Mike Curran
Encyclopedia
Michael Vincent Curran (born April 14, 1944 in International Falls, Minnesota
) 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. He turned professional with the Minnesota Fighting Saints
of the upstart World Hockey Association
in 1972-73 and quickly became one of the early star goalkeepers of the new league, playing in the 1973 WHA All-Star Game. Curran lost his job in 1976 when the Fighting Saints folded, but he returned to international hockey with Team USA at the 1976 and 1977 Ice Hockey World Championship as well as the 1976 Canada Cup
. He retired following the 1977 season after a second stint with the revived Fighting Saints WHA franchise.
He was inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame
in 1999 and the United States Hockey Hall of Fame
in 1998.
International Falls, Minnesota
International Falls is a city in and the county seat of Koochiching County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 6,424 at the 2010 census....
) is a retired 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...
goaltender
Goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
. He led the United States to a surprising silver medal at the 1972 Winter Olympics
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...
after representing the USA at the 1969,1970 and 1971 Ice Hockey World Championship. He turned professional with the Minnesota Fighting Saints
Minnesota Fighting Saints
The Minnesota Fighting Saints was the name of two professional ice hockey teams based in Saint Paul, Minnesota that played in the World Hockey Association. The first team was one of the WHA's original twelve franchises, playing from 1972–76. The second team was relocated from Cleveland, Ohio, and...
of the upstart World Hockey Association
World Hockey Association
The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...
in 1972-73 and quickly became one of the early star goalkeepers of the new league, playing in the 1973 WHA All-Star Game. Curran lost his job in 1976 when the Fighting Saints folded, but he returned to international hockey with Team USA at the 1976 and 1977 Ice Hockey World Championship as well as the 1976 Canada Cup
1976 Canada Cup
The 1976 Canada Cup was an international ice hockey tournament held September 2–15, 1976, in Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg and Quebec, Canada as well as in Philadelphia, United States. It was the first of five Canada Cup tournaments held between 1976 and 1991...
. He retired following the 1977 season after a second stint with the revived Fighting Saints WHA franchise.
He was inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame
IIHF Hall of Fame
The IIHF Hall of Fame is a hall of fame which was established by the International Ice Hockey Federation in 1997, when 30 individuals were inducted at the world championships in Helsinki...
in 1999 and the United States Hockey Hall of Fame
United States Hockey Hall of Fame
The United States Hockey Hall of Fame was established in 1973 with the goal of preserving the rich history of the game in the United States while recognizing the extraordinary contributions of select players, coaches, administrators, officials and teams....
in 1998.