Roaming The Rinks

Yes I am late getting back on this blog, but wanted to recap the awesome day I had in late March in Lake Placid (yes the home of the Miracle on Ice from the 1980 Olympics).  I have had that arena on my radar since starting this site, but since it is not the home team of any College, Pro, or Junior team, and its use is infrequent I was not sure when I would be able to make the trip north.  I didn't want to miss out this year, so I made the 7 hour journey and was not dissapointed. 

Yes the entire town bleeds history, from passing the ski jump on the way into town to having to park on the same speed skating track where Eric Heiden claimed 5 gold medals, the entire town is cool for the average American, and almost a mecca for a hockey fan.  I applaud the town for their presentation of the Division 3 NCAA Championship weekend.  There was an amazing free concert by hockey rock legends The Zambonis, complete with an appearance by the Hockey Monkey. 

There was time to stroll around the 1932 rink, which had a midget tournament going on at the same time.  The 1980 Herb Brooks Arena appears to be viurtually unchanged since the fateful week where the USA beat the USSR, and then beat Finland to claim the unlikely, no nearly impossible, gold medal.  Not only was I able to take in a game here, but it was a championship game with all the marbles on the line.  Norwich and St. Norbert battled tooth and nail through regulation to end up tied. 

This is where the fun started.  Yes the game remained tied through the first  20-minute overtime, and as you could long since hear the prescheduled fireworks which were to be shot off in the town of Lake Placid to celebrate the culmination of the winner, the intensity on the night (it was now night although the game started at 5) became almost reminiscent of most of the American citizens watching the USSR game on their TVs back in 1980.  It was as if time stood still, and the ghosts of the old barn were going to provide those in attendance with one more memorable finish.   Just 31 seconds short of completing 100 minutes of old school, in your face hockey Pier-Olivier Cotnoir put one past St. Norbert's BJ O'Brien to end the game and seal the deal for Norwich.   What an exciting game and memorable ending to my visit to Lake Placid. 

What a game and what an arena.  Even if there is no game going on you need to check this place out for the history alone.  I had a blast there, and am amazed how a small ski resort town played such a huge role in U.S. sports history, and the place still stands as a tribute to that amazing two weeks in February of 1980 and the earlier games in 1932.