A new Netflix documentary, "Miracle: The Boys of '80," is renewing national attention on Team USA's 1980 "Miracle on Ice" win over the Soviet Union, a moment that U.S. Olympic hockey captain Mike Eruzione tells Newsmax became far bigger than a single game, as it helped lift a country during the Cold War.
Speaking on "National Report," Eruzione reflected on how the underdog U.S. victory over the Soviet Union resonated far beyond the rink, uniting Americans at a time of deep geopolitical tension.
"The amazing thing was we didn't know the impact that was having around the country," Eruzione said. "We knew people in Lake Placid were excited. I obviously knew my family and friends were excited, but until we got to the White House, we realized that this thing was huge."
And now, 46 years later, "it still resonates to a lot of people."
Eruzione said the team gradually came to understand the emotional weight of the victory as Americans connected it to defining moments in national history.
"I'll tell you, I have people come up to me today, depending on their age, they'll start crying, and they'll say, 'I remember where I was when Kennedy was assassinated. I remember where I was when the Challenger blew up. I remember where I was on 9/11. And I remember where I was when we won,'" he said.
At the time, the U.S. team entered the Olympics with little outside expectation of success, but Eruzione said belief inside the locker room made the difference.
"If you think you're going to lose, you probably will," he said. "But we went into that game with a hope and dream of winning. And when it all ended and we finally beat Finland Sunday to win the gold medal, we got out and realized that this thing was far greater than a hockey game."
Eruzione said wearing a Team USA jersey carried a unique sense of responsibility and pride that Americans recognized and embraced.
"I've always felt this other than being a firefighter, a police officer or somebody in the military who protects our country, there's no greater feeling than putting on a USA jersey," he said.
"You're not playing for Boston or New York," he added. "You're not playing for a Super Bowl or a Stanley Cup. You're playing for a gold medal representing your country, and I think people saw that and felt that."
The Netflix documentary, which Eruzione called "spectacular," explores the personal backgrounds of the players and the leadership of coach Herb Brooks, while placing the team's success in the broader context of the country at the time.
"I think what the young people today watching this documentary will get a sense of the climate of the country at the time and why it was such a big event, why it was more than a hockey game," Eruzione said. "The story still resonates because of the joy that we brought to a nation at a time when we needed something."
Looking ahead, Eruzione also expressed optimism for the future of U.S. hockey as NHL players return to Olympic competition for the first time since 2014.
"I firmly believe this is the best team we've ever put on the ice," he said. "I really believe this team can win the whole thing."
He added that a gold medal would give today's players and the next generation new heroes of their own.
"They need their hockey heroes," Eruzione said. "And I think it would be this team."
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