Everyone remembers when the USA Olympic Hockey team defeated Russia in one of the greatest upsets in American sports history.  However, what people often don’t realize is that the team had to play for the gold medal a few days later.

It was on this day, February 24th, 1980, that the USA Men’s Olympic hockey team defeated Finland 4 – 2 to take home the gold medal.  It was an improbable ending to a miraculous run in which team USA brought home the gold in a sport that nobody gave them a chance to win.

The amazing thing about this gold medal was that it was won not by pro athletes but instead by college athletes.   And the great thing about the gold medal game was that the country got to see the game live, and after the excitement that came from the win over Russia, many people made a point to watch the gold medal game.  USA took the gold, and Finland actually finished in 4th place and did not medal as the Olympics didn’t have the final championship game format that they later adopted.