Hockey is an Olympic sport that first appeared at the 1920 Summer Games and then moved to the Winter Olympics in 1924. Since then, it has been one of the most exciting and popular events at the Games. Traditionally, the sport is played on a smaller rink than those found in NHL arenas, but for the 2022 Winter Games, the competition will be held on an NHL-sized ice.
Unlike professional leagues, Olympic ice hockey competition is open to amateur players. As such, the best players in the world are able to compete for medals alongside some of their peers from other countries. While the NHL hasn’t been sending its players to the Olympics in recent years, it was once a much more common occurrence.
The most dramatic moment in the history of Olympic ice hockey occurred during the semifinal game in 1980 Lake Placid, which was dubbed the “Miracle on Ice.” After the U.S. team fell behind the Soviets 1-0 early on, Buzz Schneider tied the game with a slap shot, and then Mark Johnson grabbed a deflection off of goalie Vladislav Tretiak’s god-like pads to put the Americans ahead.
The victory over the Soviets would be the only time in Olympic history that the U.S. men’s ice hockey team won the gold medal, and it set the stage for another miracle in 2002 Salt Lake City. The United States trailed Finland 3-0 in the final before a flurry of third-period goals allowed them to overcome their 2-0 deficit.