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'Miracle on Ice' Hero Mike Eruzione Pays Tribute to Johnny Gaudreau at USA vs. Canada

Stephen Douglas

Mike Eruzione introduced as an honorary captain ahead of the 4 Nations Face-Off final.
Mike Eruzione introduced as an honorary captain ahead of the 4 Nations Face-Off final. / @BR_OpenIce

The United States and Canada faced off in the 4 Nations Face-Off final on Thursday night. "U-S-A" chants were audible early and often at TD Garden in Boston and while there weren't violent fireworks at the start of the game fans of the United States still had plenty to cheer for.

Right before the game American hockey hero Mike Eruzione, who captained the 1980 Olympic team that took down the Soviet Union in the game now known as "Miracle on Ice," was introduced as an honorary captain. Eruzione came out wearing a Johnny Gaudreau jersey. The crowd went wild.

Gaudreau and his brother Matthew died in August after a drunk driver hit them while they were cycling near their home in New Jersey. Gaudreau played for the Calgary Flames and most recently the Columbus Blue Jackets. Gaudreau had also represented the United States on the international level multiple times throughout his career.

This was not the first time that USA had paid tribute to Gaudreau during the tournament.

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Stephen Douglas
STEPHEN DOUGLAS

Stephen Douglas is a senior writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He has worked in media since 2008 and now casts a wide net with coverage across all sports. Douglas spent more than a decade with The Big Lead and previously wrote for Uproxx and The Sporting News. He has three children, two degrees and one now unverified Twitter account.

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