Welcome to NHL.com's Dodge Different chat with Mike Eruzione. On the 20th anniversary of the USA's gold-medal win over Finland, Mike stopped by to discuss his experiences as the captain of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Ice Hockey Team. Here's what he had to say.
Coyotes2000: So Mike, which was bigger, beating USSR or Finland?
Mike Eruzione: Clearly, beating Finland was bigger. We went into the Games intending to win a medal. Althought the Soviet game was a big game, if we lost to Finland it would have destroyed us.
JM27: Hi Mike, My name is Taylor and I'm 7 years old. Other than winning the gold medal, what is your fondest memory of your Olympic experience?
Mike Eruzione: I think there were a couple. One of the biggest things was the Opening Ceremonies. To march in the Opening Ceremonies, after all the work you put in, after training and preparing for all those years, it's a great honor. Also, in the locker room, the joy my teammates and I were able to share -- those are the moments I'll always treasure.
Bure_1: What were you thinking right after you scored the famous game-winning goal against Team Russia?
Mike Eruzione: It gave us the lead, and that's all I thought about until a minute left in the game. I looked up at the scoreboard and thought -- wow, I've got the winning goal. Until then I didn't think about it, because the Russians were so explosive, they were liable to score five goals in three minutes.
JM27: I watched the replay of the game with my dad the other night and I had goosebumps. Do you ever watch that game with your kids and what is their reaction?
Mike Eruzione: Actually, I've never seen the game. I kind of wanted to watch it Tuesday, but I had to do something in New York with the Rangers, so I missed it. I'd like to watch it someday. A tape of the game sits in my closet with all the others, so someday I'm sure I'll watch it with them. But my kids have never come home and said "Hey Dad, let's watch the Olympic game."
SquirtCoach: How has Olympic Hockey changed the most in the past 20 years?
Mike Eruzione: The biggest change has been the influx of the professional players. You see a lot of the European teams are older than they used to be, because the older guys go back and play for their countries. In Lillehammer in 1994, a lot of older players competed for the European teams. Also, when you look at the breakups of Czechoslovakia into two teams and the USSR into so many, they're not as strong as they used to be.
Moocher: Why do you think Jim Craig never made it in the NHL after the Olympics? Did he just play "in the zone" for those two weeks?
Mike Eruzione: He wasn't just in a zone. I thought Jim was a pretty good goaltender. He had some injuries, and had some problems adjusting to the expectations some had for him. In Atlanta he was playing well, and at one point (in Atlanta or Boston) they wanted to send him to the minors, and maybe he should have done it.
I think the expectations for him were very high, and if he had slowed his development down he would have been a very good NHL goalie. Then, his injuries -- his hamstring -- wound up ending it for him.
iluvkings: Mike how did you like playing in Lake Placid, New York?
Mike Eruzione: I loved it. I don't know if we would have won if the Games were held elsewhere. The home fans were a big plus for us. Dealing with the language -- being able to have a beer, order a steak or go to McDonald's -- made it easier to deal with. It's so much easier when you don't have to worry about adjusting to a different environment. Being in Lake Placid helped us be successful.
Moocher: What ever happened to the U.S. flag Craig was wearing after the game while he was looking for his father? That should be in the Hockey Hall of Fame!
Mike Eruzione: I believe Jim still has it at home. I can only answer from what I read and what Jimmy has said.
antti: Hi Mike, I'm from Finland. Did u guys think before the Finland game that this would be an easy victory, since u guys beat the USSR?
Mike Eruzione: Absolutely not. We knew how good they were. We thought we were a better team, but there was no way we were taking them lightly. We knew the skill they had from playing against them in previous World Championships. They didn't get to the championship game by a fluke. We respected them a great deal.
Bure_1: Did you ever think that getting past the USSR was impossible?
Mike Eruzione: We never thought that. As the Games moved along -- day by day and game by game -- our confidence level increased. Going into the Soviet game, we knew they were the best team in the tournament, but we also didn't have any doubts that we could beat them.
JM27: Do you regret never giving the NHL a shot....did you ever give it a secound thought?
Mike Eruzione: Nope -- I never regretted it or gave it a second thought. I was 25, and as an athlete I thought it was my greatest moment. I think I could have been a good NHL player, but I wouldn't have been like Neal Broten or some of the other guys. I think I could have given a team a good 3-4 years, and I could have contributed. The NHL was different then -- I looked at the way the teams were laid out and there was less money for the players then -- and realized I didn't want it.
I looked down the road, and what better way to leave the game than win the gold medal. I wanted to teach hockey, and be a coach -- I had a phys ed background. Little did I know how big winning the gold medal would be. It's opened a lot of doors for me, and I've been given a lot of chances because of it. It's worked out well.
toddalan: Do you keep in touch with any of your teammates from 1980?
Mike Eruzione: Absolutely -- but obviously not as much as we'd like. Everybody's very busy and has a lot going on. We talk on the phone quite a bit -- probably more me than the other guys. I see Jim Craig sometimes, and Dave Silk and John Harrington. I talk to Buzz Schneider and Jack O'Callahan. I'd like to see them more, but obviously everyone goes in different directions.
Kuz: Mike -- where is your gold medal right now?
Mike Eruzione: My gold medal sits in a glass table in my house. In 1979, we played an exhibition game in Warroad, MN, against a team Dave Christian's dad played on. I asked him where he kept his gold medal (he was on the 1960 gold medal team), and he said in a glass case. I thought -- wow, that's a good idea, and if we ever win one I'll do that. We did, and I have.
Mike Eruzione: Goodbye, and thank you all for your questions. Thank you for enjoying our victory from 20 years ago. We hope you enjoyed being a part of it as much as we did.
Thank you everyone for being a part of NHL.com's Dodge Different chat with Mike Eruzione.
