A Miracle On Ice

The Miracle (2)

"Petrov to Kharlamov. Skating into the US zone. Tying up O'Callahan. Golikov. Cross-ice pass to Petrov. He shoots. And Craig is right there! Picked up by O'Callahan. Moves up to Pavelich. Through the middle. Crossing the Soviet blue line. Centering pass. Cleared by Fetisov.", Michaels continued for the first period.

"Talk to each other out there, boys!", Herb yelled. 

Craig added: "Play your position!"

"Krutov with the puck. Through the neutral zone. Knifes through the defense.", he comments as Krutov pushes in between the US defense: "Right in front. And saved by Craig!" 

Again Mark went for the puck: "Picked up by Mark Johnson. Nice move to get around Bilyaletdinov as he moves up the ice. Another great move around Makarov, charging for the net. Hit by Golikov and sent flying into the boards."

Mark got pushed and flew into the goal post, sending him over it.

Immediately the Soviets picked up the puck again: "The Soviets now working out of their own zone."

"Come on, now. Pick him up. Don't let him through the middle.", Herb followed as the guys caught up to the Soviets again.

"Golikov crossing center ice. Leaves it for Makarov. Makarov around Morrow.", Makarov flew past the guys and shot the puck: "And he scores."

"Makarov put the puck right between Morrow's legs, skated in, and scored.", Al Michaels added.

Ken Dryden agreed: "That was a textbook Soviet passing play. Beautifully done. Once this team gets rolling, it's almost impossible to stop them."

"24 gets the goal. Give 25 the assist, boys.", one of the refs said.

 "And with the Soviets leading, 2:1 Ken, the U. S. teams knows that all too well after what happened with these two teams at Madison Square Garden 13 days ago.", Michaels continued.

Before the next face off the crowd got roaring again: "USA! USA! USA!"

"Now tonight's referee, Carl Keisler, calling the players over for the face-off. And you can hear the crowd trying to reinvigorate this US team.", Michaels commented.

"Face-off won by the Soviets. Fetisov across to Kasatonov. He circles behind his own net. Leaves it for Fetisov.", he said as the Soviets stayed in their own zone.

Herb had enough of that: "Get the pressure on them in there! Come on!"

"Pick him up! Watch the pass!", he continued as the Soviets charged toards the US zone once again.

"To Maltsev. Over to Makarov. Shot stopped by Craig." , Jimmy saved another shot.

"Don't let them have that middle so easy, boys!", Herb told the guys on the bench.

"Less than a half minute remaining in the first period. And the US can't clear it. Petrov with the puck. Quick pass to Kharlamov. Stopped by Craig!", Michaels called: "Petrov tries for the rebound. Craig knocks it away. Kasatonov with a shot. Craig with another save!"

As the seconds ticked down Herb yelled: "Keep going hard, boys! Play it out!"

Then the US got a hold of the puck again: "And the US team finally clears it. It looks like the US will be able to end the period only a goal down, a tremendous achievement."

But Herb wasn't having that.

"Johnson, go!", he sent Mark out with just 7 seconds left to play.

"The puck is picked up by Christian in the neutral zone. Long shot. Easy save by Tretiak.", Michaels commeted Davey Christian's shot on the goal.

The Soviets had stopped playing after that and Mark saw an opening. Quickly he skated past the last two of them and picked up the puck for a rebound: "But Johnson is there. And scores! With one second to playin the period!"

The building collapsed into cheers as the goal horn sounded.

"Right now the clock shows nothing. It was stopped at one when we looked up and the goal was scored. Right now it shows nothing as the period, apparently, has come to an end. But the United States has tied the game. A big, big goal for the US team.", Al Michaels yelled. 

While everyone celebrated he revised the last ten seconds: "Dave Christian took a shot from the other side of center ice, knowing there was almost no time on the clock. But the rebound comes right out to Mark Johnson, who goes wide of Tretiak to tie it up." 

The ref was standing at the Soviet bench to explain to Tikhonov: "Tikhonov very upset. Questioning the goal. The time on the clock shows zero. Keisler, the referee, indicating that the goal stands and the period is over. And this crowd is electrified."

"Tikhonov, like his team, not normally prone to showing much emotion. As the teams skate off to their respective dressing rooms, this game is tied at on an incredible last-second goal by Mark Johnson.", the first period ended.

The teams headed back to their locker rooms for the break.

Twenty minutes later Al Michaels picked his microphone up again: "And we're back for the start of the second period for what is turning out to be a very exciting game. If you're just joining us, there were four goals scored in the first period. Two by the Soviets. Two by the Americans. There'll be a change for the Soviet Union, as Vladimir Myshkin becomes the new goalie after Tretiak had given up two goals in the first period."

Dryden took up on that: "Al, this is a big move. Tretiak's been Tikhonov's bread and butter for a decade. Still, Myshkin is a very capable backup."

Herb looked at the Soviet's bench and said: "Well, boys, they just put the best goaltender in the world on the bench."

While Myshkin was getting ready on the ice Michaels explained: "It is very uncommon to see Vladislav Tretiak taken out and something we have not seen in these Olympics."

But for Herb this was it: "Let's go, now, boys. Come on!", he encouraged his team.

The face off was yet again won by the Soviets: "And here we go. The second period is under way. The Conehead line out for the United States. Jim Craig in goal. Krutov with the puck. Down the right side. Centering pass. Shot. Swatted away by Craig."

The Soviets were on fire and charged towards Jimmy.

But he saved shot after shot.

"Attaboy, Jimmy!", Craig called out to him.

The guys picked up the puck and Bah found a clear passage: "Harrington breaks out. He gets behind the defense! He has a breakaway!"

Everybody cheered again: "He can give the US the lead. He shoots! Stopped by Myshkin."

The Soviets had the puck now: "Fetisov up to Maltsev. Maltsev gets past Christian. Shoots."

A Soviet player knocked Jimmy down hard. 

They took that as an opportunity: "The rebound! Maltsev scores!" 

"And the Soviets take the lead 3:2.", Michaels said as the crowd booed again: "Jim Craig knocked down on the play by Kharlamov, allowing Maltsev an easy goal on an open net. And Jim Craig's not getting up, Ken."

"This could be devastating to the US, Al.", Dryden replied: "Jim Craig's been the anchor of this team, playing every minute of every game here in Lake Placid. Herb Brooks may now be faced with replacing Craig with his backup goalie, Steve Janaszak. Janaszak played on Brooks' championship team last year at the University of Minnesota. But he's played very little over the last six months and not at all during these Olympics."

Mac, OC, Carly and the rest of their line were right by Jimmy's side.

"Jimmy, you need Doc?", Mac asked.

But Jimmy declined: "No. I'm good. Just give me a second."

Mac nodded: "Take your time. Take your time."

Then Jimmy got up: "Jim Craig back on his feet now. Shaking it off, and it appears he'll remain in this game."

"Attaboy, Jimmy!", evrybody cheered.

"Come on, boys. Let's get them, now!", Herb yelled.

"17 minutes to play. The Soviet Union 3, the United States 2.", Mihaels explained.