U.S. Hockey Celebration Includes "Miracle on Ice" Reunion

(ATR) USA Hockey is celebrating the 35th anniversary of the "Miracle on Ice" this weekend.

The federation invited all nineteen living members of the 1980 USA Hockey team to attend a ceremony on Sunday at Lake Placid, the site of their upset victory over the heavily favored Soviet Union.

The reunion is part of the eighth annual Hockey Weekend Across America. Scheduled this year for Feb. 20 - 22, HWAA attempt to increase the popularity of hockey throughout the United States.

"We want to keep offering the game and making it accessible to whoever wants to play," USA Hockey executive director Dave Ogrean told NHL.com.

"We want everybody to develop a lifelong love of the sport."

Participants can show their local pride by wearing their favorite jerseys on Friday, Feb. 20. On Saturday, Feb. 21, over 300 rinks will be set up in 47 states to give communities an opportunity to try hockey for free.

The festivities will culminate on Sunday Feb, 22, dubbed "Celebrate Local Hockey Heroes Day." Hockey programs around the country are encouraged to honor their local heroes by posting pictures and stories on the USA Hockey website, Facebook, and Twitter page.

NBC will feature an NHL tripleheader.Select members of the gold-medal winning 2015 U.S. Women's National Under-18 Team will be honored at NHL games in Chicago and Minnesota on Sunday, as well.

The family of Herb Brooks, head coach of the 1980 US hockey team, is auctioning off Olympic memorabilia in New York on Saturday night. Online bidding is already underway.All proceeds will go towards college for the Hall of Fame coach's now-teenage grandchildren and to the Herb Brooks Foundation, founded in 2003 to increase youth opportunity in hockey.

Heritage estimate the entire collection of "Miracle" mementos, including Brooks’ championship ring from the 1980 Olympics, player questionnaires, daily planners and other personal items, is worth at least $200,000.

More information on promotions and events can be found here.

Written by Andrew Murrell

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