I received many questions on this too, referring to my vagueness on this
subject.
 
The 1960 USA hockey team won the gold medal at Squaw Valley (CA), meaning
the US has won the gold in the last two Games held in the US.  Players
included Bill & Bob Cleary, and Roger and Bill Christian.  Coach was Army's
Jack Riley.  Herb Brooks was the last player cut from the team.  Boston GM
Harry Sinden played for Canada which won a silver medal.
 
In the final game against Czechoslovakia, the US trailed 4-3 after two periods.
Then, a Russian player came to the US's locker room and suggested they take
oxygen to regain energy since they were at such a high altitude.  They did
and came out to score six unanswered goals, winning the game, 9-4, and the
gold in a game that was shown live to millions of people.
 
That was the last USA hockey team to go unbeaten (5-0-0) in the Olympics. Then,
it was a simple round robin in which each team played all of the other five
teams and best record won.
 
BTW, the US has never gone three consecutive Olympiads without winning a
medal in hockey.  1992 would be the third if they finish out of the medals.
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Mike Machnik    [log in to unmask]   mikem@{beanpot,bubba}.ma30.bull.com