins over the Soviets in 1960 and 1980. After losing as expected to the Soviet Union, the young Americans upset Finland. In the final games of the competition, the U.S. beat Poland while Finland beat Sweden and the Soviets beat the Czechs (in the game that decided the gold medal); those results boosted the U.S. from 4th to 2nd for a silver medal that was nearly as miraculous as the 1960 and 1980 gold medals.
Medalists
| Gold: | Silver: | Bronze: |
Vladislav Tretiak Vladislav Tretiak Vladislav Aleksandrovich Tretiak, MSM is a former goaltender for the Soviet Union's national ice hockey team. Considered to be one of the greatest goaltenders in the history of the sport, he was voted one of six players to the International Ice Hockey Federation's Centennial All-Star Team in a... Alexander Pashkov Alexander Pashkov Alexander Konstantinovich Pashkov is a retired ice hockey player who played in the Soviet Hockey League. He played for HC Dynamo Moscow, HC Lokomotiv Moscow, HC CSKA Moscow, and Krylya Sovetov Moscow. He was inducted into the Russian and Soviet Hockey Hall of Fame in 1978.-External links:*... Vitaly Davidov Viktor Kuskin Alexander Ragulin Alexander Ragulin Alexander Pavlovich "Rags" Ragulin was a defenseman for the Red Army ice hockey team, CSKA Moscow , a 10 time World Champion, and a 3-time Olympic champion .... Gennadi Tsygankov Vladimir Lutchenko Vladimir Lutchenko Vladimir Yakovlevich Lutchenko is a retired ice hockey player who played in the Soviet Hockey League. He played for HC CSKA Moscow. He was inducted into the Russian and Soviet Hockey Hall of Fame in 1970-External links:... Vladimir Vasiliev Igor Romishevsky Igor Romishevsky Igor Anatolievich Romishevsky is a retired ice hockey player who played in the Soviet Hockey League. He played for HC CSKA Moscow. He was inducted into the Russian and Soviet Hockey Hall of Fame in 1968.... Yevgeny Mishakov Alexander Maltsev Alexander Yakushev Alexander Yakushev Alexander Sergeyevich Yakushev was an ice hockey player for the Soviet Union.Born in Moscow, Soviet Union, Alexander Yakushev is best known to North American hockey fans as one of the stars for the Soviet team that played Team Canada in the famous 1972 Summit Series... Vladimir Vikulov Vladimir Vikulov Vladimir Ivanovich Vikulov is a retired ice hockey player who played in the Soviet Hockey League. He was born in Moscow, Soviet Union and played for HC CSKA Moscow. Vikulov led the Soviet league in goals in 1971-72, and was top goal scorer at the IIHF World Championships the same year... Anatoly Firsov Valeri Kharlamov Yury Blinov Yury Blinov Yury Ivanovich Blinov is a retied ice hockey player who played in the Soviet Hockey League. He played for HC CSKA Moscow. He was also a member of the Soviet team for the Summit Series against Canada. He was inducted into the Russian and Soviet Hockey Hall of Fame in 1972.-External links:*... Boris Mikhailov Boris Mikhailov (ice hockey) Boris Petrovich Mikhailov is a former Soviet ice hockey player. He played for Kristall Saratov from 1962–65, Lokomotiv Moscow from 1965–67, and CSKA Moscow from 1967-1981... Vladimir Petrov Vladimir Vladimirovich Petrov Vladimir Vladimirovich Petrov is a Soviet ice hockey player, two times Olympic Champion , who is currently retired.... Vladimir Shadrin Vladimir Shadrin Vladimir Nikolaevich Shadrin is a retired ice hockey player who played in the Soviet Hockey League. He played for HC Spartak Moscow. He was inducted into the Russian and Soviet Hockey Hall of Fame in 1971.... Yevgeny Zimin |
Mike Curran Mike Curran Michael Vincent Curran is a retired ice hockey goaltender. He led the United States to a surprising silver medal at the 1972 Winter Olympics after representing the USA at the 1969,1970 and 1971 Ice Hockey World Championship... Pete Sears Wally Olds Wally Olds Walter Raymond Olds was an ice hockey player who played five seasons in the World Hockey Association for the New York Raiders and Calgary Cowboys between 1972 and 1976. He was born in Warroad, Minnesota... Tom Mellor Tom Mellor Thomas Robert Mellor is a retired American professional ice hockey defenseman.Mellor was drafted 68th overall by the Detroit Red Wings in 1970 NHL Amateur Draft and played 26 regular season games in the National Hockey League for Detroit between 1973 and 1975... Frank Sanders Frank Sanders (ice hockey) Franklyn Bonn Sanders is a former professional ice hockey player who made 76 regular season game appearances for the WHA Minnesota Fighting Saints in 1972-73. He is perhaps best known for being a member of the United States hockey team that won a silver medal in the 1972 Olympic Winter Games in... Jim McElmury Jim McElmury James Donald McElmury is a retired professional ice hockey player who played 180 games in the National Hockey League between 1972 and 1978.... Charles Brown Dick McGlynn Dick McGlynn Richard Anthony "Dick" McGlynn is a retired professional ice hockey player who played 30 regular season games in the World Hockey Association for the Chicago Cougars in 1972-73... Ron Naslund Robbie Ftorek Robbie Ftorek Robert Brian Ftorek is a former NHL player and coach. He was enshrined as member of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 1991... Stu Irving Kevin Ahearn Kevin Ahearn Kevin Joseph Ahearn is a retired professional ice hockey player who played 78 games in the World Hockey Association with the New England Whalers in 1972–73... Henry Boucha Henry Boucha Henry Charles Boucha is a retired American professional ice hockey centerman who played 247 games over 6 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings, Minnesota North Stars, Kansas City Scouts and Colorado Rockies whose career was cut short by eye injury... Craig Sarner Craig Sarner Craig Brian Sarner is a retired American ice hockey forward who appeared in a total of 7 National Hockey League regular season games with the Boston Bruins in 1974–75. He also played briefly for the WHA Minnesota Fighting Saints 1976 before moving to Europe where he was a top scorer in Germany and... Timothy Sheehy Keith Christiansen Keith Christiansen Keith "Huffer" Christiansen is a former professional ice hockey player who appeared in 138 World Hockey Association regular season games with the Minnesota Fighting Saints between 1972 and 1974... Mark Howe Mark Howe Mark Steven Howe is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman who played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League and 6 seasons in the World Hockey Association . He is the son of Colleen and Gordie Howe, and early in his career was a teammate of his father... |
Vladimír Dzurilla Vladimír Dzurilla Vladimír Dzurilla was a Slovak ice hockey goalkeeper playing for Czechoslovakia.... Jiří Holeček Jirí Holecek Jiří Holeček is a retired ice hockey goaltender who played in the Czechoslovak Elite League from 1964 to 1979, and on the Czechoslovak national team for many years.... Vladimír Bednář Vladimír Bednár Vladimír Bednár is a Slovak footballer who currently plays for Zagłębie Sosnowiec.-References:*... Rudolf Tajcnár Oldřich Machač Oldrich Machác Oldřich Machač was an ice hockey player who played in the Czechoslovak Extraliga. He won three medals in three Olympics. He was inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame in 1999.... František Pospíšil Frantisek Pospisil František Pospíšil was a Czech ice hockey defenceman and coach.He played in the Czechoslovak Elite League for Poldi Kladno from 1961-1978, then in Germany for EV Landshut in 1978-79. He won the Golden Hockey Stick as the top player in Czechoslovakia in 1971 and 1972... Josef Horešovský Josef Horešovský Josef Horešovský is a retired professional ice hockey player who played in the Czechoslovak Extraliga. He played for HC Jihlava and HC Sparta Praha. He won a bronze medal at the 1972 Winter Olympics.... Karel Vohralík Václav Nedomanský Vaclav Nedomansky Václav Nedomanský Václav Nedomanský Václav Nedomanský (born March 14, 1944 in Hodonín, Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic), is a former hockey forward. He is best known as the first hockey player to defect to North America to play.-Playing in Czechoslovakia:... Jiří Holík Jirí Holík Jiří Holík is a retired professional ice hockey player who played in the Czechoslovak Extraliga. He played for Dukla Jihlava... Jaroslav Holík Jaroslav Holík Jaroslav Holík is a retired professional ice hockey player who played in the Czechoslovak Extraliga for Dukla Jihlava. He won a bronze medal at the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo... Jiří Kochta Jirí Kochta Jiří Kochta is a retired professional ice hockey player who played in the Czechoslovak Extraliga. He played for HC Jihlava and HC Sparta Praha. He won a bronze medal at the 1972 Winter Olympics.... Eduard Novák Eduard Novák Eduard Novák was a Czechoslovak ice hockey player, a bronze medalist from the 1972 Winter Olympics, and a silver medalist from the 1976 Winter Olympics. He was born in Buštěhrad, Czechoslovakia.-References:... Richard Farda Richard Farda Richard Farda is a retired professional ice hockey player who played in the Czechoslovak Extraliga and World Hockey Association. He played for HC Brno, Toronto Toros, and Birmingham Bulls. He won a bronze medal at the 1972 Winter Olympics.-External links:... Josef Černý Josef Cerný Josef Černý is a retired ice hockey player who played in the Czechoslovak Extraliga. He won a three medals at four Winter Olympics. He was inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame in 2007.-External links:*... Vladimír Martinec Vladimir Martinec Vladimir Martinec was a Czech ice hockey right wing in the 1970s. He won the Golden Hockey Stick award as top player in Czechoslovakia four times, in 1973, 1975, 1976, and 1979.... Ivan Hlinka Ivan Hlinka Ivan Hlinka was a Czech professional ice hockey player and coach. He was one of the most important figures in Czech ice hockey.-Playing career:... Bohuslav Šťastný Bohuslav Štastný Bohuslav Šťastný is a retired professional ice hockey player who played in the Czechoslovak Extraliga. He played for HC Pardubice... |
First round
Winners (in bold) as well as the gold medalist at the previous Olympics (USSR) qualify for the Group A to play for 1st-6th places. Other teams played in Group B for 7th-11th places.- February 3
- Japan 2-8 Czechoslovakia
- Sweden 8-1 Yugoslavia
- February 4
- USA 5-3 Switzerland
- Poland 4-0 West Germany
- Finland 13-1 Norway
Final round
First place team wins gold, second silver and third bronze.| Rank | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 33 | 13 | 9 | |
| 2 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 15 | 6 | |
| 3 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 26 | 13 | 6 | |
| 4 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 17 | 13 | 5 | |
| 5 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 24 | 4 | |
| 6 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 39 | 0 |
- February 5
- Sweden 5-1 USA
- Czechoslovakia 14-1 Poland
- USSR 9-3 Finland
- February 7
- USSR 3-3 Sweden
- USA 5-1 Czechoslovakia
- Finland 5-1 Poland
- February 8
- Czechoslovakia 7-1 Finland
- February 9
- Sweden 5-3 Poland
- USSR 7-2 USA
- February 10
- USSR 9-3 Poland
- Czechoslovakia 2-1 Sweden
- USA 4-1 Finland
- February 12
- USA 6-1 Poland
- February 13
- Finland 4-3 Sweden
- USSR 5-2 Czechoslovakia
Consolation Round
Teams, which lost their games in the qualification round, played in this group.| Rank | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 10 | 6 | |
| 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 14 | 6 | |
| 9 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 17 | 16 | 5 | |
| 10 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 16 | 2 | |
| 11 |  Yugoslavia |
4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 17 | 1 |
- February 6
- Norway 5-2 Yugoslavia
- West Germany 5-0 Switzerland
- February 7
- Japan 3-3 Switzerland
- West Germany 6-2 Yugoslavia
- February 9
- Japan 3-2 Yugoslavia
- West Germany 5-1 Norway
- February 10
- Japan 4-5 Norway
- Switzerland 3-3 Yugoslavia
- February 12
- Japan 7-6 West Germany
- Norway 5-3 Switzerland
Leading scorers
| Player | GP | G | A | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Valeri Kharlamov ( ) |
5 | 9 | 6 | 15 |
| Václav Nedomanský Vaclav Nedomansky Václav Nedomanský Václav Nedomanský Václav Nedomanský (born March 14, 1944 in Hodonín, Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic), is a former hockey forward. He is best known as the first hockey player to defect to North America to play.-Playing in Czechoslovakia:... (  ) |
5 | 6 | 3 | 9 |
| Vladimir Vikulov Vladimir Vikulov Vladimir Ivanovich Vikulov is a retired ice hockey player who played in the Soviet Hockey League. He was born in Moscow, Soviet Union and played for HC CSKA Moscow. Vikulov led the Soviet league in goals in 1971-72, and was top goal scorer at the IIHF World Championships the same year... ( ) |
5 | 5 | 4 | 9 |
| Craig Sarner Craig Sarner Craig Brian Sarner is a retired American ice hockey forward who appeared in a total of 7 National Hockey League regular season games with the Boston Bruins in 1974–75. He also played briefly for the WHA Minnesota Fighting Saints 1976 before moving to Europe where he was a top scorer in Germany and... (  ) |
5 | 4 | 5 | 9 |
| Aleksandr Maltsev Aleksandr Maltsev Aleksandr Nikolayevich Maltsev is a retired Soviet ice hockey right winger.Maltsev played for Dynamo Moscow in the Soviet League for 530 games from 1967 to 1984... ( ) |
5 | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| Kevin Ahearn Kevin Ahearn Kevin Joseph Ahearn is a retired professional ice hockey player who played 78 games in the World Hockey Association with the New England Whalers in 1972–73... ( ) |
5 | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| Anatoli Firsov Anatoli Firsov Anatoli Vasilievich Firsov was a Russian ice hockey left wing and center, who competed internationally for the USSR. In the IIHF World Championships, he won the scoring title four times and was named the best forward three times... ( ) |
5 | 2 | 5 | 7 |
| Yuri Blinov ( ) |
5 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| Jiří Kochta Jirí Kochta Jiří Kochta is a retired professional ice hockey player who played in the Czechoslovak Extraliga. He played for HC Jihlava and HC Sparta Praha. He won a bronze medal at the 1972 Winter Olympics.... ( ) |
5 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| Richard Farda Richard Farda Richard Farda is a retired professional ice hockey player who played in the Czechoslovak Extraliga and World Hockey Association. He played for HC Brno, Toronto Toros, and Birmingham Bulls. He won a bronze medal at the 1972 Winter Olympics.-External links:... ( ) |
5 | 1 | 5 | 6 |