Short answer
The United States beat the Soviet Union 4-3 in the first game of the 1980 medal round, then beat Finland 4-2 in its last game to win gold. Mike Eruzione scored the winner with exactly 10 minutes left. It was not the gold medal game: the 1980 medals were decided by a final round robin.
The teams
The Soviet Union had won five of the six previous Olympic tournaments. Its players were full time athletes on paper employed as students or soldiers, with years of international experience. The American team, coached by Herb Brooks, was built mostly from college players and was the youngest team in the tournament.
Both teams went unbeaten through the group stage. The Americans tied Sweden 2-2 and upset Czechoslovakia 7-3.
Goal by goal
| Period | Time | Goal | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 9:12 | Vladimir Krutov (URS) deflects an Alexei Kasatonov shot | URS 1-0 |
| 1st | 14:03 | Buzz Schneider (USA), from the left boards | 1-1 |
| 1st | 17:34 | Sergei Makarov (URS) | URS 2-1 |
| 1st | 19:59 | Mark Johnson (USA) on a Vladislav Tretiak rebound, one second left | 2-2 |
| 2nd | 2:18 | Aleksandr Maltsev (URS), power play | URS 3-2 |
| 3rd | 8:39 | Mark Johnson (USA), as a power play ended | 3-3 |
| 3rd | 10:00 | Mike Eruzione (USA), from the high slot | USA 4-3 |
After Johnson’s tying goal in the first period, Soviet coach Viktor Tikhonov replaced Tretiak with Vladimir Myshkin, a move he later called the biggest mistake of his career. The Soviets outshot the Americans 12-2 in the second period but scored only once. In the last minute they never pulled their goaltender; a Soviet player later said the team never practiced six on five.
After the game
- The United States beat Finland 4-2 in its last game, scoring three goals in the third period, and won gold. The Soviet Union beat Sweden for silver. Full standings: 1980 men’s tournament.
- Sports Illustrated named it the top sports moment of the 20th century in 1999, and the IIHF named it the best international hockey story of its first 100 years in 2008.
- The 1980 team lit the Olympic cauldron at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games.
- Forty six years later to the day, on February 22, 2026, the United States beat Canada in overtime in Milan for its next men’s gold. See 2026 Olympic hockey.
Read and watch
The 2004 film Miracle, with Kurt Russell as Herb Brooks, uses Al Michaels’ original call for the final seconds. Two players wrote books: captain Mike Eruzione’s The Making of a Miracle and Mark Johnson’s Tales from the 1980 Miracle on Ice. More on the books and films page.
Questions people ask
Was the Miracle on Ice the gold medal game?
No. It was the first game of the four team medal round. The United States still had to beat Finland, which it did 4-2 after trailing in the third period, to win gold. The Soviet Union took silver.
Was the Miracle on Ice shown live?
Not in the United States. ABC asked to move the 5 p.m. start to primetime and the IIHF declined after a Soviet complaint, so ABC showed it on tape delay that evening.
Who called the Miracle on Ice?
Al Michaels for ABC, whose “Do you believe in miracles? Yes!” call of the final seconds became the line everyone remembers.
Sources
Last reviewed October 29, 2026. Spotted an error? Results are checked against the linked sources; tell us through the corrections note on the about page.