ChronoFive
Play today’s puzzle
Setting the scene
Herb Brooks ran exhausting tryouts to forge a fast, cohesive roster out of NCAA rivals who hated each other at first.
What happened
Soviet professionals faced questions about amateurism rules Americans still romanticized.
Why it still matters
Cable-era rebroadcasts cemented the game as national myth beyond hockey fans. Memorable detail: the arena did not host the gold-medal match, yet memory collapses the whole tournament into that night.
Background
Al Michaels' 'Do you believe in miracles?' call became sports-broadcast lore; the team later beat Finland for gold.