 Mike Eruzione
Mike "Rizzo" Eruzione (born October 25, 1954, in Winthrop, Massachusetts) is a former ice hockey player who was the captain of the 1980 Winter Olympics United States national team that defeated the Soviet Union in the famous Miracle on Ice game.
Eruzione starred for Boston University, averaging over twenty goals a season for four years. He then moved on to the Toledo Goaldiggers of the International Hockey League, winning the rookie of the year award in 1978 and leading the team to the Turner Cup championship in that year. After his second year in Toledo, Eruzione, who played forward, was named the captain of the Olympic team, scoring the winning goal against the Soviets and helping the Americans win the gold medal against Finland.
Eruzione retired from competition after the Olympics, despite contract offers from the New York Rangers, stating that he'd reached the pinnacle of achievement already. Eruzione then became a television broadcaster, grabbing the microphone at Rangers and New Jersey Devils games, and going on to comment at five Olympic Games, working for both ABC and NBC.
Eruzione returned to his alma mater of Boston University to be the assistant coach for the hockey team for three seasons, and where he currently works as Director of Special Outreach. He is a member of several halls of fame. Currently, he is a part-owner of the Omaha Lancers , a junior team in the USHL, and a motivational speaker. He also helps the Winthrop High School ice hockey team during the winter.
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