(ATR) It illuminated the final score of USA 4, USSR 3, following an Olympic ice hockey game for the ages, and now, 37-years later, the scoreboard at the Lake Placid Olympic Center is being taken down.
The contest, played on Feb. 22, 1980, became known worldwide as the "Miracle on Ice," as the United States men’s Olympic ice hockey team toppled the mighty Soviet Union squad in an astonishing upset that unified a nation. The U.S. defeated Finland the next day to win the gold medal.
Hanging high from the center ice rafters in the famed 1980 Rink – Herb Brooks Arena, the scoreboard has stood the test of time, but on Tuesday morning, Feb. 7, it will be lit one final time and then lowered and removed at a ceremony.
Buzz Schneider, one of the stars of the 1980 gold medal winning team, will attend the festivities at the arena on Tuesday. Schneider, who scored the first goal for the U.S., reminisced about the improbable victory over the Soviets with Around the Rings.
"After going ahead of the Russians 4-3 with about 10 minutes left in the game, not only myself but my other teammates looked at it constantly," Schneider said of the scoreboard. "The seconds seemed like minutes and minutes seemed like hours.
"Nobody wanted to be on the ice when they scored. We knew we had to be focused on how we played thanks to our coach Herb Brooks, but we still watched the clock. What an unbelievable feeling it was when the final horn blew and the scoreboard read USA 4 USSR 3."
The historic scoreboard will be replaced with a new state-of-the-art LED video board by South Dakota-based Daktronics, which also developed and installed the original board. Representing Daktronics at the Lake Placid ceremony will be former chief executive officer Jim Morgan.
"The 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid were an exciting milestone in Daktronics history and its great to see we are continuing our relationship with Lake Placid sports," Morgan said.
One of the scoreboard’s panels will be given to the Lake Placid Olympic Museum and another one to Daktronics. Locations for the remaining two panels have yet to be determined.
Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) spokesperson Jon Lundin said that fans and Olympic enthusiasts still flock to Lake Placid for a glimpse inside the iconic arena that was the setting for the "Miracle on Ice."
"I am amazed everyday by how much the "Miracle Games" continues to touch people," Lundin said. "Lots and lots of people, young and old (still come to Lake Placid). I really think that the movie "Miracle" helped to keep this significant piece of history alive for another generation. So even young hockey players somewhat understand the story and want to feel the history."
The scoreboard ceremony in Lake Placid is open to the public and free of charge.
"My emotions and feelings Tuesday will be mixed," Schneider said. "A great part of history will come to an end and there are so many memories associated with it. It will be an end to an era – the scoreboard may change but memories will live on."
The Tuesday morning ceremony will be featured live on Facebook Lake Placid Events at 10am Eastern time.
Written by Brian Pinelli
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