๐ฉ๐ช West Germany 4-1 United Statesย ๐บ๐ธ
Olympic Final Round
Olympiahalle, Innsbruck ๐ฆ๐น
Saturday, 14 February 1976
As in previous years, the ice hockey tournament at the 1976 Olympic Games in Innsbruck started with an elimination round. The pairings then resulted from the positions of the teams at the world championships from the previous year.
First, the German selection had to play against Switzerland. On February 2nd, they won 5-1 in front of 7,500 spectators through the goals of Lorenz Funk (2), Ernst Kรถpf, Erich Kรผhnhackl and Wolfgang Boos. So it was clear: Germany will play for places 1 to 6 in the final round in the A group.
The first opponents were the Poles, who in turn prevailed 7-4 in the elimination round against Romania. In the end, however, they were left with 7-4 against Germany. This was followed by a 5-3 defeat against Finland, a 7-3 against the USSR and a 7-4 against Czechoslovakia. In the final game, however, they defeated the USA 4-1.
But to what place had this result been enough? The confusion was great. Because in the end the German team ended up tied with the USA and Finland in third place. One thing was clear: the USA had, also due to the final game against the Germans, the worse goal difference and therefore no chance of Bronze. But in a direct comparison between Germany and Finland, Germany, with a goal difference of 7-6 goals, was behind the Finns, who had a 9-8 goal. With that, everything seemed clear. Bronze for Finland, fourth place for Germany.
Think. After all, the goal difference didn’t play a role at the time. Much more decisive: the goal quotient. But apparently hardly anyone knew about this rule. So it was calculated. The goals scored were divided by the goals scored. Finland comes to 1.125. The German selection, however, to 1.167. To put it bluntly, Germany secured the Bronze medal with a margin of 0.041 goals. It was the “Miracle of Innsbruck.”
Particularly curious: the German players were already disappointed on the way back to the dressing room. It was only on the way there that someone congratulated them on Bronze and thus caused the big surprise.
The players from back then, namely Lorenz Funk, Ernst Kรถpf, Alois Schloder, Rudolf Thanner, Josef Vรถlk, Anton Kehle, Erich Kรผhnhackl, Rainer Philipp, Klaus Auhuber, Ignaz Berndaner, Wolfgang Boos, Martin Hinterstocker, Udo Kiessling, Walter Kรถberle, Stefan Metz, Franz Reindl, Ferenc Vozar and Erich Weishaupt will not be forgotten. After all, there is really no narrower way to win a medal. Oh, and by the way: the rule from back then no longer applies today.
BOXSCORE
1st Period
06:31 – ๐บ๐ธ PEN – S. Jensen
18:35 – ๐ฉ๐ช PEN – Auhuber
2nd Period
28:35 – ๐บ๐ธ PEN – S. Jensen
30:30 – ๐ฉ๐ช PP GOAL – Kรผhnhackl
32:15 – ๐ฉ๐ช PEN – Funk
35:33 – ๐ฉ๐ช PEN – team, bench minor
3rd Period
42:51 – ๐ฉ๐ช GOAL – Philipp (Schloder, Kuhnackl)
44:51 – ๐บ๐ธย GOAL – Schneider
47:59 – ๐ฉ๐ช GOAL – Schloder (Kรผhnhackl, Philipp)
49:06 – ๐บ๐ธ PEN – G. Ross
54:49 – ๐ฉ๐ช GOAL – Kรถpf (Kรผhnhackl, Hinterstocker)
54:57 – ๐บ๐ธ PEN – P. Jensen
56:15 – ๐บ๐ธ PEN – Taft
56:52 – ๐ฉ๐ช PEN – Kรถpf
58:41 – ๐บ๐ธ PEN – Lamby
59:08 – ๐ฉ๐ช PEN – Hinterstocker
GOALTENDERS
W: ๐ฉ๐ชย Kehle
L: ๐บ๐ธ Warden
ROSTERS
๐ฉ๐ช Goaltenders: Anton Kehle, Erich Weishaupt. Defence: Klaus Auhuber, Ignaz Berndaner, Udo Kiessling, Stefan Metz, Rudolf Thanner, Josef Vรถlk. Forwards: Wolfgang Boos, Lorenz Funk, Martin Hinterstocker, Walter Kรถberle, Ernst Kรถpf, Erich Kรผhnhackl, Rainer Philipp, Franz Reindl, Alois Schloder, Ferenc Vozar.
๐บ๐ธ Goaltenders: Blaine Comstock, Jim Warden. Defence: Jeff Hymanson, Paul Jensen, Dick Lamby, Bob Lundeen, Gary Ross, John Taft. Forwards: Steve Alley, Daniel Bolduc, Bob Dobek, Robbie Harris, Steve Jensen, Bob Miller, Douglas Ross, Buzz Schneider, Steve Sertich, Ted Thorndike.
๐ฉ๐ช WEST GERMANY | vs. | UNITED STATES (C) ๐บ๐ธ |
new champion (previous 01 Mar 1975) |
Last Title |
reign ends (since 12 Feb 1976) |
8 | All-Time Wins |
19 |
2 wins | Head-To-Head (+ 1 tie) |
1 win |
First IHLC Meeting (FRG vs. USA) ๐บ๐ธย USA 2-2 FRGย ๐ฉ๐ช โ 01 Feb 1961 โ EX โ Bad Tรถlz ๐ฉ๐ช |
||
Previous IHLC Meeting (FRG vs. USA) ๐ฉ๐ชย FRGย 2-0 USAย ๐บ๐ธ โ 30 Jan 1968 โ EX โ Garmisch-Partenkirchen ๐ฉ๐ช |
||
Last IHLC Game ๐บ๐ธย USA 7-2 POLย ๐ต๐ฑ โ 12 Feb 1976 โ OG โ Innsbruck ๐ฆ๐น |
||
Next IHLC Game ๐ธ๐ชย SWE 4-1 FRGย ๐ฉ๐ช โ 08 Apr 1976 โ WC โ Katowice ๐ต๐ฑ |
Article Credit: Team Deustchland
Photo Credit:ย DWย –ย IIHFย –ย HHOFย –ย IOC