Ice hockey may have been born on frozen lakes in the northern hemisphere, but it grew up in state-of-the-art arenas full of professional players. It made its Olympic debut at the Antwerp 1920 Summer Olympics and found its true home four years later in Chamonix 1924. It has since grown from a sport of amateurs to one that attracts millions of fans around the world and features some of the most exciting moments in sports history.
1994 Lillehammer
In what became known as the Miracle on Ice, a young American team beat the Soviet Union in a sudden-death shootout and created a story that has lived on in the sport’s mythology ever since. It was a game of contrasting styles; the Americans were methodical and disciplined while the Soviets were flashy, opportunistic and dynamic.
It was a game of individual brilliance as well. Buzz Schneider tied the game with a dagger of a slapshot, and Mark Johnson put the U.S. ahead with a last-second deflection that snuck under the legs of legendary Soviet goalie Tretiak.
In the men’s tournament, which begins with a round-robin series of games before advancing to the quarterfinals and semifinals, a team earns three points for a regulation win, two for an overtime or shootout victory and one for a tie. From there, the top eight teams advance to a knockout qualification round where winning a single elimination game is enough to guarantee a medal.