'Miracle on Ice' coach Viktor Tikhonov dies at 84

MOSCOW, Nov. 25 (UPI) -- Soviet hockey coach Viktor Tikhonov, who lost the "Miracle on Ice" game to the U.S., died Sunday in Moscow at 84.

Tikhonov led the Soviet hockey team to win three Olympic gold medals and one silver in 1980.

His most notable moment was his loss against the U.S. in the 1980 Lake Placid Winter Olympics -- a moment captured in the 2004 film Miracle. The American victory came two weeks after Russia whipped the team 10-3 in a exhibition game in Madison Square Garden. On top of the U.S. become incredibly coordinated within two weeks, Tikhonov also switched star goaltender Vladislav Tretiak for backup Vladimir Myshkin, emboldening the Americans.

"The entire global hockey community has lost a great coach," said Tretiak, who is now head of the Russian Hockey Federation. "He devoted his entire life to hockey until the last second. Even when I was with him in hospital, we were discussing what needed to be done and how, in order to raise the Russian national team to the very highest level."