By Cary Shuman
Team USA called on Winthrop’s Mike Eruzione to deliver the pre-Four Nations Face-Off speech in Montreal.
Members of Team USA, shown with Mike Eruzione and Olympic teammate Rob McClanahan.
The captain of the 1980 USA Olympic team that pulled off the greatest upset ever in international hockey competition, Eruzione (and Olympic teammate Rob McClanahan) were invited to the team dinner to address the coaches and players.
Eruzione also figured prominently in the ABC-TV broadcast of the game. Four of Team USA’s players were asked in an interview what their favorite moment was in the movie “Miracle.”
Calling Miracle “a great movie,” play-by-play announcer Sean McDonough told the national audience a heartfelt story about how “I watched the movie for the first time on a plane and it was one of those where you’re trying to act like you’re not crying with the person sitting next to you. I choked up a couple of times.”
According to ABC reporter Emily Kaplan, Eruzione told the Team USA players at the dinner, “Whatever differences you might have, get rid of that quick because unity is the only way you can win a tournament like this.”
Years after his game-winning goal versus the Soviet Union, Mike Eruzione’s legend-ship continues to grow. Eruzione will attend the Canada-USA championship game Thursday night at TD Garden.