Team USA women’s hockey gave us a second Miracle on Ice
On the 38th anniversary of the original Miracle On Ice, Team USA women’s hockey has given us one of their own.
Feb. 22 might be the greatest day in United States hockey history. In 1980, the United States men’s hockey team pulled off the greatest upset of all time, beating the heavily favored Soviet Union 4-3 in the semifinals of the Olympics.
At the time, the Soviets had won 27 of their previous 29 games, including four of the previous five gold medals. On the 38th anniversary of this miracle, Team USA women’s hockey pulled off one of their own, surprising Canada 3-2 in a shootout to win the gold medal.
The Miracle on Ice can be considered the turning point for men’s hockey in the United States. The historic win put it on the map, and an entire generation of people got inspired. Men’s hockey has seen steady improvements in participation in the United States. There are a number of factors for that, but the Miracle on Ice is unquestionably one of the biggest ones.
Likewise, Team USA women’s hockey’s win should have a similar effect. Though the 2018 version of the Miracle didn’t quite get the television ratings the 1980 version got, it’s worth noting the ladies had to play on NBCSN very late at night (or early in the morning, depending on where you watched). Despite a less than ideal viewing time, the gold medal game still set an overnight record for the network.
Much like the Soviets, Canada had won four of the previous five gold medals. But unlike USSR, USA’s neighbors had won four straight, with three of those wins coming over the Americans.
Many saw Canada as being unbeatable for Team USA in the 2018 Winter Games, especially after the 2014 gold medal debacle that saw them blow a late third-period two-goal lead.
Women’s hockey is a relatively new sport. It just became an Olympic event in 1998 and the NWHL, the first American professional women’s league, wasn’t formed until 2015.
For years, young girls who play hockey have been looking for heroes. Team USA (and the other ladies who play around the globe) have been there all along. But now it’s getting the attention it deserves.
Hillary Knight,Jocelyne Lamoureux, and the rest of Team USA’s women’s hockey players the perfect role models for this generation of women. In sports and in society, girls need strong, confident figures to look up to. Both on and off the ice, Team USA have been excellent role models.
On the ice, the women exemplify teamwork and support each other. The players took what could have been a demoralizing experience in 2014 and used it to motivate them to a height not achieved in 20 years.
Goaltender Maddie Rooney, only 20 years old, used lessons learned from her less-than-stellar preliminary round performance against Canada to help lead Team USA to victory in the gold medal game.
It says a lot the women’s hockey team might be even better role models off the ice. Women’s professional sports leagues get the short end of the stick compared to men’s. Hockey is no different. Team USA’s women’s team threatened to boycott the 2017 IIHF World Championships, demanding fair wages and equal treatment to the men’s team. They used their influence to make a difference in hockey and society.
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Hopefully, the 2018 Team USA’s women’s hockey team’s Miracle on Ice will be as influential and special as the 1980 version. Women’s hockey is just beginning to grow, and now it has a miracle to build off of.
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