Star Tribune from Minneapolis, Minnesota • Page 25

Minneapolis i an General 1C Monday February 25 1980 Section Part I news 3 OaS. mn bsatis Fniminis for go 'it- J. v- xr. I lv I- Um -IJhr-. and said, "We knew before the tournament that the U.S.

had a good team. As the tournament progressed, it became apparent It was a really good team. And now, obviously, they are the best. "The U.S.A. has the gold medal, and the Soviet team has something else, so the U.S.

team Is the best. The U.S. has Included some European elements and play a more diverse style than the NHL teams show us. The U.S. works real hard, hustles, and they have this spirit you can almost touch it." Yet Finland led 1-0 and 2-1 at the Intermissions.

The Americans gave up the first goal In five of their seven games, but gave up only three goals In second-period play and three In third periods. They outscored their opponents 33-15 and came on stronger as games progressed. "We knew our third periods had been our best all year," said Brooks. "I felt we'd have to grind this one out. But at the start we had too much emotion.

It spilled over and caused us to make some mistakes." Finland made Brooks's worries become fact when 19-year-old Jukka Porvaii, who skated on two of the four Finnish lines, blasted a 50-foot slap shot past goalie Jim Craig at 9:20 of the first period. Defenseman Lasse Lltma blocked the puck to keep it In the U.S. zone at the blue line and dumped it ahead to Mikko Leinonen, who quickly fed a U.S. hockey continued on page 3C By John Gilbert Staff Writer Lake Placid, N.Y. "Unbelievable," said Herb Brooks, coach of the U.S.

hockey team. "College kids. A college team Just won the Olympic gold medal. Unbelievable. Unbelievable.

Finland was skilled, swift and eager, but nobody could keep the youthful Team U.S.A. from its meeting with destiny Sunday. The Americans got third-period goals from Phil Verchota, Robby Mc-Clanahan and Mark Johnson to whip Finland 4-2 and win the hockey gold medal of the XIII Winter Olympic Games. It was only the second time that the S. had won the gold medal for hockey the first time was 20 years ago and it was the first time since 1964 that the Soviet Union failed to win the medal.

The victory gave Team U.S.A. a 6-0-1 record, with the tie coming against Sweden In the tournament's first round. The Soviet Union built a 9-0 lead and went on to thrash Sweden 9-2 to win the stiver medal. Sweden got the bronze. Finland was left empty-handed In its quest for Its first medal In Olympic or world tournament hockey competition.

But Finnish Coach Kari Makinen graciously bowed to Team U.S.A. gi" fli llilMilH' Associated Press Goalie Jim Craig held an American (lag after the U.S. hockey team clinched the Olympic gold medal. Jorma Valtonen for the game-winning goal Sunday. Gold medal created ecstasy on the Associated Press Robby McClanahan beat Finland's Twenty young men, their pleasure bordering on hysteria, stood in line with the silver-medalist Russians on one side and the bronze-medalist Swedes on the other.

The men from the other nations congratulated each other. And there were not many more moving scenes at the XIII Winter Olympic Games than the members of the mighty Soviet team shaking hands and embracing the youthful Americans, seeded seventh coming Into this tournament. Only two days before the tournament opened, the Americans had been drubbed 10-3 by the Soviet Union in an exhibition game, only to on the Range ice bounce back for Friday's unforgettable 4-3 triumph. At the end of the medal ceremony, the U.S. players shuffled around the ice as the crowd in the Olympic Field House handed them flags to wave or to wrap themselves in.

And then came what might have been their most significant gesture. A couple of players scrambled back up on the gold medal pedestal, where Captain Mike Eruzione had stood during the flag-raising ceremony. More of them followed. Pretty Players continued on page 7C roll band at the Spirit Mountain bar to lead a slightly off-key rendition of "America the Beautiful. "We're very, very proud," said Johnson.

"We're especially proud of the Rangers, the five guys from the Iron Range Conference." Helen Spelts, 32, who, with her husband, Willie, owns the El Dorado bar, was teary-eyed after the game. "These are the tears of ecstasy," she said. Spelts said the win over the Finns was sweet but everybody still considered Friday's victory over the Soviet team the sweetest of all. Tim Harkonen. 23, Parkville, is half-Finnish and chided his friends, saying, "I couldn't lose either way.

But I was all American, because if I hadn't been these guys would have killed me." By John Gilbert Staff Writer Lake Placid, N.Y. The U.S. hockey team laid its emotions out In public Sunday after winning the gold medal. There were the great plays, the rally, the pouring off the bench to celebrate each goal, the postgame bedlam. Then there was a slaphappy press conference, and, after all that, the medal ceremony, in which each U.S.

player walked out onto the Ice, up onto the raised center pedestal, and had a gold medal draped around his neck. and By Patrick Man Staff Writer Duluth, Minn. Scott Johnson wanted to go skiing Sunday, but like just about everyone else from Eveleth, he also wanted to watch the U.S. hockey team. So Johnson, along with more than 100 other skiers from the Iron Range, watched the game on television sets hooked up In the back of the two bases that took them to Spirit Mountain In Duluth.

"We were going just absolutely wild," said Johnson. "You just can't believe how wild it was." Yesterday's game was special to the group because many of them knew at least one of the six Olympians from northern Minnesota. There was Johnson, 27, who roomed with Buzz Schneider at the Universi Red Wings halt Stars' five-game streak 7-5 Associated Press Detroit, Mich. Reed Larson and Dan Labraaten each scored two goals Sunday night to pace Detroit's 7-5 victory over the North Stars. The Red Wings' first triumph at Joe Louis Arena since Jan.

31 snapped a nine-game winless streak for Detroit and halted Minnesota's unbeaten string at five. Larson, the former Gopher from Minneapolis, welcomed goalie Louie Levasseur to the NHL after only 54 seconds of play, poking a 5-foot shot into the net. The defenseman scored his 15th goal of the season, at 9:24 of the second period, when he drilled home a slap shot from just inside the Detroit blue line. Levasseur, who had just been called up from Minnesota's farm club at Oklahoma City to spell the ailing Gary Edwards, bemoaned his fate afterward. "That was my big chance and I guess I blew it," said the 30-year-old goal-tender.

"I had three off my arms and I put two in for sure off my pads. I guess I beat myself. I'm disappointed. I waited too long, I guess." However, Coach Glen Sonmor defended his choice of Levasseur In goal, noting that Gilles Meloche had played several games without a rest. "I had Louie with me on the Fighting Saints in the WHA," Sonmor said.

"He's an excellent goalkeeper. He North Stars continued on page 7C 4x8 PICK-UP AT OUR WAREHOUSE $39Q00 United Press International Mike Ramsey leaped Into the celebration after Mark Johnson, against the boards, and Steve Christoff combined for the clinching goal. SPECIAL FACTORY PURCHASE MAJESTIC POOL TABLES ty of Minnesota. There was Dan Rogers, 22, a bartender at the El Dorado bar In Virginia, who was a classmate and teammate of Mark Pavelich at Eveleth High School. And there was AI Holmes, who graduated from Virginia High School with John Harrington in 1974.

They did not forget old loyalties. "Pavelich is the best player on the team," Rogers said. "When we were in high school we won 21 straight." The group arrived in Duluth Just as the Americans were pulling into the lead In the third period of the game. But they refused to leave the buses until the game ended. When the Americans had won, the Iron Rangers led the cheers at Spirit Mountain.

The Ranger crowd spent most of the time In the bar celebrating. After a few toasts to their Olympic friends, the Rangers prompted the rock-and- THINK GARAGE 1. CUSTOM BUILT complete 2. CUSTOM FRAMED lor you to No money down Delayed tint ptyment Utelimt warranty Licensed and bonded "Custom Built means Better Built" TO BUILD: Simulated Leather Pockets 3 Piece Slate Walnut Finish Traditional Green Cloth I I FREE ESTIMATE I I Si ROBERT BRUCE ROBERT BRUCE'S number one V-NECK SWEATER. 100 soft orlon for good looks and comfort.

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